Why Missional Canadian?

LIFE, ADVENTURE, TRANSFORMATION

The title “Missional Canadian,” reflects my passion to see the church in Canada increasingly act and love like Jesus, so people across our nation and the world over are powerfully transformed through an intimate relationship with Jesus. That people all across our country and beyond would connect in unprecedented numbers with the Creator of this world and not only experience personal re-creation but become agents of his re-creating work wherever we live and throughout this planet. That we would be people who are avid to see more and more of God’s kingdom and more and more of God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven. That we would be people who simply bless our neighbours and enhance the reputation of our God here and around the world.

AND IF YOU WANT TO READ A BIT MORE …

I took the plunge into the world of blogging a number of years ago after some strong encouragement from the staff at my previous church. The team thought I should blog my occasional rants and not just inflict them on staff and board meetings. As I moved from 20 years of service at Redwood Park Church in Thunder Bay, to the role of Lead Pastor at Fort McMurray Alliance Church in the Oil Sands region of northern Alberta, as well as becoming the MDiv Lead/Coordinator as well as Assistant Professor for Pastoral Theology at Briercrest College & Seminary, I discovered that these occasional rants were being read across the country and to an extent around the world. It was humbling but encouraging.

If you’re wondering about the tag-line “Experiencing LIFE, ADVENTURE and TRANSFORMATION,” it’s a way of describing vibrant Christian spirituality. Knowing and chasing after God and his ways is anything but boring!  As I lead the Fort McMurray Alliance Church, we want to be a church marked by life, adventure and transformation, where people live life to the full, because we are full of the life of Jesus. And because we are living for Jesus and being transformed by his Spirit, we are then on the adventure of our lives, being used by Jesus to see our friends and this city transformed by Jesus. LIfe to the full! A heart pumping adventure! Leading to ultimate transformation.

So these are the ponderings of a “missional Canadian,” committed to bringing the transforming message and life of Jesus to his city and beyond. These are the thoughts of a local church leader who is jazzed every day by his experience of Life, Adventure and Transformation, that comes as a gracious gift from his loving heavenly Father. And these are the thoughts of a Christ follower who is blessed to live in loving community of fellow Christ followers called Fort McMurray Alliance, who together are stumbling forward in this God led missional journey. My prayer is that the words that follow will inspire, agitate, generate dialogue and most of all create action that makes Jesus real and visible here and around the world.

Because I am so loved by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Doug Doyle
Fort McMurray Alliance Church/
Briercrest College & Seminary