Who Not What

Traditionally we know and understand organizations and ministries by what they do. For example, if I say Navigators, we often think of disciple making.  If I say Young Life or Youth for Christ, we think of youth and youth ministry. If I say Tesla we immediately think electric cars. This tendency is what makes understanding Outreach Canada so difficult. 

The thing that makes OC different is not what we do because we do many things. It is who we are. Our values and our way of doing ministry is what makes us who we are.

Let me begin by addressing what drives and shapes Outreach Canada as a mission.

• First, we are a Great Commission organization believing that we are sent to make disciples of all peoples and to teach them to observe everything the Christ commanded us. Our heart is that every person has an opportunity to know Christ and grow deep in a personal relationship with him.
• Secondly, we are church focused. We believe God has chosen his church to fulfill the mission that he left behind. Therefore, as expressed in Ephesians 4:11-12, we believe he gave gifted people for the equipping of the church for the work of the service and the building up of the body of Christ.
• And lastly, we see this happening using the model of 2 Timothy 2:2, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men and women who will be able to teach them to others also."  We believe multiplication is the way for small resources to make a big difference.

To see these three outcomes fulfilled, we are people who love to come alongside of others and strengthen them and build them up. If you wanted to put a scriptural person to this image, it is that of Barnabas in the New Testament who was known as the encourager. In each context, we ask what God is doing, what resources exist, and then strive to bring what is missing to the situation. It is this heart of love and service for God's church and his people that guides us in all that we do and allows us to do many different things.
Some local situations need a church planter or church planting training, other situations need resources in working with and reaching the diaspora or immigrant community. Other contexts call us to serve the workplace community providing chaplains to businesses and training to workplace leaders.

Could God be asking you to engage with the OC faith community? We would love to come alongside of you and help you be the faith community that God has created you to be. If God is speaking to you about being a resource with us, we invite you to join us in prayer for your areas of passion to support ongoing ministries in those areas or to join us in being a Barnabas friend to others in need.
 

Ray Sanford, has served as a missionary overseas and later as part of the executive team with One Challenge. He is currently a member of the board of directors for Outreach Canada Ministries and lives with his wife on Vancouver Island.