Ministry Resource Guide
Click here to download the latest Canadian edition of the Ministry Resource Guide. It contains the names and relevant contact information of commended ministry personnel who are associated with Brethren related congregations in Canada.
In previous years similar publications provided this service for all of North America. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to gather and maintain accurate records for such a diverse, widespread and mobile constituency. Therefore, it was agreed that Interest Ministries would produce the U.S. version, Vision Ministries Canada would provide a Canadian edition and that Stewards Ministries would provide funding for both.
The Assemblies, Brethren or Christian Brethren were a recovery movement that emerged in the 1830’s in the United Kingdom and spread around the world within twenty to thirty years. They had a passion for:
- Knowing Christ intimately
- Remembering Him singularly in the Breaking of Bread
- Anticipating His glorious return
- Studying Scripture thoroughly
- Proclaiming the Gospel everywhere
- Making every believer a minister
- Living devout and sacrificial lives
- Serving the poor and needy
- Responding spontaneously to the direction of the Holy Spirit
- Gathering congregationally in New Testament simplicity
We refer to them as a historical recovery movement because they were not trying to reform or renew an existing stream of churches. Their focus was on recovering the dynamic power and simplicity of the church as found in the pages of the New Testament. Another one of their motivating commitments was to the unity and indivisibility of the church, the Body of Christ.
Practicing these ideals has been challenging. The prized jewel of unity proved to be illusive. But the Biblical idealism of the early Brethren lives on, not only in modern Brethren congregations but also in many other Christian church circles.
Although Brethren congregations in Canada are not formally organized as many Christian denominations are, there are three “loosely describable and overlapping” groupings of Brethren related congregations in Canada today. All continue to practice the noble ideals of the 1830’s albeit in quite diverse ways.
- Gospel Halls
- Conservative Chapels
- Adaptive Chapels and Churches
We employ these terms to facilitate communication and understanding, not to limit fellowship or the freedom of the Spirit to direct His servants as He wills. Some of those listed in this booklet minister primarily within one of the above streams of congregations while others minister in ways that transcend such circles. In general terms the distinctions among the above groupings might be described as differences related to degrees of simplicity, tradition and inclination to adapt to influences from other churches and contemporary culture.
All who are listed in this volume have been commended or commissioned to the service of our Lord by sending congregations or by those congregations with whom they presently serve. Their primary human accountability links are to those churches via their spiritual leaders. In every case commendations have been verified by a current elder of their congregation. This edition does not include all that serve in these capacities. It is our hope that in years to come it will become increasingly complete.
We trust that this little volume will prove useful in extending the grace and Gospel of Christ to one another in ways that advance the Kingdom that will never end! - Gord Martin
"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.'"Eph 3:20-21