What We Learned About Small Churches
Rick Hiemstra, Director
The Centre for Research on Church and Faith
Check out this short 5 minute video, the first in our May weekly video series on Small Churches in Canada.
Recommend Resource
Significant Church: Understanding the Value of the Small Evangelical Church in Canada
by Rick Hiemstra and Lindsay Callaway
Most evangelical churches in Canada are small, so you would expect to find a significant number of resources geared toward the small church, and you’d think a significant portion of pastoral training curriculum would be dedicated to training for small church ministry. But our research shows most resources and training for church leadership and ministry assume large church contexts that simply do not translate to a small or a Canadian context.
This report comes out of a research partnership that sought to understand the needs of small, Canadian, evangelical churches. We set out to understand from pastors what small churches need to function and flourish in Canada. This report is an opportunity to care for small churches as they are rather than how they are not. It’s an opportunity to understand how the small church is, truly, a significant church.
Upcoming Events
The Stories We Tell
(A FREE FCI and CCCU event)
Trinity Western University and online
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
7:00pm PDT
For more about the topics explored and presenters involved, click here.
Eyes to See: Engaging Faith Communities in Poverty Dialogue and Action
(A Canadian Poverty Institute Event)
Thursday, May 11- Friday, May 12, 2023
Are you a church leader interested in engaging your congregation in actions to address poverty? Join Shaun Groves and Compassion Canada in this two-day workshop to build knowledge and skill to lead conversations and initiatives about poverty in your community. Based on the book Eyes to See by Compassion Canada.
This workshop will be offered live at Ambrose University in Calgary with remote link to a satellite location at the offices of the Canadian Missionary Alliance in Mississauga, Ontario. Those outside of Calgary and the Toronto Area can join online.
IGNITE: Cultivating United Prayer Across Canada
Ottawa -- Apr 14; Calgary -- Apr 20; Kelowna -- Apr 28; Regina -- May 5
Now is the time to pray for the healing of our country. Join our hosts for inspiration and training on how to cultivate a strong culture of prayer in your church, culminating in a public evening event seeking God's holy face in prayer and worship with humility and wonder.
Property Strategy Course for Church Board Members
(A Trinity Centres Foundation event) Dates TBA This TCF online course is a series of toolkits, aimed at supporting church board members. TFC's hope is to educate faith communities across Canada as they leverage strategic partnerships and government programs required to build the financial sustainability of their properties. In repositioning these properties towards the many charities who need space, new structures will also allow faith communities to remain in their communities and see new seasons of growth.