Nova Scotia - Transformation through Exploration
Larry Leming, Missions Ministries Director

Eight years ago, this very month, God placed a call on my heart to full time mission service. On that same night, He placed a specific burden on my heart as well. That burden was for Canada. I did not feel that I was supposed to move there, but simply to keep them lifted in my prayers. And so, over the past years, I have quietly prayed for Canada. During this time, God has continued to connect me with Canada through a group of refugees, who now live there and serve Christ through their music and testimony, through two Canadian church planters that I have become friends with, and now through a new opportunity. 

Imagine my surprise when I receive an e-mail from our state convention office telling me of a new partnership opportunity called Encounter Canada. The goal of this outreach program is to have mission teams from various state conventions that will go to Canada and prayer walk their communities and seek out people of peace. This is the first step toward bringing the gospel of Christ to the people of Canada, which is the most unchurched region of North America. The trip has been called a “vacation with a purpose” because the goal is to simply walk the towns, greeting non-christians, eating with non-christians, visiting local businesses and talking with non-christians,…do you see a pattern developing? As you talk with people, you are listening with God’s ears and seeing with God’s eyes and as you leave that person, you simply ask if you may say a quick prayer on their behalf. What a beautiful way to begin preparing the ground for planting. 

I have been asked to lead an initial team from our association to the Nova Scotia region in early June of this year. God has already begun to put this team together and I am so excited to now see why God placed this area on my heart so many years ago. Our desire is that from this initial team will come a leader for a second trip and from that team a leader for a third trip….do you see another pattern developing? Please be in prayer for our initial team and please pray about how God would want you involved in Encounter Canada. God bless you, friends, as we continue to serve together.

Nova Scotia
Population: 938,821
Canada Baptist Churches: 3
     *1 Church for every 312,940 people
Cities: 531
     * 1 Church for every 177 cities

Check out this information on the SC Baptist Convention/Canada partnership:
The Nova Scotia Experience
Encounter Canada