Blog – Page 2 – Living Hope Native Ministries

Looking Forward

By Andrew Lang

The mission of Living Hope is to equip and empower local churches that matter. We are shifting energy as an organization so that we can more effectively do that, specifically with partnership in mind.

I’m excited that we have been able to trial a number of events, and are building relationships to help build up the local church in northern communities. We’re hoping to build on the momentum we’ve gained this past year, reach even more people, and be a resource to more First Nations Christians in Northern Ontario.

Hopelines December 2023

Partnership

Living Hope hired Rodney Martin in August as Public Relations Director. He is originally from Constance Lake and pastored in Sachigo Lake for a time. His contribution to the organization is invaluable. Here is his perspective on partnership:

What does partnership look like? The question when posed seemed to baffle me, because it was something I never really thought about. So when I looked up the definition, this is what I found: A partnership consists of two or more people who combine their resources for a greater purpose.

And that was when I began to feel very uncomfortable. “Two people combine their resources…” What could I, as a First Nation person, possibly bring to the table that has any value? My native mindset is telling me, “this will be a very unbalanced, one sided partnership.” (Kind of like my partnership with Christ…but that’s another topic.) But if I’m honest, in my mind this will seem more like a white dominated partnership where once again I’m defaulted to live on handouts and sympathy, having made no real contribution to this relationship.

A Community that Cares

By Andrew Lang

Recently, I was in a car accident and what struck me (days after the mishap) was how quickly my church family was there to check in on me and to help our family with our needs. We didn’t have to advertise it or ask for help; it was just there. I was so moved by how caring and generous the people in my community were to my family. I had more phone calls checking in on me than from my direct family, which is not a dig on my family; it’s just a sign of how invested the church community is.

There’s a saying that “people don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.”

Discipleship Direction

By Jeff and Mary Kirkpatrick

It’s hard to say when it started, but discipleship has been a growing desire for our family. When our home church in Pennsylvania announced that the topic for their annual conference this year would be “Making Disciples Who Make Disciples,” we decided to extend a family visit so we could attend. It wasn’t just good teaching for us, it was professional development!

True disciples make disciples. We want to do more than just keep youth off the streets or start a Bible Study (as much as we are crazy Bible nerds and LOVE that). We want to follow Jesus and bring other people along to follow him too – to be people who also bring others on the lifetime journey of following Jesus. It’s about the life we live, not about more knowledge or the “sinner’s prayer” we prayed one time…or over and over again.

The conference speaker was Galen Burkholder from Global Disciples. Their organization makes disciples in difficult situations around the world, but they claim it’s a simple process….

Go, Make Disciples

By Andrew Lang

Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus has very explicit instructions for us here; he commands us to go, a call that isn’t tied to spiritual gifting or skills. This is a universal command for all of us who believe. We must all be active in spreading God’s word. It doesn’t mean we have to go far, but we do need to be an active agent in bringing the word of truth to those in the world.

Hopelines March 2023

Discipleship – Is It Happening?

By Mary Keesic

One of the values of Living Hope Native Ministries is to develop local churches that disciple believers to learn and grow in faith and in their knowledge of Jesus. Why is discipleship important? In our busy world, is discipleship happening?

By definition, a disciple is a learner, a follower of Jesus. He is teachable and in training by instruction and exercise to grow into a mature believer. Jesus said in Matthew 29:19, “Go…and make disciples of all the nations”.

Living Hope Staff Celebrate God’s Faithfulness as they Reflect on Blessings and Challenges in 2022

Jamie and Rhonda Thornton live in Parry Sound, where God has faithfully opened doors for new relationships in the communities in the Georgian Bay area. They are blessed to reconnect with young people after the pandemic, and enjoy talking about faith and answering questions about Jesus. Their hope is to start a drop-in centre for First Nations youth. Jamie and Rhonda thrive on stepping out to journey with friends through the highs and lows of life, all the while pointing them to the hope that can only be found in Jesus.

Kevin and Norma Moore share the highlights of 2022 in Sudbury…

Celebrating God’s Provision

…As Stuart, Andrew, board chairman Clarence Meekis, and other members of the LHNM board spent time in conversation and became acquainted, it became clear to everyone that God was putting the pieces together for Andrew to work with LHNM at this time. In September the decision was finalized, and Andrew and Stuart worked together in the office for the month of October….

Hopelines December 2022

Living Hope Staff Celebrate God’s Faithfulness as they Reflect on Blessings and Challenges in 2022

Jamie and Rhonda Thornton live in Parry Sound, where God has faithfully opened doors for new relationships in the communities in the Georgian Bay area. They are blessed to reconnect with young people after the pandemic, and enjoy talking about faith and answering questions about Jesus. Their hope is to start a drop-in centre for First Nations youth. Jamie and Rhonda thrive on stepping out to journey with friends through the highs and lows of life, all the while pointing them to the hope that can only be found in Jesus.

Kevin and Norma Moore share the highlights of 2022 in Sudbury…

Created for a Purpose

By Stuart Swartzentruber

My Mom likes old things. She had antiques around our house when I was growing up and still has many around today. One item in particular that I remember from my youth is an old black iron. My Mom used it for a door stop, and I remember stubbing my toes on it many times with my bare feet.

That iron was created long ago to be used to take wrinkles out of clothes. It was designed and built with that purpose specifically in mind. It can also make an amazing door stop or a book end, but the purpose and potential it was designed for is missed when it is used in that way.