Continuing Reflections on the Restoration Movement in Western Canada, Part 6

 

In light of the largely autonomous character of the churches of the Stone-Campbell Movement, there is often only a loose connection that exists between the churches of the Movement in any given geographical area.  This fact stems from the initial ethos of the Movement, from the different divisions within the Movement that have occurred over the years, and, in the case of western Canadian a cappella churches, the closing of Western Christian College.

I am of the opinion that the relative autonomy of our churches can be very healthy in some ways; in other ways it is of detriment.  There is something healthy about individual churches being free to operate for themselves, with locally empowered leaders whose authority and service is centered in their own congregations.  A church's finances are controlled by and allocated by local leadership.  Ministry is locally controlled and planned.  And this seems to fit with the function of churches under the Apostles in the New Testament.  But it can be of detriment that our churches share less of a broader cohesive unity than they otherwise could.  They are not as much "part of something bigger" as they could be.  When the Movement began, and for years afterward, there was an identity for those churches which automatically came with being part of the Movement itself, set apart from the rest of Christianity that was not following the teachings of the Campbells, Walter Scott, and Barton Stone.  Those churches and individual Christians who did follow early Stone-Campbell teachings on biblical primitivism and Christian unity became an identifiable union of churches; it gave them a broader identity and purpose.  That we substantially lack this common identity and purpose prevents us from having a cohesive ministry.  The positive aspects of the Movement are not instilled in those new to us, or even our own children, and there is no common voice that can positively impact the ministries of other Christian fellowships around us.

All that to say that with a push from Evan Spencer, who is leading the new Bow Valley multi-site in Mahogany in south Calgary, there is going to be an attempt made to create a closer unity among churches in western Canada that find their historical roots in the Stone-Campbell Movement.  The goals will include 1) unity, fellowship, and encouragement among our churches; 2) cohesion, visioning and purposefulness in ministry; 3) providing a source of cohesive impact by the Stone-Campbell churches on Christianity as practiced in western Canada.

Plans are being formulated concerning how best to proceed.  Two moves most likely to be made here at the beginning are:  1) use the 3 Streams website that is already in existence.  The website was initiated by the group that through Alberta Bible College sponsors the Western Canada Leadership Summit each spring at ABC, but the goal of having the website is to provide connection for Stone-Campbell churches across Canada; 2) have some kind of initial meeting introducing the idea of  cohesion between the Stone-Campbell churches of western Canada, forming a steering committee of interested church representatives.

If you are interested in what is being proposed, please feel free to comment or send to me an email (Kelly@calgarycofc.com).  And you will want to look at the existing 3 Streams website at www.3streams.ca if you have not already.