ou dont have to read much of On Mission to discover one of our most important core beliefs: God wants every Christian to be personally on mission with Him, delivering the gospel to the world.
Does that mean that every Christian is a missionary? Well, not exactly. Some on mission Christians receive a special call from God to go from where they are to places and people that God has prepared for them. Philip went to Samaria and Gaza (Acts 8), Peter went to the Gentile household of Cornelius (Acts 10), Paul and his partners went to places and people now chronicled as the names of many New Testament books (Acts 13-28). Names like William Carey, Adoniram Judson and Lottie Moon bring to mind more contemporary missionaries called to specific places and people.
So does that mean you have to cross an ocean or speak a different language to be a missionary? Again, not exactly. Take for example the eight modern-day missionaries profiled here. Their unique giftedness and preparation now help them get past the barriers that have kept people in their mission field from hearing the good news about Jesus.
These missionaries are representative of the 5,025 who have been appointed by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to places of service in the United States, Canada and their territories. During a special Week of Prayer for North American missions March 5-12 thousands of churches and literally millions of Christians will pray for these eight and for theon mission cause of sharing the gospel throughout North America.
We invite you, too, to be their partners in prayer.
Under an overcast Toronto sky, members of Dixie Baptist Church trickle into a small building attached to a high-rise, much like they have for 21 years.
Though the makeup of the congregation has changed, it remains a strong example of the life-changing power of Christ in this multi-ethnic Canadian community. In this case, the congregationOntarios first Southern Baptist churchmeets on a concrete slab over a former indoor swimming pool.
Downstairs, the womens swimsuit dressing room is the nursery; showers testify to its former use. Youth gather next door in the mens changing room.
On this Sunday morning 15 nationalities join to study the Bible. The setting isnt fancy, but it serves its purpose. In fact, the building is evidence of the tenacity and creativity of Canadian Southern Baptists in planting churches whenever a door opensor, in this case, when a pool closes.
No one told the group it was too small to make a difference. As a result, this international mix of immigrants now sponsors six mission churchesone English-speaking, one Hispanic, one Vietnamese and three Korean. A First Nation congregation, similar to Native American work in the United States, is planned.
Helping Dixies church starting effortsand serving as a catalyst among 20 other churches and missions across Toronto and the province of Ontarioare North American Mission Board missionaries Barry and LaWanda Bonney. Barry is a church planter-catalyst. LaWanda leads teacher workshops in churches and leads the Womans Missionary Union in Ontario.
The couple lives in Oakville, a Toronto suburb, with their three daughters: Kayla, 7; Kristen, 5; and Kelsey, 2.
Its a ministry built on teamwork.
Though he concentrates his ministry in Toronto, Barry travels the expansive province locating sites for new home Bible studies or missions. LaWandas childhood as a missionary kid in Mexico and Central America opens doors in the Hispanic community. And their daughters subtle witness among their peers helps introduce others to Bible stories.
As church planter-catalyst, Barry works with pastors to brainstorm and share ideas on ways to start churches. In many ways hes a recruiter, assessor and coach to church planters.
When the couple moved to Toronto from a smaller city in Saskatchewan, they came to the province of 11 million residents to work with ethnics. Since then Barrys job description has expanded to working with new English-speaking churches.
The Bonneys are the only NAMB missionaries in the province, which includes Canadas capital, Ottawa.
"Its really a God-sized project," LaWanda says. "Thats why we tell the churches our goal is for them to be church-starting churches. It requires them to look beyond themselves."
The Canadian Southern Baptist Convention has the goal of planting 1,000 new churches as quickly as possible, up from 140 today. These churches need to be in Ontario because thats where a large percentage of Canadians live, Barry says.
The way to reach the goal, he said, is to cultivate the planting of key churches that will rapidly multiply themselves throughout the area. Thats the big-picture, but it will require more church planters from Canada and the United States catching the vision.
"In addition to Canadian church planters, we are looking for gifted Americans with cross-cultural skills similar to those of someone surrendering to mission service in any other country. That is surprising to some of those coming from the United States to minister here," he explains.
"Canada is not the 51st state," says Barry. "Some of those coming here from the South feel like they are on another planet when they realize how unreceptive Canadians can be to the gospel. Canada is a highly diverse, multi-ethnic, religiously pluralistic nation.
"When you share your faith with someone, you cant assume that they know anything about the Bible."
LaWanda adds: "The world is coming here, but it is not being reached. Our passion is to see these people come to know Christ and share Him with their countrymen as missionaries to their own people."