Hi, my name is Rob Weatherby, Director of OM Canadian Challenges.
This jacket reminds us of what's on God's heart.
The best known verse in the Bible, John 3.16 begins,
For God so loved the world.
Over the last five decades, the Lord has brought thousands of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs,
and others to Canada, and especially our cities.
They are now our neighbors, colleagues, workmates, and classmates.
Instead of crossing an ocean, we can now often just cross the street.
We can react to this new reality with fear, the attitude that says,
I don't like what some of them do, so I'm just going to avoid them.
Or we can react with indifference, the attitude that says,
Their customs and beliefs are very different from mine, and I really don't care.
Or we can respond with loving concern, the attitude that says,
What an opportunity to reach the nations with God's love and the good news here in my own country.
I think you know which response Jesus would approve.
And this is what the Canadian challenges are all about.
Since 2004, OM Canada has run 67 of these one-week programs in 15 cities across Canada,
from coast to coast.
This was a team in Halifax, in Montreal, in Ottawa, in Toronto, in Branton, in Hamilton,
in Winnipeg, in Edmonton, and in Vancouver.
Over 1300 full-time team members from various evangelical churches have been trained in
these cross-cultural loat reaches to share their faith clearly, confidently, and especially
cross-culturally.
We begin with a prayer walk, often praying over our city, from a high vantage point,
like Citadel Hill in Halifax, Mount Royal in Montreal, or the Peace Tower in Ottawa.
We then learn to share our faith using two simple tools, the Avenger Cube, which most
people are very curious about, and the five great truths of the Bible gospel presentation.
Each day is a balance of classroom learning in the morning about a world religion, including
a testimony from someone who came to faith from that religion.
A religious site visit in the afternoon, and a time of neighborhood visits in the evening,
where we listen to people's beliefs using a survey and share our stories of faith and
the good news of Jesus.
Most people are friendly and open.
A few are not.
In each challenge, we study various world religions or worldviews.
We studied Islam and visited a Muslim mosque, Hinduism and visited a Hindu temple, Buddhism
and visited a Buddhist temple, Sikhism and visited a Sikh Gurdwara, Judaism and visited
a synagogue, Jehovah's Witnesses and visited a kingdom hall, Mormonism and visited a Mormon
church, secular humanism and others.
The team also enjoys a literal taste of some of the cultures we're studying.
And some programs conclude with a neighborhood picnic for the friends we've made that
week.
Our purpose is to nudge each person we meet a little closer to God.
So why not join us for one week this summer for one of our nine Canadian challenges?
Be a cross-cultural missionary for a week without needing a passport or even leaving
your hometown.
Love international people into God's kingdom by learning, listening, serving and sharing.
For more information on this year's challenges and for an online application forum, contact
me at rob.weatherby at om.org or check out our OM Canada website at www.om.org.
Canadian challenges, missions in our backyard.
