Many years ago, when I was a kid, my dad gave me a Swiss Army Knife for my birthday. That red handled knife was more than just a pocketknife, it was a multi-tool. Mine had knife blades, a saw, a file, screwdriver, can opener, and more. It even had a little toothpick and tweezer. I loved that knife and I still take it on every camping trip because of how it can do so many things ...

Before I became a missionary, I was a pastor at three different churches in Canada. They ranged in size from 75 people to over two hundred, but none of them were large enough to have more than a couple of people on staff. I had to lead and serve the church by myself.

While there are a lot of big churches that host a full complement of pastors and staff, specializing in various aspects of ministry, the reality is that most pastors are in smaller churches where they are called upon and often expected to do a little bit of everything.

Just like that shiny red pocketknife, they must be multi-purpose pastors.

After more than three decades of ministry in three different countries, I have put together a list of ten helpful tips for multi-purpose pastors.

Ray Woodard, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Outreach Canada Ministries, shares an exciting update on the search for the new Executive Director of OC.

"After a careful and prayerful search process, the Outreach Canada Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Chad Bruneski to the position of Executive Director, effective August 1st, 2024."

What does a book, a hand-written letter, an airplane, an Origami crane, and a cardboard box have in common? All very different, yet all are paper.

The thing that makes OC different is not what we do, because we do many things. It is who we are. Ray Sanford, a member of the Outreach Canada Ministries board of directors, shares about this important insight into understanding OC.

Here is a collection of one-line prayers from our Outreach Canada team! Will you pray along with us?

Conflict happens— it is an inevitable part of life. This holds true in our personal and communal journeys. 

During a discussion about my research on congregational leadership and conflict, I encountered an older couple with a rather stark perspective— that all conflict was inherently wrong and destructive, with no place in a healthy congregation. 

In this post, I want to share a different perspective drawn from Acts 6 ...