Last fall, Brian Jose, pastor of Village Church in Newcastle, ON, spent time with a small group of church planters led by Matt Pamplin.
He was encouraged by their zeal, thoughtfulness, and prophetic prayer for one another.
After 40 years of missionary and church planting ministry, Brian has been recently challenged and encouraged to be a spiritual grandparent.
So what a good thing for these younger church planters – to have someone alongside them who has a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Brian noted and appreciated the diversity represented among the church planter group and the different models of church planting that were present.
There was a sense of creativity and experimentation that was courageous and practical!
Brian’s encouragement to church planters and pastors today is two fold:
First, be faithful and be family to each other.
What is missing in Canadian culture today is relationship and connection – so for the church to be a family is an important part of the Good News.
Second, just pray and keep sharing the gospel.
God will do the rest.
He says that after 40 years of ministry, he is finally learning that.