How can our church move beyond programs and door hangers and create a true impact in the lives of others? Our goal is not just community development—it’s building trust and relationships that pave the way for kingdom expansion. Natural bridges for connection emerge as we focus on others' concerns and create opportunities around those needs.

Why did we move our young family to the Northwest Territories? It is to pursue God's face and see His hand move and shake every hamlet, village, town, and city, pushing back the darkness that has held dominion here for far too long.

How can I give a salvation invitation every Sunday of the year? Here are practical steps to give salvation invitations every Sunday of the year.

Incarnational church planting goes beyond starting a service. It's about crossing cultural barriers and embodying Jesus in a neighbourhood's everyday life. This is what it means to be the ekklesia—the gathered community of believers.

I hear stories about churches doing radio shows in which the pastor would simply field questions about life, the Bible, and theology – a conversation with regular people from their local community who would call and ask questions of the pastor.

How can I generate momentum in my church and get people back from being in summer mode? Hosting a strategic start-up event in the fall generates momentum within your church. It will bring families back into the swing of things while also being intentionally outbound.

How were we using our resources (both time and money) for VBS programs? Read why Jon DuHamel thinks that VBS needs to pivot in Canada.

How can our congregation make a difference in our community? Recently, the congregation in St. Paul initiated an outreach to local indigenous people and have seen many residents from Saddle Lake, Goodfish, Kehewin, Fishing Lake and Frog Lake reserves attend Sunday services in 2023.

How can you reach more families with young children? Many churches struggle with this question as they find that they are an older congregation or they think they don’t have the volunteer capacity to reach out to families. Here are some simple ways you can reach families with young children that won’t cost you a lot of money and utilize a lot of volunteers.

How many hours a week are you in your community? I encourage pastors to allocate 5 hours a week to be in their community, connecting with non-believers and building bridges of connection to people not a part of the church. Here are some ways to get out of your office and into your community.

Are you a solution provider in your community? Churches often see themselves as "providers of religious goods and services" in the place where they are located. They relegate themselves to society's "faith and religion" aspects and do their best to stay in their lane. However, the Church of Jesus Christ is called to make an impact on the world it is a part of.

On May 10, 2023, over 260 pastors and ministry leaders from across the Alberta and Northwest Territories gathered for a roundtable, family forum-styled conference to discuss what it means to “Belong, Grow, and Serve” together in the ABNWT PAOC family. Here’s what we’re learning.

What does a vitalized church in Canada actually look like? The reality is every church is on a trajectory and we can’t look at an individual month or year, but we need to look at the overall trends and characteristics of a church that is vitalized. Let’s look at 5 characteristics of a vitalized church.

How can our church make a difference in our local public schools? Why not walk across the street to your local public school and see what the question, “What do you need and how can we help?” leads to?

Why are churches unable to stay open and grow? In an age where the Canadian population is growing, churches nationwide seem to be shrinking. The media calls it “the age of secularism,” but I call it a “wake-up call for the churches in Canada.”

How do we reach young families when we don’t have any in our church? Although it may be difficult, it is still very possible. Guest writer, Jonathan Duhamel, gives two things you can do that will hopefully help you reach young families in your community.

Where are you seeing God working in your context? God is working in rural Canada through churches with long-term community engagement and creating a reputation for being community builders.

What kind of strategies will help me break the 100 barrier, and why I should care? The 100 Opportunity is just that – an opportunity to get unstuck, reach people, grow yourself, and your church. We all know that attendance is not the be-all and end-all of church. However, it is one part of the character of your church. Some leaders see 100 in attendance as a “barrier,” but it really is an opportunity. An opportunity to spur congregational prayer, community impact, and make new disciples. Isn’t that what you pray for?