This is the third blog I have written to introduce the OC Global Alliance. The first blog focuses on our roots, the second focuses on the OCGA’s global ministries, and this article will shed light specifically on Outreach Canada’s missional involvement and impact outside of Canada. For various reasons, I am unable to share all our global engagements, but what I can share is pretty exciting.

How it Started

When Outreach Canada was first founded in 1977, our president was Luis Palau, an Argentine evangelist who was serving as the President of Overseas Crusade (OC).  Our focus at Outreach Canada was in our own country, until 2004 when the first international missionaries were recruited; Heather and I (Craig) were recruited and sent to Southern Africa in 2005. Shortly thereafter, Murray and Carol Moerman were sent to Europe. Through these early connections, doors began to open for other short term ministry opportunities in Europe and Southern Africa. Outreach Canada staff were contributing resources and skills in a growing number of global networks like MANI and GCPN.

How it's Going

Today, Outreach Canada’s missional engagements outside of Canada could be clustered into three categories:

1. International Missionaries
2. International Partnerships
3. International Funding.

International Missionaries

Outreach Canada has sent Canadian workers internationally to the US, Europe, and Africa but more typically, we have sent short term workers to serve with specific projects, teaching at Bible schools, pastoral training, member care support, discipleship training, and other special projects for research, IT, or administrative services. In 2022 we had short- term projects or full-time staff in ten countries!

International Partnerships

Outreach Canada’s most significant partnership is the OC Global Alliance, where I (Craig) now serve as the Director for Global Collaboration and leader of the OCGA Service Hub. 

However, Outreach Canada has many other significant partnerships that we are involved with. 

• Outreach Canada was asked to be the Canadian partner to Simply Mobilizing.  We provide leadership and administration to all the Simply Mobilizing ministry in Canada and the Caribbean.  We have also helped to provide translations of their material into new languages for use in Canada and abroad. 
• Another significant partnership is Rethink Development Burundi. We have an associate in Burundi who oversees this growing ministry to train and equip pastors and development leaders in Burundi.  
• One of our core ministries, the MORE Network, is focused on serving international missionary families and children, wherever they are and when they return to Canada. One of the MORE network’s more recent developments is the Shepherd’s Council, an international partnership that helps provide member care and missionary kid care for missionaries from new sending countries, like Nigerians going to Thailand!
• We are also involved in a network that is making disciples across East Asia.  This year we trained over one thousand leaders in Discovery Bible Study in one country that has ministry spilling over into several neighboring countries. 
• We are also partners in large global missions networks like the World Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Movement.

International Funding

As a partner of the OC Global Alliance, Outreach Canada has many global associates who serve in other countries but raise a portion of their financial support through their connections and relationships in Canada. We currently have 23 global associates serving in Asia, Latin America, America, Europe, and the Middle East. We also have international projects that we sponsor financially. These projects are led by members of our Global Alliance and through our partnerships we can help fund the development of leaders, the writing of curriculum, the sponsoring of network leaders, and the provision of computers and cell phones. And in some cases, we have helped to establish business opportunities to help fund local ministry work.

The OC Global Alliance

Outreach Canada is proud to be part of the OC Global Alliance and to be able to participate in the great commission, here in our country and to the ends of the earth. Our focus remains the same wherever we serve: Serving Leaders and Discipling Nations.

You can visit the OC Global Alliance website here: OC Global Alliance 

Dr. Craig Kraft, Outreach Canada’s former Executive Director, has just been appointed as the Director for Global Collaboration for our OC Global Alliance. This article is the last of a three-part series, The first article tells some of our story that goes all the way back to 1952. The second article introduces some of the ministries of our global partners. This final article in the series focuses on how our Outreach Canada team has a significant ministry impact beyond Canada.