New organization aims to strengthen Canadian church

Patricia Paddey
Ontario Correspondent
ontario@christianweek.org

SURREY, BC-A new Canadian ministry whose leaders say they hope to promote revival in Canada launched this summer. Calling itself "an international missions organization dedicated to strengthen, equip and encourage national churches around the world," Empower Ministries' mandate includes inspiring and impassioning young Canadian pastors and other church leaders by taking them to "spiritual hot spots" around the globe and exposing them to "international spiritual leadership of the highest calibre."

Ron Pearce, 52, is executive director of the new organization. Previously with World Serve Ministries for 13 years, Pearce launched Empower Ministries June 22. He says his recognition of the need for an organization like Empower had been growing for a number of years.

Pearce describes one moment 18 months ago, following a visit to Parliament Hill, when God "stopped" him. "The Lord spoke to me," he remembers, "and He said, ‘the most neglected national church in the world is the church of Canada.'"

"It's almost like we've taken high percentages of money overseas…but we're neglecting [the Canadian church] in regards to the fact that all we do is just suck it dry. We don't invest in it. And the Lord just really put a burden within me to bring it back home."

Pearce isn't talking only about money. He refers to the concept of "riches for riches," taking Canada's material riches to financially needy churches overseas and then bringing their spiritual riches back to churches in Canada.

"Missions needs to be explained again to a new generation. This new generation that's coming up has intellectual knowledge of what's going on around the world, but there's something that has to be communicated which is much deeper-and this is what God is putting into the heart of the national church in China, Cuba, Vietnam and various other countries-that is a deep passion for people's lives; people's souls.

"That is the thing that right now is missing in Canada. Empower Ministries is going to try to refresh, invigorate and impassion another generation. That's not going to happen via the old methods. It's going to happen by new methods. [Young Christian leaders] are going to have to see with their own eyes," he says.

Pearce intends to take groups of up to 10 people overseas for two-week, three-nation tours to enable them to see for themselves how God is working through churches around the globe. Plans include the establishment of a scholarship program to make such international travel more affordable for young pastors.

In addition, Empower will bring what they term "the most passionate, committed national church leadership" to Canada for seminars, conferences and retreat weekends, says Pearce. The new organization will also work to support and strengthen national churches and their pastors around the world.