Evangelicals Gain but Need More Growth

Evangelical churches in Canada have surpassed mainline churches in numbers of people attending church, but their rate of growth is barely exceeding that of the population. That was the status report presented to more than 700 evangelical leaders attending the National Leadership Consultation on Evangelism held last month in Ottawa. According to new research unveiled at the conference, about two-thirds of the church attenders in Canada are Roman Catholic. Of the Protestant third, about 1,016,000 are evangelicals, and about 810,000 are mainline Protestants.

The evangelical growth rate of 2.2 percent, however, is keeping just ahead of population growth, said Arnell Motz, editor of the study Reclaiming a Nation: The Challenge of Re-evangelizing Canada by the Year 2000. In the next decade, 6,700 new churches will be needed in order for every Canadian to be within reach of a witnessing congregation. A growth rate of 6 percent per year would double the country’s evangelical population to 15 percent by 2000.

The consultation, sponsored by Vision 2000 Canada and attended by representatives from 60 denominations and parachurch organizations, deliberately set no prescribed strategies, no numerical growth goals, and no resolutions on issues. Instead, conference organizers offered a smorgasbord of ideas and models, encouraging groups to identify their own goals and work out their own methods. Participants learned about credible Christian witness through everything from organizing a union for overworked Filipino nannies to staffing booths at flea markets, reaching business executives through golf tournaments, and befriending adolescent prostitutes.

Brian Stiller, executive director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, which initiated the autonomous Vision 2000 movement, called the conference “a major shift in the religious landscape of Canada.” Previous cooperative efforts have met with resistance, due to the strong role that denominational organizations play in Canadian church life. But the conference drew together for the first time representatives from such diverse groups as mainline renewal organizations, the Salvation Army, and several Baptist associations, as well as the two fastest-growing denominations, the Christian and Missionary Alliance and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Still, some expressed disappointment that Native Canadians, French-speaking Canadians, other ethnic groups, lay people, and women were not more visible.

The consultation was a major step in the Canadian church finding its own voice, said Glenn Smith, a steering committee member and urban ministry specialist from Montreal. “We Canadians don’t talk together; we’re very regional people. But as a confederation, we’ve come together to discuss issues as partners.” For example, a coalition of urban ministry practitioners was established, committed to developing theology and strategy for Canada’s unique urban situation. “Until now,” Smith said, “Canadian Christians have been very disconnected from their cities, where 65 percent of the population lives. With our social democratic government, the church has often been marginalized from compassionate ministries. But now we’re going to see a whole new generation working with the city to serve the church.”

The consultation’s program also presented a uniquely Canadian perspective. With only a few exceptions, Vision 2000’s conference speakers were Canadians or ministered extensively in the country.

“We’re seeing a new style of leader developing, which is exactly appropriate for the Canadian scene,” said television broadcaster Terry Winter. “We Canadians don’t go for the hero model; we’re into compromise. Our more moderate, conciliatory approach is our strength.”

Vision 2000 Canada organizers plan to maintain an office, with a small staff and minimum budget. They said they hope to keep momentum going by establishing communications channels, encouraging networking, holding regional sessions, and developing grassroots involvement.

“We were told that this consultation would never happen, that we could never get denominations to work together in a cohesive direction,” said Alan Andrews, chairman of Vision 2000 and national director of the Navigators of Canada. “So far, the results have been beyond all our expectations.”

By Wendy Elaine Nelles in Ottawa.

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