Talking with James Bradford.

When I found out that he was speaking at Braeside Camp this summer, just a half hour down the road from my house, I just had to grab Jim Bradford for lunch and pick his brain. Presently the General Secretary for the Assemblies of God, he was the founding pastor of a campus church in Minnesota  he started while he was doing his PhD in aeronautic engineering ( yes, he is in fact a rocket scientist ). He understands and supports campus ministry like few others. In fact, when I had first heard that he had taken on the senior pastorate of Broadway Church in Vancouver nearly ten years ago, I said to Seth Greenham who was the bearer of the good news " There is a God"!!   From the perspective of BCCM his involvement was wonderful news.

Well, he went Stateside again, and pastored in Springfield, MO and was then called by God through the AG conference to be their General Secretary, a position of great influence and Kingdom impact. Having  heard him at Braeside a number of years ago , I was happy to see him again - especially knowing that campus ministry would again be an integral part of my life.

I won't have the space to unpack what we talked about, but he was more than supportive of our efforts to impact the campus. I asked him if he would consider giving me something quotable - that would summarize in a few sentences what his convictions were regarding campus ministry. He was happy to comply. What you will read below is what he sent me. It's  good stuff...

“If I could focus ministry on 2 or 3 square kilometers in my city

by which I would most likely touch the whole world,

it would be the university campus.

I am excited about the expansion of outreach

to the university campuses of Canada.

There the shapers of culture, business, science,

government and the arts

are being trained and internationals students

from around the world gather to study.

As a pastor I always made room in my life

to be involved in outreach to students.

It takes specific missional focus, but reaching secular university students

is key to the transformation of a nation.

I highly endorse the initiatives of Mission Canada and the PAOC to reach the 21st century university.”

Humber Fall Launch

September 21, 2009 had been in my calendar since the first day of my joining the Mission Canada team. It was the date for the September launch of the Embassy at Humber-Guelph. So, George, Jaz and I had marked it our calendars and made our way out to the campus of Humber College – one of the largest colleges in the province in order to take in the event.


It was a year ago, October 6, 2008 that Trevor Gingerich held his first public service in the student services centre. Being commissioned to start a ministry on the Humber campus, he hooked up with a student group called Lifeline, a long standing Christian group on campus that had been planted by the Southern Baptist Convention but which by last year was without any affiliation. They were a group looking for a leader and Trevor was a leader looking for a group. The rest is history.  For more information check out  http://www.embassyhumber.com/.

Lifeline had built a great deal of goodwill in the college. They had thrived where all of the major parachurch organizations had failed. And they did it without any non-student involvement for nearly two years. Trevor brought his experience as an intern at the Embassy in Waterloo with him ( not to mention his killer guitar chops) in starting up a public evening meeting. The public gathering added a whole new level to the group and the leadership both he and Rebecca, his wife, provided proved to be invaluable.

Anyway, the Student Services centre had just gone through massive renovations throughout the spring and summer. It was not clear whether it would be ready in time for the Embassy Humber launch. However, ready it was, and it was looking great. Not only was it nicely set up with chairs and tables, but people could sit at tables in the adjoining cafeteria and take in the sights and sounds of the service. Further, there were people who lingered on the mezzanine above the stage and who took in big chunks of the service before wandering away. Last year, there were eavesdroppers like this who ended up  becoming regulars on the main floor.

Because Humber is a commuter campus, and students have to remain on campus in order to take in an evening event, they started the service at 6:30. They are meeting in this public format every second week.

They began with some great music played  by a  full band. They had paid attention to sound quality and it was clear and strong without being overly loud.

For his message, Trevor  gave an overview of the theme of the series for the fall. He will be looking at the Church  and drawing out elements of what real Christian community actually is,  from the book of Acts. In order to do this, he has to directly address misconceptions and apprehensions connected to the word "Church" in the cultural mind. 

Interestingly,  in giving away free bags of microwave popcorn for the clubs days,  members of his group were taken aback when other students were reluctant to take a handout because they were convinced the club would use it to convert them. They saw the popcorn as a part of a subversive plot. So, Trevor put the question out there and added examples from his own life where people, including Christians, were disingenous. I thought he did a particularly good job of handling the question with sincerity and sensitivity. It was disarming - largely because he came across as, well, real.

They broke for refreshments - a generous spread of edible snack items, tea and Free Trade Coffee. They then broke into discussion groups, led by the student leadership ( in the snazzy black Embassy T-shirts ) where they wrapped their heads around what they would like to see/do for the coming year. There was a high degree of enthusiasm and the crowd was nowhere near dispersing by the time I finally had to leave. The table format will be a part of upcoming meetings.

Elise Teeninga, our MC summer intern  and 4th year student sparkplug for the Embassy ( she is the one in the black T shirt in the above photo ( sorry about the quality) ) was pumped because there were all sorts of student leaders from the Student Union and from other clubs that just happened to be meeting behind the windows just above the stage. They were all exposed to the music and preaching in one way or another.

Anyway, Lifeline-Embassy @ Humber is up and running this year. We'll keep you posted.

Chatting with Bill

Today, I had a productive discussion with Bill Morrow, currently the president of Master’s College and Seminary. Let me explain a bit of my experience leading up to our encounter.

The campus of Master’s is presently at the site of Willowdale Pentecostal Church, which is only 12 kilometers east of Canada’s third most populous university, York University ( 54,000 students – after only UofT and UBC).

At the end of August I went for a guided tour of York, and then took my own private tour of the campus, including the Student Centre where I got an idea of the Christian presence on campus. It became clear to me that all of the groups combined were only scratching the surface. This included an obviously aggressive group rooted in the SDA movement that, while priding themselves on being interdenominational, were clearly teaching some of the more schismatic and controversial elements of their dogma ( you know.. Sunday worship is the mark of the Beast.. the other denominations are not only in error but apostate.. you get the picture). They stated by way of promotion that, amongst other named denominations, Pentecostal students were amongst their numbers. The reason I am spending some time on this topic is this: While they come across a little bit scary ( you would have to see their posters to know what I am talking about ) they are doing a lot of things right. They are making the most of their opportunities.

Personally, I think that there needs to be a compelling alternative that frees students from the strictures of legalism and models the power of the Holy Spirit along with scriptural and intellectual integrity. If students are looking for a dynamic  model of ministry, they shouldn't have to wander into dangerous territory.

It is my belief that we should have a seat at the table. Our voice needs to be heard and considered. It struck me that we ( I?) should be applying for chaplaincy status, along with thinking creatively about how to make a quality impact on this influential university. One of the things that came to mind was the proximity of Master’s to the York campus. Wouldn’t be great if we could do at least something to begin to get our toe in the door? Further, wouldn’t it be great if Master’s students began to see this as part of the mission field right at their front door?

I found Bill to be more than supportive. Having led this entire Fellowship for over a decade, he was intimately familiar with both the promise and challenge of university ministry. Further, he himself was a graduate of Concordia University and is very much aware of what has been happening across the country. He heard my three-fold request. First, I wanted an opportunity to speak to the student body about the vision for the campus. Secondly, I asked for an opportunity to teach an appropriate class on the nuts and bolts of starting up campus ministry. Finally, I requested the opportunity to see if Missions Canada could partner with Master’s regarding doing at least something at York University.

He has to put the request through the various channels and levels of decision making. It has to respect the current situation and sensitivities of where they are at as a school. So, we will see what comes out of it. Personally, I am encouraged.

Why Us..?

Fall BCCM Student Leadership Retreat 09

There are, in fact, other ministries striving to reach the campus. We all know it. So, what do we bring to the table? It was a question I asked of my friend, Reid Johnson, years ago as he sought to start something new at UBC, and it is one I had to answer for myself as I took his place five years later and enlarged paoc campus ministry onto other campuses. Why are we here...?

That's a good question, with various levels of answers. But I want to start here....

First...We are Comprehensive.  

We are not limited to one model. We are able to contextualize our approach to the individual campus based on need and opportunity. I call our  model  the C4 approach.

 Chaplaincy. Chaplaincy involves establishing a relationship with the administration of the university with varying degrees of formality. It opens doors that would otherwise be shut to a campus club. As a significant denomination, we are able to provide individuals with the appropriate educational and professional qualifications to serve at this level.

 Church. Where appropriate, we have the vision and experience to plant church communities on or near the campus. They are able to bring a level of ministry and stability that is often well beyond that of a para-church organization. Further, we provide tools for existing churches to reach out to nearby campuses as an extension of their ministry.


Club. The student club is a flexible model that establishes a relationship with the Student Council of the university. Our vision for student club ministry is multi-faceted and comprehensive. It is run and led by students, along with our oversight and accountability.

Church Based. This includes churches with active initiatives on campuses or outreach to students. It might include releasing a church staff person or worker to spend time on campus each week. It might be the development of a Third Space for students to hang out.

We are not limited to any one mode on any given campus. At UBC, for example, we have all four operating in concert. Further, we have outstanding examples of each.

 Secondly.... The Job has yet to be done….
If we were to add up all of the students involved in Christian clubs or outreach on any given Canadian university campus during the course of a year, the numbers commonly range between one and two percent of the student body ( it is usually much less on college and institute campuses) . That means that, collectively, all of the best efforts of church and para-church organizations combined are missing at least 98% of the student population.

 I have said in the past that even if we were to simply clone what another worthy group or organization did, it would justify our expenditure and efforts. It would bring additional resources onsite to fulfill the great commission. However, we do much more than that. We bring a fresh, dynamic and comprehensive approach to campus ministry that has been field tested and worked out in the crucible of Canadian universities and colleges.

 Let me provide an Illustration:

In 1998, a young graduating student named Brandon Malo approached certain chaplains at the University of Waterloo to tell them of a dream he had to plant a student church at the university. He was told emphatically not to bother because they “had it all sewed up”. There was no need for him. However, the fire in his heart did not go away. Starting with a handful of students, his group called The Embassy, quickly filled the largest meeting space on campus. With relevant messages and dynamic, multifaceted ministry, they became the “IT” event on campus. Even now, at a nearby community centre, they are running over 400 students every Monday night. While they were on campus they were running nearly double that.

The point of the illustration is this: The chaplains were wrong. It wasn’t “all sewn up.” There was room for a fresh vision of ministry that would reach this present student generation. There was a need for more resources to get the job done.

 I could give other examples, including ones from my own personal experience in British Columbia. However, the core point I am making is that we are uniquely positioned to bring hard earned experience and expertise to bear across the country. We do not provide a “cookie cutter” approach to ministry. We provide tools to adapt creatively to each context. We provide support and equipping for those who feel called to reach out to the campus. We provide a much needed combination of the Spirit’s mind and power.

brief bio

Part of the fun of this job is getting to travel with George Werner and the Mission Canada team to speak at our Bible Colleges, this fall. I am looking forward to going to Summit Pacific College at the end of this month, where they will put  me to work both teaching and preaching. In October, it will be Vanguard College in Edmonton, right near my old alma mater, the University of Alberta. More about all of that later.

However, when I first started, I received a request to provide a brief bio to say something about myself to the schools. So, here is what I wrote. I figured that I may as well post it, because it says a lot in a few words.

Robb is the Campus Ministries Coordinator for Mission Canada. His role involves facilitating vision, networking, support and equipping for PAOC campus ministry across the country. He has extensive experience in initiating and coordinating campus ministry.

He was the founding pastor of Point Grey Community Church in Vancouver, near UBC; a church that from its beginning has maintained a vibrant vision for reaching the university for Christ. He was also the director of BC Campus Ministries, having played a key role in its inception, growth and vital relationship with the BC Yukon District.

At the same time as planting an innovative new church in Burlington, ON, he was the chaplain at Redeemer University College. He wrote his doctoral thesis on chaplaincy to post-secondary institutions.

Robb has five kids, ranging from 12 to 22. His oldest, David, is active in The Embassy, a dynamic PAOC student church at the University of Waterloo. He is married to Karen, who was actively involved in campus ministry with him at UBC in the establishment of University Christian Ministry, one of the largest Christian groups on campus.

So, what do you do...?

 I have a detailed job description. However, it is not always easy to communicate it to to others. So, for the sake of communicability, I have distilled it into four words. The four words at least create a skeleton that I can use to discuss the nature of what I am up to. So, with that in mind..
Here goes.

National Campus Ministries Coordinator

• Vision. The vision for PAOC campus ministry has historically risen “from the bottom up”. The role of Missions Canada is to distil it, communicate it, and keep it in front of the churches, districts and campus ministries. We will create consistency across the country and ensure that the great “stories” of what God is doing and saying are heard. They deserve our audience.


• Equipping. Equipping involves creating structures and means for campus ministers to grow in knowledge and skills in their specific tasks, according to their unique contexts. Each ministry brings a lot to the table and would have a huge role in equipping the larger whole. This will be of particular help to new campus works. It means enlisting and equipping workers by providing or facilitating training where it is required. It also includes the equipping of churches and district and bible colleges to facilitate the planting and growth of campus ministries.

• Networking. There is a need for campus ministers to network with the greater whole (including churches, Bible colleges/seminaries, districts and other campus ministries) at local, district and national levels. Most of our campus ministers would agree that there is incredible synergy when they have an opportunity to connect and share their experience and gifts with each other, as well as the Church. Our role is to help facilitate networking so that it is more intentional, frequent and productive.


• Support. Support involves raising financial, spiritual and practical support on behalf of the campus ministries. As missional ventures, they are rarely able to “pay their way” on the front end. As well as personal pastoral support, we will also help build enduring structures with the collaboration of the broader Fellowship, to ensure the continuity of ministry over time.

While this description is not exhaustive, it states about as succinctly as I can what I am trying to do. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So it is. It is also true that a word is worth a thousand pictures.

LIFT Launch..

Do you see what I see? That is kind of the idea. I have the privilege of connecting with some of the best people and coolest ministries in the country as part of my job portfolio. What I want to do is capture some of the stories of what God is up to in our campus ministries, starting in my own backyard. That for me would be Hamilton, and more specifically, it would be McMaster University which is about a fifteen minute drive from my home.


God is at work on campus. For example, the largest Campus For Christ group in the country is at MAC. Robin Wallar, the student leader of Lift on campus, told me that God has brought all of the Christian groups together on campus and has caused them to work together. He did this primarily through the efforts of the Anglican chaplain, who brought them together and made them talk to each other to forge out a genuine unity. The groups have found that they actually complement each other. God bless her for it…. That is what chaplaincy should be all about.

Anyway, I took in the September launch of Lift Church’s Sunday night gathering in the Student Services bar. It has had a facelift and it is looking good. My friend and former student intern Jonathon Balt was leading worship, fronting a great sounding band. There was a good crowd and good energy in the service. Given that there are so many things to announce at the beginning of the year, they did a masterful job of weaving in student testimony, the presentation of Simple Church ( topical small groups) which were introduced by their leaders and some general information.

And there was food. Bless those guys. Robin told me that there is really nothing they do where they do not service food in some capacity or another. How can they go wrong? There was a brief break for food etc, and then we were back at it with Dave Slater leading out on the first of the Seven Deadly Sins. He talked about pride and humility, and did a great job of keeping the message on target and accessible for both the newcomer and the established Christian.

One of the students at Lift, whom I knew from another church, told me that he was not even looking for a church at the time but when he experienced the sense of community at LIFT he was hooked. This was now his community.

I brought a couple of my sons along for the ride. Dave (21) told me that he really enjoyed the service, but suggested that they may want to make an intentional announcement regarding where people were going to hang out after. He is a sociable guy but had to work hard in order to find out. Luke (16) told me, “ I didn’t realize Jon Balt was such a good worship leader”. In short, it was a success.

What is too bad is that I didn’t get my camera until the next day, so I don’t have pictures to show you. However, take in the website at http://www.liftchurch.ca/. There are some really creative people at Lift, and their hearts are in just the right place. Further, Dave Slater, has stepped out in faith to make this all happen and it is clear that God is honoring him for it. Freshmen who came to his first meeting three years ago are now leaders and evidencing solid maturity in Christ. It is gratifying to see it.

Embassy back on campus

On the Embassy website  http://www.the-embassy.org/  the cover page said..

"Monday, September 14, 2009.. two old friends become reacquainted …that’s right, Embassy and the campus."  There's a story behind this that I won't elaborate on, but it made the night particularly special.

The Embassy is where my oldest son worships while he is at the University of Waterloo. I was looking forward to joining up with them for the evening, especially since it is only about forty-five minutes from my house. I just bought a camera so I could give some visual glimpses of what I am writing about. As you will see, I haven't exactly got the thing figured out, but whatever... it beats nothing.


It had been eleven years ago to the day that Brandon Malo had looked out from the stage of the Humanities Theatre at a sparse audience which had gathered for the very first meeting of The Embassy. It had been six years since The Embassy, due to unfortunate and controversial reasons, had to leave the campus and meet nearby. The meeting tonight in the same venue was a real homecoming. There was a combination of alumni and new students who had gathered to honour Embassy and the impact it had made in their lives and on the campus. The intention is to meet here once per month, while meeting at Emmanuel United Church just offsite for the other Mondays.

When I arrived onsite, there was a real buzz out in the hall as hundreds of students waited to be let into the Humanities Theatre. The theatre proved to be a great venue, being both expansive and intimate at the same time. Here is a glimpse from my perch somewhere near the middle of the room.

The irrespressible Danny K opened worship with a great mix of of passion and fun . The lead pastor of The Embassy, Joe Wahba talked briefly about potential and baited the hook for the coming weeks. Embassy is starting a series on The Most Quoted Man in the World ( The apostle Paul). There was an opportunity for the entire crowd to respond in worship, and the evening included one of the best renditions of Majesty I have ever heard. The band included the multi talented Trevor Gingrich on lead guitar ( just to our left of the drums). Previously an intern at Embassy, he is now the Mission Canada planter of The Embassy at Humber Guelph.

Brandon Malo, the founding pastor of Embassy ( who started the whole thing just after he graduated from nearby Wilfred Laurier University) spoke about fanning our gifts into flame. Intelligent and accessible, he used his stories and examples to great effect. There were lots of interesting and fun elements thrown into the mix.

There are so many things that Embassy does right. It is not an accident that it experienced explosive growth, nor for that matter was it an accident that some entity was threatened and had them pushed off of campus. What doesn’t kill you, they say, makes you stronger. Having talked at length with Brandon, it is clear that they are stronger for the time of adversity.

Embassy is positioned for some really good things.

Clubs Days at MAC

I just spent a chunk of the morning two days ago at McMaster University ( affectionately known around these parts as MAC) where I hung out with our own Dave Slater of LIFT Church. They are running both a student club and a student church ( which also has an intergenerational gathering Sunday am). Check it out at http://www.liftchurch.ca/ 

You may know the energy of Clubs Day. There were around two hundred booths outside of the Student Centre with thousands of students milling about. The weather was perfect. Not only was it like the U.N., but it was a microcosm of planet earth. There were political, religious, sports, cultural, racial, academic, activity, humanitarian, environmental - and whatever else you could imagine- kind of groups. And there was LIFT right in the middle of it. They had a thousand student packs made up for free distribution at their table and had given them all away in 90 minutes. That's right, by 10:35 they were all gone and the morning was just picking up steam. Fortunately they were not out of their invitation cards and they had a raffle going on that gathered names and addresses.

What was great this year was Dave did not have to be front and centre. He had a great group of students driving the engine, so he was able to engage in a number of strategic, relationship building talks with students. I didn't bring a camera, but I got him to take some shots. Since he was the one who took them, I am afraid he didn’t get into the picture. Too bad. The more I get to know Dave, the more I admire him.

On a personal note, I think you know what it is to feel God's heart for the campus. When you look around and see the mass of humanity that Jesus bought and paid for, and the myriad of options they have before them at this point in their lives, it is absolutely critical that we are there. I am grateful that we are.

I used to assume that other people were like me. When I am on a university campus, surrounded by the crush of students who are preparing themselves for the rest of their journey on earth, with all of its promise and potential, I start to shake inside. I can “feel” God’s heart. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the size of the challenge, so it is important to use it for positive motivation. It is a big part of why we do what we do. It is an expression of the heart of God.

Baby Steps...

Baby Steps! It became apparent to me as I contemplated taking on the role of national campus ministry coordinator that a website would be helpful in beginning to accomplish what I need to do. A big part of that is bringing people together in a forum where we can learn from each other and lift each other up.

Since I have zero tech skills or web know how, I have been looking closely at a ‘paint by numbers’ type of prefab website operation like http://www.advancedministry.com/. They are good people and do a good job. However, those who are in the know in our office have been encouraging me to explore open source software like http://www.wordpress.com/. Which, for what it is worth, is the home of this blogging site. What I am hoping to do, if our paoc server allows it, is grow this blog into a website. Consider this a “seed”.

Our General Superintendent Dave Wells refers to his vision for the paoc as ” a relationally based missional family”. It is hard to develop relationships with a standard, static website. I think you know what I mean. Relationships involve conversing, and I think we have a lot to share with each other. It is really important that we share the wealth of our experience and expertise with each other. There is so much good stuff going on all across the country which is often not known or celebrated outside of its area. It is time to change all of that.

On being a tour guide....

Mel is a friend who runs a tours of Niagara Falls (www.chariots-of-fire.com) . I had the privilege of riding shotgun one fine day with one of his limo drivers who really knew his stuff. While he helped me both understand and actually “see” what I was seeing, it was obvious that he was not the show. The Falls were the show. I finally got to ride on the Maid of the Mist and experience the Falls in a way I will remember always. He simply facilitated the experience.

I sort of see myself in a similar light – helping people to see and understand campus ministry and make contact with those are really doing the stuff, not to mention the living God who makes it all possible.
What I have been commissioned to do for Mission Canada, which is the national outreach arm of the PAOC, is to coordinate campus ministry on a national level. As I start to look around the country, it is exciting to see how the vision for campus ministry has emerged from the ground up. This has not been something that was formulated in an office somewhere. What I am setting about to do is capture lightning in a bottle.

While there is an involved job description that goes with what I do, I will summarize it in four basic points.

• Vision: I help distill the vision and make it known.
• Network: I try to connect the dots.. networking campus ministries and connecting them to the broader Body of Christ.
• Equip: While I do not pretend to be the expert, I know the people who are. We want to put the right tools in the right hands.
• Support: Campus ministry can be an isolating experience. I want to ensure that campus ministries receive the material, emotional and spiritual support they need.

So, how do I do that? Well, it’s good that you asked.

In my own case, it occurred to me that a whole lot of what I want to do can be accomplished online. That is the good news.
I know you can guess what the bad news is: I have no discernible tech skills.

So, we will see what happens.

I am really proud of the range and quality of ministries the PAOC has on the campuses of our nation. I am passionate about making them known and to be a catalyst in seeing their impact grow in both breadth and depth. I think if you take the opportunity to investigate, you will understand why I feel this way.

Lightning in a bottle

What this is about is campus ministry in general and paoc campus ministry in particular

While I consider myself a post- denominational guy, having done my advanced education and much of my chaplaincy ministry in non-pentecostal institutions, I am pumped about what I see happening across the country in and through paoc campus ministries. I want to provide a portal so that people can see what I see.

As I look around, it is exciting to see how the vision for campus ministry in our Fellowship has emerged from the ground up. Our emerging vision is not something that was formulated in an office somewhere.

Years ago, when we were breaking ground for the paoc in BC and seeing God move in amazing ways, I was really concerned at the time that we could provide some sort of working prototype for campus ministry that would be of use across the country. Not that I ever felt that it would be anything cookie cutter, but the combination of principles and experience would be valuable.

However, I had a lurking fear that someone in the national office would appoint someone to start a campus ministry program starting from the top down.. rather than find out what God is doing and coming alongside of it. That, brothers and sisters, is simply not what I am about.

What is my mandate? To come alongside. I like the sense of coordinating ( catalyzing ) if you get my drift. I want us to be either on the same page or know where the pages are.. I believe that there is huge potential for God when we are able to learn from each other and bless each other. The key word, which I will unpack at some later time is SYNERGY, which in short is the phenomenon of the total being greater than the sum of the parts. When the right ingredients are brought together, something powerful can happen.


I remember when we met for our first “Summit” in BC. The ministries at UBC, SFU, Kelowna, Kamloops and UVic converged at our place at UBC for a confab. Incidentally, it would have been sooo easy for all of us to have remained in our isolations and simply done our own thing. It took vision to realize that God wanted us to work together. So, we met. After worship and prayer, I had each group share two things:

1. What is going well.?
2. What isn’t?

Sort of a reworking of a key verse for me..

Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

You would not have believed the energy that came out of that meeting. Unbelievable! When you get people together who are not only visionaries but entrepreneurs and ground breakers you get not only energy but synergy. It was like capturing lightning in a bottle. You know what? I think we did.

I know in my knower that God wants that to happen across the country.