The Blog of Gordon Pifher

February 13, 2006, was a long overdue Native Ministry Coordinating Committee. Native Ministry a major mission field

• 185,000 Aboriginal peoples in our Conference (2001 Stats)
• 170,000 BC
• 6500 Yukon
• 9300 Our portion of Northwest Territories

We have only just begun

• 1 Church in Port Hardy - Gwa’sala’Nakwaxda’xw (60 attending)
• 1 Church in Vancouver -Native Newstart (20 attending)
• Small group in Lytton,
• House group in Spence’s Bridge,
• The Native Ministry Committee Report
• A Filipino group called “Sulads ministry” have embraced Native Ministries in Vancouver to help reach these aboriginal peoples.
• Port Hardy under the direction of Pastor Don Felkley is playing a major role in sharing God love “the Jesus Way”. Challenged with developing strong leadership among the younger members and blessed with a great history and countless opportunities.

The Native Ministry Committee Recommendations

• Assist the Native Newstart Company in finding a new meeting location
• Establish a BC Conference Native Ministries website that would provide an opportunity for web visitors to do Native Bible lessons online!
• Voted to ask a NAD coordinator, Monte Church, to have a series of revival meetings designed for Natives on November 16-18 in Vancouver.
• Voted to support a Native Ministry evangelistic program for Vancouver in 2007.
• Voted to have a Native Ministries awareness and ministry focus time at Hope Camp Meeting.
• Voted to explore using the native TV channel to show the native video series.
• Voted to add another native regional camp meeting in 2008
• Voted to add more Native representative to the native ministries committee.
• Recommend that the conference implement native church plants for major unreached native population areas.

Could you launch a native outreach in your church territory? Your church could help make a Revelation’s prophecy a reality? “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” Rev 14:6

I spent two inspiring days at Canadian University College interviewing prospective pastors for your churches. Listen to a miraculous story from one of the candidates.

Would you ask a telemarketer for his home phone number? Felix Moffat Mkosi is the son of a lay pastor in Zimbabwe, Africa. He felt a call to ministry and came to Edmonton, Alberta in 2001. He had no idea how he could afford to attend a Christian college. One of his first jobs in Canada was working with a telemarketing firm. He called a customer somewhere in the southern United States and, in the process of giving his sales presentation, was complimented by the customer on his fine speaking voice. The woman on the phone asked Felix what his real job was.

Felix explained his dream to be a pastor and attend a Seventh-day Adventist college in Canada. She paused for a moment and then asked Felix for his home phone number. Felix paused for moment and give it to her.

A few days later she called and indicated that the Lord had impressed her an her husband to help him go to college. They knew nothing about Seventh-day Adventists but did know something about God.

Five years later, Felix is almost finished his course. A large amount of his tuition has been paid by two strangers he met over the phone.

Listen to Felix’s written mission… “To allow myself to be salted by Christ, and then flavour others, so they can be led to the Water of Life.” Felix’s story certainly led me to the Water of Life and to a deeper conviction that God can supply our every need in strange and mysterious ways.

Interviewing pastoral students at CUC can be fascinating, faith building and thought provoking. I had a great visit with Dan, Montes, Felix, Bob, Jay, Harold, Jerry, Melbourne, Gord, Joshua, James, Troy, Moises, Josiah and Ian.

I wonder how you would have felt about their answers to the following questions?

• Why do you feel called to ministry?
• What do you consider the most unique characteristics of the Seventh-day Adventist Church?
• What will you be doing in the church seven years from now?
• What is your leadership style?
• What would others say about your ministry skills?

I wonder how you would have answered some of their questions?

• What are our churches looking for in a pastor?
• Do you have districts that are good at training a pastoral intern?
• What do our members see as the job description of the pastor?

At the end of the interviews, I wondered…

• How these new pastors would affect the spiritual growth in your church?
• How your church would affect the spiritual growth of these new pastors?