Outreach Canada is made up of several ministry teams – all with their own unique contexts and specific focuses, spread across our country. What’s the common thread? How do we all fit together?
At Outreach Canada, we refer to ourselves as a “Family of Ministries”.
One of our newest additions to our family is our Disciple-Making Movements team (aka Becoming Disciples Who Multiply). Rather than the “baby” of the family, I like to think of them as the “teenagers” of the family. Like any good teenager would, they push back against our pre-conceived notions (about disciple-making) and challenge us to consider new and different perspectives.
Do you have a family member who always has time to offer a listening ear? It might be your older sibling, a favourite aunt, or a grandparent. In our OC (Outreach Canada) family, it’s our Workplace Chaplains (BetterIt Workplace Chaplains). Our Workplace Chaplains are trained in focused listening, or “listening of the heart”, and are focused on being a face-to-face presence in the lives of employees, no matter what comes their way.
The parent who reminds us of the power of collaboration, and that we truly are stronger together? That would be the MORE Network – a Canada-wide collaborative, with organizations across Canada working together to serve Cross-Cultural Workers and their families in times of transition.
Extended family? That would be our OC Global Alliance. As one of 15 mobilization centres in the alliance, Outreach Canada truly has an extended family around the world!
I could keep going, but I think you get the point!
Each and every one of our ministries at Outreach Canada is a valued member of the family, but we all have different roles. So, what is it that holds our family together?
Outreach Canada is a family of ministries working together to accelerate the fulfilling of the Great Commission in Canada. We desire to see the nation of Canada transformed by the presence of Christ in the life of people, by making disciples of Jesus and serving leaders across our country.
In everything we do, we follow a simple strategy dependent on bringing together ministry partners to work together accelerating the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Recognizing the critical needs and opportunities for advancing that mission in this time and context, we respond with innovation and relevance, rallying the Body of Christ toward cooperative solutions. This is our DNA.
Our Family of Ministries
In the same way you might pull up a family photo on your phone, we’d love to introduce you to our family!
MORE Network is a Canada-wide collaborative that cares for Canadian Missionaries and their families during times of transition, particularly as they re-enter Canada from overseas. MORE Network offers transition retreats for Missionaries and MKs (Missionary Kids) returning to Canada; workshops for member care workers; a vast resource library; and so much more.
The Diaspora Ministries team is focused on ministry to AND ministry with the diaspora in Canada. Diaspora is a term that describes people who are scattered –settled far from their historical homelands. This scattering and displacement is a global reality today, whether it occurs voluntarily (e.g. international students, economic migration) or involuntarily (e.g. Refugees). Diaspora Ministries offers Simply Mobilizing courses; coordinates the Loving Muslims Together network; works with established diaspora churches; shares scripture languages in all available languages; collaborates on research; and offers various trainings, including Storyweavers and Bible-based Trauma Healing.
Simply Mobilizing develops and offers courses that focus on mobilizing all God’s people into meaningful engagement in God’s mission. Simply Mobilizing Canada serves the Canadian church, by offering courses across Canada in 7 different languages, including the well-known Kairos Course.
Loving Muslims Together is focused on Canadian Christians having meaningful connection with their Muslim neighbours; learning to see God’s heart for them and experiencing the joys of cross-cultural friendship. Loving Muslims Together seeks to equip Canadian Christians for healthy inter-faith relations, including openness about the way of discipleship to Jesus; making disciples of all who are open.
BetterIt Workplace Chaplains, formerly Corporate Chaplains Canada, offers a chaplaincy program in workplaces across Canada. Through personalized support, coaching conversations, and 24/7 care for employees and their households, the mission of BetterIt Workplace Chaplains is to transform the Canadian workforce for the better, one person at a time.
Becoming Disciples Who Multiply is our Disciple-Making Movements team at Outreach Canada. Engagement in the church is in decline across Canada. This team is responding by introducing principles from Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and offering training and practical opportunities to be involved in DMM, particularly through the tool of Discovery Bible Study.
Our Canadian Projects include several specific projects across Canada. Our Campus Ministry at UBC, is focused on sparking lively dialogue about the powerful implications of the Christian faith for academic work and personal life, through scholarly campus forums and small group formation. In Quebec, we have a team member focused on French-speakers, through mentoring young leaders and supporting churches. We have individual team members working with specific churches, supporting them as they invest in making disciples. Our Research Department specializes in Community Profiling and Thematic Mapping. We can help you find information about your community, so you can be better equipped to serve in the neighbourhood or city God has placed you!
Outreach Canada is also involved in Global Ministries.
- We are one of 15 Mobilization Centers who make up the OC Global Alliance (OCGA). The OC Global Alliance represents 1200+ missionaries in 100+ countries.
- Rethink Development is a partnership In Burundi, focused on equipping the church to fulfill its God-given mandate in helping communities experience sustainable development.
- Outreach Canada also has global missionaries supported around the world, many in closed-access countries.
- Our Disciple-Making Movements (DMM) team in also active globally. One example of this is a missionary involved in DMM training in two Asian countries serving 178 churches and 1500+ leaders.
Thanks for taking some time to get to know our “family of ministries” a bit better!