Some of the ways we are committed to serving local CRC churches and leaders across Eastern Canada:
Missional Clusters are being formed across Eastern Canada. A cluster is a localized gathering of church and ministry leaders who share a common committment to develop leaders, plant new missional ministries as well as adding to the health and vitality of existing churches. These clusters are in the early formation stage,across Eastern Canada. A newly formed EASTERN CANADA MISSION LEADERSHIP TEAM, made up of catalytic missional practicioners from across Eastern Canada is giving leadership to this initiative. Our dream is to see the development of local organic movements that have a shared passion to be a blessing to their neighborhoods and communities across Eastern Canada.
Contact the Mission Leadership Team member from your region for more information how you and your ministry can get involved in an emerging MISSIONAL CLUSTER in your area.
Congregational Coach/Consultants based in local regions and classes across Eastern Canada are being identified, trained and coached by Christian Reformed Home Missions. These locally based coach/consultants will be available to come alongside your church and/or ministry as you seek to grow your leadership capacity and your missional engagement as a church/ministry.
Jack Tacoma, who is a Congregational Coach/Consultant with over ten years experience in working with local churches and their leadership teams is heading up the formation of this team of Congregational Coach/Consultants.
You can contact Jack at jacktacoma@sympatico.ca
These Congregational Coach/Consultants are developing a process intended to help you and your church to move forward in their missional journey. As a general outline, they will be equipped to assist you in the following areas:
a. Step #1: Help You take an accurate SNAPSHOT of Your Congregational Health:
Using a variety of tools such as the Natural Church Development Survey, the Healthy Church Index, and/or the Willow Creek Association's Reveal Tool, they will help you get an accurate and affirming reflection of your strengths and areas of needed growth as a ministry.
b. Step #2: Design a custom ACTION PLAN that will help your church move forward:
Together with your ministry leadership, they will custom develop a helpful process to help you get unstuck and/or move forward on your missional journey as a congregation.
c. Step #3: Provide ongoing COACHING SUPPORT for your church leadership as they implement this plan:
They will provide ongoing follow up Coaching Support as your leaders implement steps designed to propel you forward in your ministry journey as a local church.
Small Group Coach/Consultants based in regions across Eastern Canada are being trained by Christian Reformed Home Missions. You can contact our Small Group Coach Mobilizer Marian Lensink for more information about a trained coach/ consultant located near you.
You can contact Marian at mlensink@crcna.org
In addition to acting as Coaches for your small group leadership group, these Small Group Coaches will also be able to provide helpful workshops for your local ministry. Some of these workshops include:
Everyday Evangelism - Linking People to Jesus
This 3-4 hr workshop helps participants understand how God can use them in their every day lives, as links in a chain, that may prepare another’s heart for a life-changing commitment to Christ.
Prayer Evangelism
God uses our prayers to bring individuals to faith in Christ and to transform our communities. In this workshop participants will learn tools to pray for their neighbours/friends and their cities;
Reaching out through existing programs of your church
Programs such as GEMS, Cadets, Friendship, Small Groups, etc can be used as tools for outreach. Learn how to advertise in the community, be welcoming to new people etc.
Welcome and Enfold
When guests come to your church or group what is their first impression? How are they welcomed and how are new members enfolded so they feel like they belong? This 3hr interactive workshop helps a church take a good look at their welcoming and enfolding practices.
Developing a Small Group Ministry Plan
Whether you already have functioning small groups, or desire to begin a Small Group ministry, Home Missions can assist you with determining what the specific needs might be for your church. Through consultation with a Small Group Ministry Developer, you will review what is currently working well, what the needs and opportunities are within your church, and what options are available to encourage a healthy Small Group Ministry in your community.
Small Group Leader Training
Training can be provided in your ministry, specific to the needs of your setting. Leaders will come away from training with a renewed sense of what God is calling us to be a community together, and how that can be applied to Small Groups of various types.
Small Group Management Training
In addition, training is also available for Small Group Ministry Leaders including issues about the Management of Small Groups, as well as Next Steps training for your existing and growing small group ministry.
Coffee Break Leader Training
Coffee Break is a vital ministry within many of our churches, using the study of God’s Word and the friendships of women, to bring others into relationship with Jesus Christ. Training is available for leaders of Coffee Break, whether they are new to the ministry or need refreshment and encouragement to continue in this work.
Leadership Coaches are also being trained across Eastern Canada. A Leadership Coach is someone trained to come alongside of you as a leader, helping you process your leadership issues and allowing you space to grow into the best leader you can be. We are committed to helping catalyse a movement of locally based coaches that are trained, equipped and supported across Eastern Canada.
a. Church Planter Coaches
Church planting is one vital way we seek to help catalyse missional movements in Eastern Canada. In addition to assessments and other resources to help support church planters in the early stages of the development of their ministries, Christian Reformed Home Missions is committed to ensuring that each church planter supported by the Christian Reformed Church in Eastern Canada has access to a trained coach.
b. Campus Minister Coaches
Our region is blessed with more than 10 Campus Ministries. These Campus Pastors are placed on strategic campuses across Eastern Canada, working to be a missional presence to these unique educational worlds of the university. In addition to partnering with Classes and local churches to help provide financial support for these ministries, Christian Reformed Home Missions is committed to ensuring that each Campus Minister has access to a trained coach.
c. Coaching for Mission-Focused Church Pastors
Local churches across Eastern Canada continue to be a vital part of the CRC presence in our part of Canada. Christian Reformed Home Missions is committed to training and equipping the resource people needed to help these local churches flourish and move forward on their missional journey through the following avenues:
1. Missional Clusters are one way we provide a peer coaching tool
2. Trained Church and Small Group Consultants
3. Coaching
Christian Reformed Home Missions in Eastern Canada is committed to developing a COACHING CULTURE across our region. Our goal is for every leader to have access to trained coaches who will come alongside them to encourage and help them grow as leaders. Our secondary goal is for every leader to learn how to pass the same coaching culture on into their local ministry.
For more information about becoming a trained coach or about locating a coach who might be a helpful resource for you as you navigate leadership contact our regional leader Adrian Van Giessen at avangiessen@crcna.org or 519.635.6642.
