The Journey is hosting a free lecture (who doesn’t like anything free?) by Dr. Larry Perkins on “The Apostle Paul’s Use of the Old Testament” This is an intriguing topic, should be some interesting perspectives shared and much to learn.

Time: Thursday Sept 9, 2010 – 7pm-8:30pm
Location: Ellerslie Road Baptist Church, Edmonton

What can we learn from how Paul interpreted the “Bible” which he had?

An equipping event for …
• those seeking greater understanding of God’s Word
• those engaged in teaching the Bible
• those interested in the historic origins of the Christian faith, and how our Bible came to be
• those interested in seeing why we can be confident about the Bible we have

Full description (pdf)

Come, learn, enjoy!

Our recent Gathering 2010 was a great day of fun, worship, learning and being together as a community of believers in Jesus. One of the best parts was the stimulating interaction around tables after lunch about how to be a missionary in your own neighbourhood, the “gospel according to you”. Here’s the link to the pdf document, or see below for the full text of the responses shared in the discussions. Feel free to comment or expand on things!
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Tags: Culture, Gathering, missional, outreach

Canadahelps.org has a series of free webinars (web-based seminars) providing training for increasing donations, using email to stay in touch with donors, and other topics. Check out the online newsletter for more details.

Tags: financial, training

Who can come: This is a retreat for all women whose husbands are pastors. In the BGCA we have close to 40 pastors wives. We would love to have them all attend this retreat. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity for you to be renewed and refreshed as you serve in your church.

For more information please contact Linda Ozirney at 204 467 8491 or liozirney@mts.net

Location: Rimbey, Alberta is located 62 kilometers (39 miles) northwest of Red Deer. We will stay at the new Super 8 Hotel in Rimbey
From the north: follow highway #2 to highway #53 to 43rd street
From the south: follow highway #2 to highway #53 west to 43rd street
From the east: follow highway #13 east to highway 20 south to 43rd street
From the west: follow highway 53 to 43rd street

Cost: The cost of a room per night is $134.38 (taxes included). When sharing with one other person, you would each pay this amount for the two nights. There will be two beds per room. If you would prefer your own room, then the cost for you for the room would be $134.38 X 2.
There is a free hot/cold breakfast in the hotel available for all. The cost of the other meals will be your responsibility. We will probably order in Subway sandwiches for Saturday noon and go out to a nearby restaurant together for Saturday dinner.
There will be a registration fee of $10.00 per person to cover the cost of the meeting room and an offering will be taken to cover the cost of other retreat expenses.

Program: We will keep the schedule interesting, but not heavy as this is a time to visit, relax, and be refreshed. It will look something like this:
Friday evening – arrive and settle in. Spend time together having fun and visiting, swimming and generally getting acquainted. No sessions this evening.
Saturday – morning will be spent together in sessions and discussions and prayer time along with some fun! Afternoon will be more relaxing with an interesting feature and then time to sleep or visit. Saturday evening will again be a session together.
Sunday will be our last session together and we will be on our way by noon.
More information on this will follow when you register.

Tags: pastors, women

Be part of “Transform the World 2010″, a short term missions opportunity offered through BGC Canada and Frontiers. This trip happens from June-August 2010, and involves work with refugees in the Turkic-Balkans region. Application deadline: February 28, 2010.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a young adult in your church. Can you think of someone who is up to the challenge and would really grow through this experience? See the flyer for full details.

Contact: info@summerteam.info or phone 778-397-4455.
www.frontiers.ca

Tags: missions

Want to improve your pastoral care skills and knowledge? the Journey adult learning centre invites you to The Caring Church seminar on Friday March 5, 2010 from 8:30am-4:30pm at Ellerslie Road Baptist Church. Dr John Auxier of ACTS Seminaries will be the presenter. Cost is $99, registration forms can be found at www.acts.twu.ca.

The Caring Church seminar is being offered as a non-credit continuing education course for pastors and church leaders. A for-credit course (PTh605 Pastoral Counselling at ACTS seminaries) is being held concurrently, please see www.acts.twu.ca for more information or contact Dr. Ed Stuckey.

Seminar Topics:
- domestic violence and the church
- internet addictions: prevention and recovery issues
- child abuse: identifying and reporting issues
- crisis interveision
- suicide prevention
- boundaries for marriage and ministry

Full details available on the Journey’s resource page.

Tags: caring, counselling, seminar

Lone Prairie Camp announces Winter Camps in January and February 2010 (Jr High January 29-31, Sr High Feb 12-14), so spread the news. Here are the details from Jeff Buck:

“It may be cold…but hearts can still be warm to the things of God! Our young people are incredibly vital to the future of all of our churches.  LPC is committed to seeing all young people deepen their love for God and to extend the love of God to those who have yet to become disciples.
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Tags: camp, youth

Lansdowne Chinese Baptist Church held a commissioning service for Peter & Miriam Co, pastor for the English ministry at the church. Peter and Miriam and their children Pia and Parker moved to Edmonton in late September and have been enjoying a great fall of ministry at the church (well, maybe not the weather over the last couple weeks…).
So, a big welcome to Peter & Miriam from all the BGCA pastors and leaders, and extra bonus points to the 100+ people who braved record-setting -36C weather to celebrate the occasion. Check out the photo gallery for some highlights of the event!

Tags: commissioning, leaders, pastors

On November 25, a special gathering of key BGCA leaders took place in Red Deer. Twenty- eight BGCA leaders representing eighteen of our twenty-seven churches, along with BGC Canada, Canadian Baptist Seminary, and Lone Prairie Camp, attended the summit. Several more wanted to come but could not make it. The goal was not to impose pre-conceived plans top-down and ask churches to change what they’re doing. Rather, the goal was to provide a forum for us as leaders to express the challenges we face and how we can collaborate to move ahead together. We collectively comprise the BGCA. Our main question was “Where to next?”.

To start, we noted the lack of any substantial net growth in baptisms, attendance, and church planting since 2002 in both the BGCA and BGCC. We face a widespread lack of passionate spirituality, mission, and disciple-making with a corresponding widespread resistance to change, which are both challenges and opportunities as a district. From one perspective the need for “repentance” was suggested. We spent time in prayer and discussion. We noted that each church faces unique contexts and challenges, that God is at work, that the pastor is the leader of the local church, and that overall we share some common challenges.
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Tags: disciplemaking, leadership, missional, youth

January 21-24, 2010 in Canmore
A gathering event to invite and challenge young adult leaders to deeper engagement with Christ, His Church, and His mission! A ministry of the Baptist General Conference of Canada, the 2020 Summit is an invitation to the next generation of leaders to go deeper in their walk with Christ, His church and His mission. On January 21-24, 2010 young adult leaders from across our denomination will gather in Canmore, Alberta for four days of connecting with God and His people as we dream about what He might do among us in the coming years.

See www.bgc.ca for more details

Tags: leadership, youth