Danny Ringer serves as the Director of Missions for Beckham-Mills Association and serves as a member of the North American Mission Board.
I remember last summer when the North American Mission Board (NAMB) decided that I needed to serve on the Canada Region team for NAMB trustees at our orientation. The thought of Canada never crossed my mind. As a matter of fact, I thought of the Chaplaincy Commission for my area of service.
The first night of orientation I hit my pillow with an attitude of “Canada? Why Canada?” The next morning the Lord changed my heart with a gentle reminder and a still small voice that said, “I thought you’d go wherever I sent you?”
In our committee, the trustees are divided up into areas and Send Cities. Not a single trustee chose Edmonton. I volunteered for the place no one wanted to go. Why Edmonton? It doesn’t have majestic views like Vancouver, a baseball team like Toronto, a city life like Montreal, the glamour of Quebec! Edmonton looks like Western Oklahoma (Which I love!).
Why Edmonton? No one ever signs up for WorldChangers in Edmonton. Hardly anyone signs up for their vision tours. College students won’t sign up for GenSend in Edmonton! Why Edmonton?
In April, I traveled to Edmonton on a Vision Tour through NAMB. I had to pay my airfare, and NAMB took care of the meals and lodging. I believe the vision tour is appropriate for what happened to me personally. My eyes were opened to several possibilities for Edmonton.
My eyes being opened led to my heart being burdened for a place I really didn’t know or care about. I had a fire fighter at Elk City find out I was going to Canada, and he said, “Canada. It’s America’s attic. It’s cold up there, has some cool stuff and you never think about it.”
So why Edmonton? Why not have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with 1.2 million people who speak English? Why not have the privilege of being a part of a church plant movement that has one Canadian National Baptist Convention (SBC) church for every 76,549 metro residents in Edmonton? Why not reach the world that has moved to Edmonton with the oil industry? Why not share with the Caucasians, Asians, Hispanic and African Canadians who now call Edmonton home?
Why Edmonton? Why have the opportunity to partner with a church planter like Kaleab Warku with The Church of Generation for Christ reaching the Ethiopian population of Edmonton? Why not participate with a church planter who has to pay $250 a month rent for the foyer of another church and $50 to rent a small cabinet for supplies in the basement?
Why not participate in Jason Shine’s community garden used for outreach? Jason is the college minister at the University of Alberta and church planter for Central Community Church.
Why Edmonton? Edmonton needs Jesus! Edmonton needs the love of Jesus! Edmonton needs you and your church to pray, participate and partner with them in reaching this lost people to the Lord.
Why Edmonton? Because God is already calling you! Contact Mike Hand with BGCO Partnership Missions Office at 405/942-3000, Ext. 4370 or visit bgco.org/partnership for more information.
