Ah, summertime. Time to shake off winter’s effects, wind down, find a comfortable spot, relax, and read or listen. Five books that are worth your holiday time this summer. What books do you recommend that I will enjoy this summer?

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.

Why are you trying to grow your ministry by yourself? From the early days in Jesus’ example to the early church, you’ll read ministry stories in collaboration and partnership. Ministers joined forces and faith to see great things accomplished. Where one lacked, the other contributed and so on. Jesus himself chose to do ministry in teams; these disciples would have had input into Jesus’ life and ministry.

Are you kid-friendly? During a time when Jonathan DuHumal and his family were looking for a church home, they tried out many well-meaning churches and just never stayed. These are the three things those churches didn’t that you CAN do.

How can I make the best use of the short summer months? Here are a few 'time and experience' tested tips from Papa Al to help you capitalize on this glorious season.

Our Canadian churches have the greatest opportunity to reverse the trend of decreasing Christian influence in Canada. It works when we obey Christ and shed off everything else. We invite you to join us at the Church Vitalization Summit on August 29 and 30 for two 90-minute virtual sessions on reversing the trend in Canada.

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?

How can I overcome my loneliness? Loneliness is a non-ending pandemic. Leaders are not immune.

On May 10, 2023, over 260 pastors and ministry leaders from across the Alberta and Northwest Territories gathered for a round table for a family forum-styled conference to discuss what it means to “Belong, Grow, and Serve” together in the PAOC family in our region. The day was buzzing as people made new connections, visited with old friends and dialled into the day's agenda. Here are seven things that we learned at this past District Conference.

How can we make the most of the summer schedule? The summer is often the time when you’ll get guests visiting. This is not a time to dial back. It’s a time to get the most out of your summer ministry season. You can hack your summer in the following ways.

What kind of support can a pastor expect in the ABNWT? Moving from the province of British Columbia as an ordained minister of the PAOC to Alberta & Northwest Territories District is one of the most important decisions Joachim has ever made, whose benefits have been enormous on many levels.

Why does a covering for pastoral ministry matter? Phil Kniesel has been pastoring for 25 years. Some of his most incredible experiences in ministry and significant opportunities have all happened because of the tribe he finds himself in – the PAOC.

Why is it important to belong to the PAOC and the ABNWT District? Mark MacKnight had a front-row seat to the benefits and blessings of belonging through his parents' ministry. As he began his own journey, responding to his own call to vocational ministry, he found myself taking his own steps toward belonging.

Where can small church pastors find mentoring and support in the ABNWT? Merril Radford, a pastor in our District says, “My ABNWT cohort was a key launching pad... This led to a Discovery process with mentoring by an effectiveness coach and other cohort opportunities where we encourage and inspire each other in ministry.”

For James Clarence, being a part of the PAOC family is to be a part of great potential – the potential to see the Lord move in a fresh and new way.

What do I need to address and avoid in my leadership life? Here are six pitfalls of pastoring that almost always end in some type of derailment.

What happens when young leaders grow together? As year one of ABNWT's Young Leaders Accelerator draws to a close, we take a look a some of the things we are learning.