A Season of Change

Just over four years ago, our family invested in a dream to see a life-giving church in Nanaimo, BC. We knew we were headed to the least churched city in Canada, and came in faith that God called us to where He wanted us to be. Throughout the journey, we have seen His hand of provision, miracles of salvation, and has brought us partners like you. The part you play in this ministry is essential. We could not do this without your support and prayers. We pray that God will continue to open your eyes to the harvest He is bringing forth through you in 2025.

Wrapping up 2024, we nearly reached our #heretostay financial goal of $100K. A special thank you to all who took a step of faith to give above and beyond. We believe in 2025, we will see our Sunday attendance break through the 150 barrier as we plan the next step towards our own facility. The goal is more than an amount, but rather an opportunity to sow into good soil — to see the ripe fields of people who deperately need the hope of Jesus.

Recently we have been reflecting on the cost of change. As we moved our Sunday service time from 6pm to 3pm. The intent for this change was made to do two things:

First, God has called us to grow a community of people who are "here to stay". The time change is intentional to make room for people who are not yet part of a local church. We're not interested in being seconds or the appetizer for those who drift around from church to church. We want to be a place to call home and to be planted.

The second reason we made the move to 3pm is that we are for the family. Evening services hasn't worked well for the average family with children. We recognize the need for starting the week off with a bedtime that works for getting ready for the week with school and jobs.

Change Is Hard

The recent changes causes us to reflect on the attitude towards change. Scripture reveals to us that Jesus calls us to life change when we follow Him. Change is one of the most fundamental realities of spiritual formation. Being born again looks like change. Inviting lost people to know Jesus, is inviting them to change. Something we can never forget as we continue to lead change.

So we asked ourselves, why do so many long time followers of Jesus resist change? And why is it usually over something so preference minded? You might hear something like "I prefer when…" or "it’s my ministry…" or "the leadership doesn't see my gifts..." These kind of statements are warning bells that the vision to reach lost people has not been yet recieved and planted in the heart.

In his pastoral letter to a struggling church plant in Corinth, the Apostle Paul gives this reminder: "We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Based on this promise of transformation, for individuals and communities who have encountered the love of Jesus and are filled with his Spirit, we aspire to a deep inward change as we become more and more like him.

Seeing how the early monastic tradition organized its communal life around the pursuit of continuous change through the vow of conversatio morum, or "conversion of life." For them, conversion was more than a one-time experience of trusting in Jesus for salvation; it was the genesis of a way of life dedicated to opening themselves to God's ever-deepening invitations to growth and healing. 

Grit and Grace

As Jesus followers we should feel this ache for change deep in our own souls. We personally hunger to be change agents. As pastors, we refuse to be hirelings, or simply chaplains who manage the decline of a dying church. God didn’t call us to play it safe. Neither did He call us to depend on our own talents, nor on the talents of a few others. He didn't ask us to depend on our own finances, nor the controlling finances of others. He has and He will always continue to provide for His Church. He wants obedience, and obedience is better than sacrifice as Scripture says.

While we still have a lot to learn, we will continue to trust in God to help us map the journey of change as we lead others to know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and make a difference. Spiritual formation isn't a mysterious, irrational, or magical process; there is a God-ordained order under grace that must be observed and cooperated with. If this is true for individual persons saying yes to Jesus, then it's also true for how we lead at BeLoved City Church.

Healthy things grow, and growing things change. Healthy things grow healthy fruit. We will see more lives changed as they are healed and restored when they come into contact with the Life-Changer.

Reflect: What is your paradigm for change, and where are you at right now on the journey?

Purpose

Change leaders know the vision and intention they’re called to. If you don’t like a change, pouting is the worst thing one can do. This will lend to one being distracted and often resulting in feeling left behind. Instead ask questions, gain clarity and understanding, work to build trust, align your heart and mind, and then take a step.

Reflect: Is there something I need to find clarity and understanding about? Have I talked to the right people about it yet?

Pace

Speed is everything when it comes to navigating change. Too many changes at once can risk discouragement, but if we move too slow we risk disobeying God's invitations. Think about the use of the word “immediately or suddenly” in Acts and how many times the Spirit quickly called people into unexpected places of mission.

Reflect: Do I need to speed up, pause, or slow down? How might I keep in step with the Spirit's work in our church in 2025?