DEI and Glocal Church (Harold Gutierrez interview)

Diversity, equity and inclusion are all Christian virtues, but they can be disguised as PCIE - Pressured Conformity, Inequity and Exclusion. That can happen easily inside or outside of the Church, but the Church cannot afford to conflate virtue with political pragmatism. The prophetic Church does the quiet work of diversity, equity and inclusion without press releases.

On today’s episode I have a conversation with Harold Gutierrez, who is from Langley BC where he works as the Intercultural and Indigenous Ministries director for the British Columbia and Yukon District of the PAOC. He has pastored in Florida, North Carolina and BC and currently working on a PhD. Today we want to talk about cross cultural communication, discipleship, pluralism and the ways that we can grow in working together across the cultural divides.

Link:

British Columbia and Yukon District of PAOC

https://www.bcyd.ca/intercultural-indigenous

Infobesity, Technicism and Tekton (Andy Gabruch interview)

This is my interview with Andy Gabruch. Besides being a husband to Annick and father of four teens, he is the pastor of Home Church, formerly known as Vancouver Chinese Pentecostal Church.

 Andy has his Doctor of Ministry in semiotic studies on Christ, culture and the Church from George Fox University and teaches the Contemporary Communication Course at Summit Pacific College.

 Dr. Andy Gabruch has a mentoring ministry called DUCO, meaning “to lead for today.” Since 2016, DUCO has intentionally mentored forty plus young leaders towards full-time ministry, coached dozens of churches on leading, reaching, and discerning younger generations, various strategic projects with non-profit organizations, and planted five next-generation ministries when he was the Next Generations Director with the PAOC British Columbia and Yukon District.

He has written dozens of resources on ministerial leadership and discipleship and is  releasing his first book, Infobesity: How to be Followers of Jesus in an Information Overload World.

Links:

Infobesity Assessment (Promo Code: DUCO)

www.andygabruch.com/redeemdigitalspaces

Infobesity the Book 

www.infobesity.ca

Redeeming Suffering: Contact Andy at duco@andygabruch.com

You’re Not Listening by Katie Murphy

https://www.journalistkatemurphy.com/#ynlbook

The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313653/the-organized-mind-by-daniel-j-levitin/

Grit by Angela Duckworth

https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-book/

Receptivity To The Gospel In Canada (Brian Egert)

How receptive are Canadians to the Christian message?

Brian Egert is the director of Mission Canada, an agency that has over 50 workers across Canada to reach beyond the church walls. This episode features a plenary session at the Our City Windsor conference in March 2024.

Links:

Mission Canada

https://paoc.org/canada

More Of The Maury Story (Maury Blair interview)

This is part two of my interview with Maury Blair as we revisit his traumatized childhood in Paris Ontario and the journey to wholeness through coming to faith in Christ.

If you have not yet listened to part one, go to https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/revisiting-child-of-woe-maury-blair-interview

Links:

Breakthrough Ministries

https://overcomingabuse.ca/

Revisiting Child of Woe (Maury Blair interview)

Years ago I read Maury Blair’s autobiography ‘Child Of Woe’. I was shocked at the severity of the child abuse he suffered from his step-father. How could a man be so filled with contempt for an innocent child and more miraculously, how could a child of violence grow up to be so compassionate and well-balanced?

In this episode I visited Maury at his kitchen table in Cambridge, Ontario as we revisited his faith journey and ministry. We walked on the streets of Paris, Ontario to see the old homestead, the church and the streets he lived on.

This is part one of two episodes.

Link:

Breakthrough Ministries

https://overcomingabuse.ca/

Church At The Community Table (Connie Jakab Interview)

Connie Jakab is planting a church at a new housing initiative in the Ogden neighbourhood of Calgary. As a long time community energizer, Connie has built an enduring presence in Calgary through her work within the arts community, mental health and business sector.

Now her attention has turned to the neighbourhood she lives and grew up in. Ogden Church meets in the common room of a housing development created by The Mustard Seed, a faith-based organization that exists to eliminate homelessness and reduce poverty.

Ogden Church values breaking bread together around a table rather than sitting in rows as passive listeners.

Links:

Connie’s Website

https://conniejakab.com/

Ogden Church

https://www.ogdenchurch.ca/

Ogden Hub 29

https://muchmorethanahome.ca/

The Mustard Seed

https://theseed.ca/

A Panel Of Urban Pastors

What are the things that urban churches need to be thinking about? Pastor Duane Henry from Portico Church in Mississauga hosts a conversation at Our City Toronto 2023 with four urban pastors that are on the forefront of strategy and mission.

Olu Jegede is a return guest on Sidewalk Skyline Podcast and continues to pastor at Christian Centre Church.

Jessie Knight is an assistant pastor with Olu with a focus on student ministries.

Godfrey Adderley pastors at Stone Church in downtown Toronto.

Joel Spiridigliozzi is a regional director for Western Ontario District working with pastors and ministries in the Toronto region.

Links:

Duane Henry - Portico Church

https://www.porticocanada.ca/

Olu Jegede & Jessie Knight - Christian Centre Church

https://ccctoronto.com/

Olu Jegede

Jessie Knight

Godfrey Adderley - Stone Church

https://stonechurch.ca/

Godfrey Adderley

Joel Spiridigliozzi - Western Ontario District of PAOC

https://wodistrict.org/

Jesus In The Diaspora - Charles Hermelink interview

Charles and I work together with Mission Canada, a Christian ‘mission agency to reach Canada with the gospel in unique ways. There are many contexts where there is a gap; campuses, people groups, regions, and communities where Jesus is inadequately represented. Mission Canada is committed to identify and equip those who will pursue their calling to fill these gaps.’[1]

I am the urban ministry consultant and Charles is the Cultural Ministries consultant. As part of that role, he gives leadership to Neighbours & Newcomers Network National.

Links:

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/priorityculturalministries

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/nnnetworknational

[1] https://paoc.org/canada/about

Wendy Burton - Mocha Latte Pastor

Wendy Burton has had a lifetime working in corporate settings and ministry experience in churches, but in recent years her focus has turned to her community. Prompted by the Spirit, she began to make herself available at a local coffee chain to meet people, build friendships and enter into a life of community pastoring.

Indigenous In The City - part two

My continuing conversation with Levi Samson Beardy and Dan Collado as we talk about the gospel at work in First Nations, Metis and Inuit. With 50% of the Canadian indigenous population living in urban centres, there is a greater opportunity to build bridges and engage in reconciliation.

The billboard in this picture was posted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2014 as part of an art exhibit.

Indigenous In The City - Part One

It is my honour today to invite a team of indigenous Christians from various parts of Canada onto the podcast to talk about what it means to be an indigenous or aboriginal person living in Canadian cities. Stats Canada uses the terms ‘aboriginal’ and ‘indigenous’ to refer to people that are First Nations, Metis and Inuit. It is estimated that about one-half live in urban areas as compared to those living on reservation land and non-urban areas.

Dan Collado, has been serving the Lord in full-time ministry since 1993. He initially took a step of faith and went to live and pastor in small isolated fly-in Indigenous communities in northern Ontario, and later in Nunavut. After some 15 years of pastoral ministry, while continuing to feel the burden for Indigenous initiatives, Dan accepted the role as Academic Director of Aboriginal Bible Academy (ABA) in 2009. Dan is part of the Mohawk nation and resides in Napanee, ON.

Jim Thunder is Director of Economic Development at Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg, MB. He is an adjunct professor of Indigenous Economic Leadership at University of Manitoba.

Levi Samson Beardy is the Oji-Cree pastor of Aboriginal Believers’ Church in Toronto.

Links:

Dan Collado - Mission Canada Indigenous Priority

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/priorityindigenouscanadians

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/dancollado

Aboriginal Bible Academy

https://www.aboriginalbibleacademy.ca/about

Jim Thunder MBA

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jimthunder

Levi Samson Beardy

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/levi-samson-beardy-9639537

Aboriginal Believers’ Church

https://www.facebook.com/AbOriginalBelieversChurch/

Creating Space To Belong - Susan McQuinn Wells

My guest today is Susan Wells, author of ‘A Place at My Table: Creating Space to Belong.’ Over the years, we have crossed paths and even shared some group meals at restaurants across the country. She and her husband David Wells currently reside in the Greater Toronto Area city Burlington. David is the General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies Of Canada.

 In her book Susan says, ‘In some circles a philosophy evolved that the only reason for making a friend outside the church was to convert them. When I was a teen, we were encouraged to share our faith with our friends but not truly be friends with them… This dichotomy can result in Christians never developing a genuine camaraderie with people who don’t hold the same beliefs. They end up praying for souls without befriending the people that embody the souls.’

Susan is a woman of depth and insight. We cover a lot of ground here on the path to the table.

Links:

A Place At My Table (Book)

https://wordcom.paoc.org/products/a-place-at-my-table-paoc-gift-book-susan-wells

 Website:

www.aplaceatmytable.ca

The View From Mount Royal - Gary Connors interview

Montreal is the gateway to Quebec for much of English speaking Canada. One of its citizens Gary Connors talks with Kevin Rogers about ways that God is at work in Montreal, the cities of Quebec and Francophone Canada.

Gary Connors is the coordinator for Quebec and Francophone Canada, a missional priority of Mission Canada and FIT4M (French Intensive Training for Ministry), a national initiative.

Gary has pastored in Quebec for numerous years and has served as Assistant to the Superintendent of the Eastern Ontario and Quebec District and the District Superintendent for the District of Quebec.

Gary and his wife Gwen live in Hudson Quebec.

Links:

Mission Canada - Quebec and Francophone Canada

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/priorityquebecandfrancophonecanada

Fit4M - French Intensive Training For Ministry

https://fit4m.ca/

Institut Biblique du Quebec

https://ibq.ca/

The Great Reset Of Mission In The City

Earlier this summer I hosted a webinar with Steve Pike entitled ‘The Great Reset of Mission in the City’. Canadian urban leaders attended as we talked about 21st century realities of making disciples in our urban context.

Steve Pike has been at the forefront of church planting for thirty years. He served as founding director of Church Multiplication Network (CMN) for the Assemblies of God (USA) denomination.

Seeing a need for more church plants in cities, he founded Urban Islands Project, which exists to “increase the presence of the Church in the Urban O.”

He’s released a book entitled ‘Next Wave: Discovering the 21st Century Church’.

Links:

Previous interview with Steve Pike:

Season 2, Episode 9:

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/21st-century-urban-churches-with-steve-pike

Steve Pike B: Next Wave website

https://nextwave.community/

Next Wave Book: Discovering the 21st Century Church

https://www.amazon.ca/Next-Wave-Discovering-Century-Church/dp/1736042815/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=next+wave+steve+pike&qid=1619868111&sr=8-1

Urban Islands Project

https://urbanislandsproject.org/