Register for Alliance corporate prayer:
Transcript:
Rev. Darren Herbold:
Hey, everyone. First days of winter in Toronto.I know I often make comments on the weather.
At least you remind me that I do. And so, accidents on the highway, my kids are happy, there’s snow on the ground. And on cue, our furnaces in the office have decided to not work.
And so we’re all wearing toques and jackets here today. But today is also Remembrance Day for us in Canada.
And as I ponder this day and remember, the many who have sacrificed, my reading this morning brought me to a few verses from Psalm 46, which help ground me in the midst of turmoil that we see across the world, and the solid foundation of the God of Jacob, our fortress.
Now, before sharing a few updates, let me read some of these verses to us. As a reflective pause as we remember the past sacrifices, but ultimately the only hope for the world, Jesus Christ.
It says in Psalms 46,
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
He utters his voice. The earth melts.
He makes war cease to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear.
He burns the chariots with fire.
Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
Amen.
A few updates and reminders and actually an ask for your help as we continue on here.
Firstly, we continue to focus on the power of prayer in all we do. And our next corporate time of prayer across the country is on November 27th at 1 p.m. EST. There are details below, a sign up form to get more information. I can’t stress this enough. It feels very important and significant to me for us to join together as schedules allow to pray together. Perhaps you would share this within your circles of influence and in your church, small groups, whatever that might be, but please plan to be with us.
Secondly, a few more assembly updates, after last month’s update. I had a few people contact me that they are thrilled about the dessert night and we’re now calling it International Night being included as part of Assembly. But I also had a friend messaged me and say, “Wait a minute, has this always been open to everyone?” They said, “I always thought this was just for the IWs.” I’m sorry we haven’t been clear, but yes, the IW dessert night or International Night is open to all of us.
I recognize some schedules might not allow for everyone to come, but it is open and we’re already planning some great updates as part of that evening, an opportunity to honour IWs and also what’s happening around the globe. In my last update, I announced the exciting step of faith— I feel the Lord inviting us into, for the first evening of Assembly, by having a youth and student focused opening session, inviting 500-1000 students to join with all our delegates.
And this is where I need your help. Our main speaker for that evening, which I just announced last month, just found out that he and his wife are expecting and it’s right around our Assembly dates so they can no longer commit to participating. The Lord knows and knew all these things, but this is my ask for help. Is there someone you might sense I could follow up with that might be our opening speaker for our students and delegates that evening? If so, please let me know.
And also this leads me to a third point. Please be praying. Yes, for this opening service, but also as we continue to move toward Assembly. And praying that our times and sessions together would not just be, “scheduled programing” as normal, but spiritually rich, meaningful opportunities to be together, to be shaped and community to listen to and respond to the Spirit’s promptings and to celebrate together what the Lord is and continues to do among us.
Additionally, I’m not sure if you saw the news on CTV news this past few days highlighting the rise in church attendance across the country, especially among Gen Z. The Lord is at work. And with that, here is a video update from one of our recent youth events in one of our districts.
Bedlam Leadership Team Video
Heavenly Father, What a privilege it is to be able to serve you. And God, I’m so excited for what your Spirit is going to do this weekend. And so we invite you, Jesus, to come and fill this place with your Spirit above more than we could ever ask or imagine.
SLT stands for Student Leader Team.
This is a group of handpicked high school students.
Are we the current generation or are we the next generation?
We are this generation. We’re not the next generation.
We can equip future generations and bring newer people in.
As an SLT, you get a background picture.
They come together two days prior to the beginning of Bedlam for a small retreat
where we take time to mentor them, to teach them.
They are sort of the up front leaders.
They’re the ones that are on the platform.
Because I know seeing the Student Leadership Team that ran it when I was in Bedlam.
I was so like, wow, they’re amazing.
So I just wanted to be that for someone, you know, like a role model.
We are seeing these young people
that have leadership potential.
Just give them that opportunity at a young age to explore
and to experience and to be able to lead where God has gifted them.
I enjoy helping people.
It’s one of the ways where I can help the church and help the people around.
Any chance to spread God’s word, to younger kids is a good opportunity.
I think this role is really important,
and it’s going to reach a lot of kids’ hearts.
I love walking beside our Student Leader Team as they prepare to lead at Bedlam.
What turns out is that that experience will only grow their imagination and grow
their idea of who God has created them to be.
The potential that they have to serve him, whether it’s as lay leaders
in their local church or as vocational leaders
within our denomination, be it pastors or missionaries, International Workers.
Rev. Darren Herbold:
I love the line when they said, the students said, are we the current generation or the next generation? And then they say, no, we’re this generation and their desire is to come alongside younger generations coming behind that. It’s not just adults coming along and telling students to follow and engage with Jesus, but it’s students pointing each other to follow Jesus.
And we know this. CTV news is now reporting on this and telling the country. I’m really grateful for Ilana and the many of you that share her heart when she prays, and hopes that this experience and experiences like this will grow students’ imagination and expand their understanding of who God made them to be. So today I pray that over you Alliance Canada, that God would expand your imagination of who he created you to be. And may you step out into courageous faith to live into that now and also not yet reality, as we trust his imagination for the future, for his mission, and for his name and fame. I love our Alliance family. And please, if you have a prompting, perhaps someone that could be a speaker for night one at General Assembly, please send it my way.
Have a great week everybody.