Update Tuesday 27/09/11

A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

I could not help but think of this above phrase from Ecclesiastes 4:12 as I sat on my front porch with Mike Hampton and Jeremy Langley.  I was meeting with these two IMB (international mission board) personnel who have become good friends over these past number of years, to discuss the possibility of working together on the campus of McMaster University.   As Southern Ontario continues to become more and more ethnically diverse, the IMB has seen the importance of bringing people with oversees experience serving different people groups to this area in order to serve, and help churches better serve these communities.  I have benefited tremendously by having them working along side us here and have very much come to appreciate the relationships that I share with them both.  It was very exciting then, when we started to discern that God seemed to be working in all of our hearts regarding Mac, a university campus right in here in the city, that continues to grow more and more diverse with each passing year.  We gathered together last week, and spent time on my front porch discussing possibilities, sharing experiences and expertise, sharing our hearts and praying.  What became evident is that we share different but complimentary skills sets and experience and a common heart to be at work there.  We will be exploring a three pronged approach that could include a campus club, chaplaincy as well as the partnership of a local church, The Hamilton Fellowships (that us!).  I am excited to see what may develop.

As if that meeting were not enough be be excited about the possibilities of supporting some campus work, I had an impromptu visit from Paul Johnston the team leader for the Share (evangelism) team of the Canadian National Baptist Convention.  Not only was it just an encouraging visit, but he shared with me that a member of his church in Calgary had just recently moved to Hamilton to take a job as a math professor at McMaster.  We were able to visit the campus and meet this gentleman.  Knowing that I was having a meeting to discuss working on that campus that very afternoon with Mike and Jeremy, I was amazed at this opportunity.  I don't know what may happen in terms of a relationship with this math professor, but at the very least it was another encouragement to continue to explore some type of involvement on the campus.

I should also mention that tonight we are hosting the very first house church meeting in our home.  We would ask you to pray that God would bless this time together and give us encouragement and vision for the future.  It will be a small gathering and a small beginning, but our prayer is that from this small beginning we see something amazing begin for the sake of the kingdom and for the Glory of the Heavenly Father.

Lastly, let me thank you for the words of encouragement that we received in comments here, through facebook or e-mail over this past week.  Thank you also for the continued prayers.  We truly felt uplifted and saw God do some amazing things over this past week.  Thanks again for all the continued prayer and support.