Over the next month, we will feature articles and stories from our global partners participating in the Advent Journey. These articles are intended to familiarize the Ascent community with each ministry and to provide helpful insight into your local context. We are delighted to feature Restore Hope today. To sign up for the Ascent Advent Journey, please register your interest personally here . If your congregation is interested in participating, please sign up here . Your church has been invited by Jesus to join Him in the most significant movement of all time. Going into all the world to make disciples was not just an invitation from the Lord Jesus - it was a mandate. It was this mandate that utterly governed the vision of the early church. The book of Acts is a play-by-play account of the gospel going to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The ministry of the early believers recounted in those pages is the archetypal model for our missional life as the church today. We are still ‘go’ people. We are still those who, like Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others work to heal the sick and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. The church, as it did two thousand years ago, must take center stage with Christ in this endeavor. With the Spirit driving the church to “go,” Restore Hope’s mission is to help churches “go” well. We come alongside local churches to help them effectively discern, intentionally prepare, and purposefully engage with people of all cultures, whether in their own neighborhoods or across the world. We’ve observed a common posture among churches surrendered to the Great Commission mandate. The process, while unique to each church in its experience, seems to unfold in a similar manner for most churches. An embracing of the mandate, even in its vague imagery, is a step of obedience that causes a church to open its hands toward God. Open hands toward God are a sign of desire to hear directive from Him – releasing what needs to be released and receiving what God gives in terms of clarity and call. As a church pulls that mandate close to its heart, God warms a church’s heart and passions toward a particular people group, place, sub-culture, cause, or nation. A spiritual transformation process begins – discernment that leads to hearing…hearing that leads to spiritual formation…spiritual formation that leads to conviction and call…calling that requires missional formation…missional formation that results in strategic design…and strategies that enable effective engagement. This engagement will look different for each church, so the coaching and guidance offered to the congregation is designed to allow the Spirit to shape and mold the church’s missional expressions to be tailored to the uniqueness of each church. The Restore Hope team works purposefully to ensure we help each church do whatever it needs to do to effectively join Jesus in His Great Commission. We believe every church can step into the beautiful mandate to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. They can help these new believers grow as disciples who make disciples, assist them in planting indigenous churches led by indigenous leaders which multiply and bring gospel renewal to entire communities. A church caught up in this story will be a church filled with the joy of following in the footsteps of the master, doing what he commanded us to do. However, it is not always easy for the leadership of a church to find its part in that story. Our goal as Restore Hope is to help that process. When a church decides to find its individual place within God’s global story, our team works closely with leadership, providing resources within the various stages of that process. In our new urbanized, globalized world there are endless ways a church can take its place in seeing the gospel transform the lives of people from every tribe, people, and language. It may be a local initiative in the neighborhoods of our own zip code, in the streets of a major city, or deep into the heart of another nation connecting with those who have never received the gospel in their language or dialect. Your church can be a part of fulfilling the mandate. Restore Hope exists to help you find your place and help you do it well. For the glory of God and the coming of His Kingdom. To sign up for the Ascent Advent Journey, please register your interest personally here . If your congregation is interested in participating, please sign up here .

This October, nine of us travelled to Canada to visit our northern neighbors. Partners from Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) in Toronto and the French Baptist Union in Montreal would be our guides, helping us learn about missions, evangelism, and church leadership in their distinct social scenarios. Considered one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, Toronto is the perfect space in which to learn about ministry within diasporic communities. Montreal is a city which in recent decades has been bent upon religion being “as invisible as possible in public domain,” [1] making it an ideal site for a practical introduction to evangelism and church planting in a post-Christian society. The group was a ‘pilot’ cohort, investigating a new initiative guiding leaders in a meaningful immersive experience in Canada – the second of a three-phase formational pilgrimage designed to inspire missional engagement in Ascent churches. Enjoying Sunday morning worship with the countless nationalities present at Mississauga City Baptist Church was a taste of our eternal future. Then we had lunch at St. Lawrence Market, immersed in the smells and flavors of the nations at every turn. That afternoon was spent on a walking tour through the streets of Toronto, observing many church buildings which accommodate the weekly gathering of diasporic communities from across the globe. Monday morning found our group seated in a late 19 th -century church building in Hamilton, taking in every word of a young pastor speaking of the revitalization and renewal experienced over the last sixteen years. We shared a wonderful lunch with our partners at CBM whilst hearing the pastor of Middle East Baptist Church in Mississauga speak of their journey as a congregation. We closed our day by engaging in a truly impactful active learning lesson conducted by Jodi Spargur regarding the church and First Peoples of Canada. Hearing of the trauma and loss of those who first called Turtle Island [2] their home left many of our cohort prayerfully silent, profoundly aware that we must seek a new way forward as Christ’s church relating to Indigenous peoples. On the morning of our final day in Toronto, we visited Tyndale University for an absorbing lecture on intercultural ministry with Dorothy Pang of the TIM Centre . [3] Our final hours in the city were, for many, the highlight of our time there, marveling at God’s grace among Iranian refugees at a small suburban church. Hearing how 1,200 people from the local Persian diaspora had been saved and baptized in this humble building over the past decade left us with a refreshed awareness of the stunning power of the gospel. A train ride along the charming shores of Lake Ontario provided ample opportunity to relax and reflect together on part one of this immersive experience. Questions about the intentional pursuit of intercultural churches, alongside the shape of purposeful ministry to diasporic communities in our own cities, governed our chat. What shape would our learning take during our two days in Montreal? After a great night’s rest in our gorgeous three-story Airbnb, we were ready to find out. 

Over the next month, we will feature articles and stories from our global partners participating in the Advent Journey. These articles are intended to familiarize the Ascent community with each ministry and to provide helpful insight into your local context. We are delighted to feature TMS Global today. To sign up for the Ascent Advent Journey, please register your interest personally here . If your congregation is interested in participating, please sign up here . Advent with our neighbors Over the years our family has loved throwing Christmas parties. Our kids would plan a party for their friends, usually with a white elephant gift exchange, cookie decorating, and a reading of the Christmas story. In our neighborhood, though, some of those friends had never experienced these traditions or heard much about what Christmas means. Our daughter’s friend Sandhya belongs to a Hindu family that moved from India. Krish’s family were devout Hare Krishnas, and we had spiritual conversations with his parents in their home, learning about their beliefs and sharing ours. Ahmad, my favorite boy, was one of the most joyful kids you’ll ever meet. His Muslim family had fled the civil war in Sudan. Across North America, neighborhoods are changing rapidly, and people from around the globe are living next door. As followers of Jesus, we increasingly find ourselves befriending people whose cultures and religious traditions differ from our own. God is giving us an opportunity to welcome them into our homes and lives. Emmanuel: God moved into the neighborhood  During Advent we set out nativities around our house, many crafted in different cultures. I’ve had wonderful conversations with neighborhood kids about what they know, and don’t know, about the characters in the story. Those stories keep repeating a phrase: do not be afraid. An angel told Mary that God was with her. An angel told Joseph in a dream that Mary would bear a son called Emmanuel. There was reason for the reassurance. Jesus was born into a time of conflict, to parents far from home who depended on the hospitality of others for shelter. His family’s story is distinct from that of modern refugee families, but our Savior is acquainted with grief and draws near to us today. Emmanuel, God with us; therefore, we choose to be with others. Over the years we have shared many stories and meals with our neighbors. We learned how often conflict had driven them far from home. We did our best to show hospitality, and we received remarkable hospitality in their homes. This Advent, we are again reminded that God has drawn near to us, so we follow the way of Jesus by drawing near to neighbors, both next door and around the world. Through the Ascent Movement, we are joining others in reaching neighborhoods where people have been displaced by conflict, economic collapse, political fragility, and trauma. Emmanuel’s presence in Lebanon When Paul stopped in the port cities of Tyre and Sidon, in modern-day Lebanon, local believers cared for him and his companions warmly. Today believers in Lebanon are caring for Syrian refugees and displaced Lebanese families through food, psychological first aid, emergency housing, and opportunities to tell and process their stories. While looking for urgent needs to meet, believers found a family who had fled to Beirut and were living in a tent. Coworkers invited them to a course on processing their experience through stories from the Holy Books. The family later asked to study more in depth from the Bible, then moved back to South Lebanon. When coworkers visited, the family surprised them: “We want to be baptized!” They had read about it in Matthew. TMS Global personnel working alongside Lebanese organizations describe similar fruit: “Story after story poured out of lives changed, families living in unity and harmony where there had once been anger, gossip and slander.” Lebanon is far from our neighborhoods, but these families’ story echoes Ahmad’s: conflict drove them from home, and someone’s welcome made the difference. This season, you can offer that welcome in both places. Next door, invite a neighbor to dinner, or set out a nativity and ask what they know of the story. This Advent, Canadian Baptist Ministries , On Mission Network , Restore Hope , and TMS Global invite Ascent churches to stand with Lebanese believers through the Advent offering. Together, God is present through us, moving from immediate relief to sustained relationship, healing, belonging, and stronger local churches. Join us in reaching our neighbors, next door to you and around the world. Steve Wilson serves as Senior Director of Global Church Engagement at TMS Global . He holds a master's in intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the creator of Who Is My Neighbor , a curriculum for churches that want to begin engaging in spiritual conversations across cultural divides. Sign up for the Ascent Advent Journey as an individual here . Sign up as a church here .

February 24-26 at Old Town Community Church in Alexandria, VA Our second gathering of planters, pioneers, multipliers, and missional leaders is happening in partnership with the Ecclesia Network. This year’s focus will be exploring the formational aspects of the call to multiply, pioneer, and plant. A more developed schedule for Multiply has recently been released with workshops and conversations groups added soon. This year’s focus is on discovering the “Narrow Path” of the kingdom of God that is meant to be found. We’re pleased to welcome Rich Villodas , Lead Pastor of New Life Fellowship in New York City, together with dozens of experienced practitioners from across North America. Here are some of the topics that will be addressed during the Multiply event. · The Narrow Path that is Meant to Be Found · The Narrow Path: The Paradoxical Way to a Spacious Life · Inviting the World onto the Narrow Path · How to Invite the World: Real Stories From Everyday Invitations · The Narrow Path Toward Our Interior Lives · The Slow Journey Toward the Narrow Path Due to the generous support of the EverBless Foundation, the Multiply Summit is offered at the very low cost of $99 for first-time attendees who register during the Early Bird time period. You can find out more and register now here.

Over the next month, we will feature articles and stories from our global partners participating in the Advent Journey. These articles are intended to familiarize the Ascent community with each ministry and to provide helpful insight into your local context. We are delighted to feature CBM today. To sign up for the Ascent Advent Journey, please register your interest personally here . If your congregation is interested in participating, please sign up here. Growing up, one of my favourite events at church was when missionaries visited and shared stories from faraway places. I remember sitting in the Fellowship Hall at Grand Bay Baptist Church on Sunday evenings, watching slides projected at the front of the room. There was almost always a map showing where these missionaries lived and served. The map told a simple, unspoken story. We were here in Canada, and we had the gospel. Mission was something that came from us and happened over there. The arrows seemed to move in one direction, from us to the rest of the world. Without realizing it, I came to understand mission as something that travelled outward from Canada. Of course, there was truth in that story. Our history includes faithful women and men who crossed oceans and cultures to share the gospel and serve in Jesus’ name. Through their witness churches were planted, schools and hospitals were established, and lives were transformed. But it was never the whole story. Even then, God was at work through local churches and leaders around the world. Today, that old map no longer fits. The arrows have changed. In some places, they now move in multiple directions. In others, they begin in places Canadian churches once imagined only as destinations. And in many cases, we are discovering that the map was always more complex than we were taught to see. I see this new reality in the two regions I serve as CBM’s Director of Partnerships for the Americas and Asia. In these contexts, the church is not simply receiving mission. It is originating it, shaping it, and influencing the wider Church. Across these regions, partners are not waiting for direction from Canada, but discerning, leading, sending, teaching, and strengthening one another from within their own contexts. Mission is not one region teaching and another learning. It is partners sharing wisdom across borders and discovering that each voice can help form the others.