For the Canadian Church

Diaspora are those people who have dispersed or spread from their original homeland. By that definition, most of us living in Canada are diaspora, but the term is generally used to describe recent migrants, their children, and grandchildren.

People migrate to Canada willingly (for a better future) or unwillingly (to escape calamity). They may have come from a country where there are more churches and Christians than we have in Canada, or they may come from a place where they would never have met a Christian or heard about Jesus Christ.

The diaspora story in Canada is complex and full of opportunity; so let’s pray!

We are excited to be launching the new year at Outreach Canada with a new blog series on PRAYER. As we focus on and explore the topic of prayer, we also want to provide helpful tools for you to use in your own life & ministry.

So, we asked our Outreach Canada team for their recommended prayer resources - apps, podcasts, videos, books, prayer guides - especially those resources that have had impact in their own lives. And then we rounded up all the recommendations in one list to share with you!

Our desire is to share from our own experience and to encourage you to dig a little deeper in prayer. On behalf of our Outreach Canada team, we hope you take the leap, and jump into exploring one (or more!) of these incredible resources. 

As we kick off our new focus on PRAYER, here is our list of 29 Recommended Prayer Resources for 2024:

I don’t like to run. My experience of running is that I’m short of breath, sweaty & hot, and there’s a voice in my head telling me to STOP!!!!

This past year, while praying for Muslims in Canada during Ramadan, an image popped into my mind, (a not-infrequent experience when I’m praying).

The image was of a person running along a road that stretched into the distance. They were running in a long-distance race that was called ‘Journey of Discovery’. Actually, there were quite a few runners, but they each were running alone.

I noticed that at some points in the race there were people cheering the runners on, encouraging them and spurring them to keep going. At other points in the race there were refreshment stations where the runners could receive nourishment for the next leg of the race. Sometimes people would run alongside the racers, keeping pace with them, encouraging them to keep running.

Some runners kept running strong. Some runners who were faltering were encouraged by the cheering, and the nourishment, and the companionship they received. Some runners slowed to a walk. Some stopped altogether and left the race...

Canadians experience great freedom of religion compared to so many places in the world. In fact, it is hard for us to think that our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world are under attack. Churches meet in hiding, believers pray and worship in private, and many live in constant fear of arrest, beatings, or even execution. 

Several years ago, one of our associates was executed while leaving a prayer meeting in Asia. This brought the issue much closer to home for us at Outreach Canada. We continue to pray for the church around the world, especially those facing persecution. 

Sunday, November 5th, is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. 

Today we offer a prayer, based on Ephesians 3:14-21, and a few suggestions for how to pray for the persecuted church... 

I remember sitting in a seminar once hearing the presenter ask, "If your local church disappeared, would anybody in the neighbourhood notice?"

Stinging words. Sobering. Sit with that question and chew on it. Let it disturb you the way it disturbed me.

Christian community is intended to be noticeable, and it’s intended to be transformative to the surrounding community—light in a dark place. And what makes us noticeable and transformative, according to Jesus, is our good works.

So what good works is your church offering your community that are being seen and noticed by your neighbours, bringing light to the surroundings, and causing them to give glory to our Father? What are you offering that would be missed if you stopped?

In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) as well as stories of Teresa’s missionary journey through Asia (Part 2). 

In this final installment, we asked Teresa to share wisdom for Canadian ministry leaders and also to address a common concern with the Discovery Bible Study method.