EVENTS
Join us at a Pasture event for topic driven conversations, testimonies, and panel discussions that encourage Christians into deeper relationship with God.
Attend one of our regular events or invite us to host an event at your church.
Come prepared to LEARN, DISCUSS, ENCOURAGE, and perhaps even share your own testimony!
EVENTS LISTINGS
YOU ARE INVITED
Join this interactive conversation, as we share with each other what God has taught each of us during this unprecedented time.
Has your willingness to share the gospel changed?
Has your faith overtaken your fear and anxiety?
How has God showed up and changed a situation?
Life, family, work, church, and community may have changed, but God has not.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrew 12:8
COST - FREE
Registration required by emailing your name here
After you rsvp, we will email you the ZOOM Meeting ID# and Password.
Please extend this invitation to whomever God puts on your heart
We gathered 27 Christians on ZOOM for two hours representing 15 different church communities from 13 cities across Ontario
What we discovered, and what you will discover when you read the comments below, was that even though we are all in some form of isolation & social distancing, it is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead that dwells in each of us. Regardless of our distancing, God has been working across the body of Christ in the same way! There is no way that 27 people from different cities would get the same message. It is by the work of the Holy Spirit, dwelling and working in each of us that we were all able to testify experiences that have been bringing us ALL into deeper relationship with God. It seems that COVID has caught the attention of Christians, as well as the unsaved world.
We opened in Prayer “Lord we thank you for being with us tonight in this unique setting. We’re here to share what you’re doing in people’s lives regardless of what’s happening in the world. This COVID 19 didn’t take you by surprise, you’re not shocked or caught off guard. We live in a broken world and in-spite of it all, you’re using these days to do great things in each of our hearts. We pray for courage for all of us to speak up and share what You is doing in each of our lives and that we all walk in love and let our words uplift and not tear down. We pray that everyone here would receive some spiritual insight, or encouragement, or comfort directly from the Holy Spirit. Your word says, “For where two or three, gather in my name, there am I with them”, and so as we gather together tonight in Your name through modern technology, we know You are here in our midst. That alone is great comfort. Thank you for everything your about to do. In Jesus Name, Amen.”
Here is a summary of all the great commentary from the participants, so we can all be reminded of how God is moving in ALL of us.
We asked: Is God calling you into deeper relationship with Him during COVID and what does that look like?
“God has put on my heart a desire to grow deeper in Him”
“He has given me time to pursue him without any distractions”
“I am closer to God and have a more direct relationship with Him”
“I am so content and at peace. I have no fear”
“God has a plan for me, I just need to stop doing things in my own strength”
“It has truly taught me to have patience and to wait on God “
“I have learned to become completely dependent on the Lord”
“I’ve become more accepting of what God has for me”
“I’ve become less self-obsessed and am now praying for my neighbours”
“I’m looking to meet the needs of my elderly neighbours and bless them with food”
“I’ve been put in a position to examine my life like never before”
“God is showing me how to prioritize”
“I’m finally learning to sit quiet before the Lord and just listen”
“I am taking advantage of the quiet streets to love God out loud with un-abandon praise”
“I am more aware of my surroundings and bolder with evangelism”
“I’m following the leading of the Holy Spirit more, rather than using my own logic to access a situation”
“God is abundantly blessing my business”
“I have not been this focussed in a long time”
“I’m leaning on Him and giving Him ALL the glory for what’s going on right now for me”
“God is abundantly providing even when my work has slowed down considerably”
“My life has completely changed. I wouldn’t change a thing”
“I pray that God uses my talents to turn people towards Jesus”
“God has provided everything for me, and my hope is in Jesus”
“The Lord is giving me a vision of people confessing Christ with their last breath”
We asked: If you could encourage someone right now as a Christ follower, what would you say?
“God is awesome. His love is so deep and so wide. It’s bigger than COVID. He has made a way out for each of us and for our country. How wonderful is His grace and mercy towards us!”
“Take our eyes off the world and praise and worship Him!”
“We don’t need to defend God – He’s got this!”
“Let the Spirit lead in all things.”
“There is nothing new under the sun. There is no war or no pestilence that God is not aware of. We need to continue to serve the Lord. Jesus wins in the end.”
“Share your testimonies. People can’t argue with that!”
“Change your focus. This is not a reprimand or judgment of God. He will send His angels to help.”
“What the enemy means for harm, God turns around for good.”
“They will know us by our love, not our hate, not our bashing of the government, not our spreading of conspiracy theories, and not by instilling fear into others or passing judgement.”
These certainly sound different from what the world is saying!
Thank you for joining us.
Romans 15:13 – I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
YOU ARE INVITED
There are no better conversations than when Christians share their personal testimonies of how they came to faith in Christ and how God used them to share the Gospel of Jesus with others.
We want you to be encouraged by these testimonies and perhaps share your own. We hope you do share, because everyone's story is a good story and every story gives glory to God.
LEARN how God works through the body of Christ to share His plan of salvation with others.
DISCUSS evangelism strategies with our panel:
Hans Ostrem
Regional Vice- President, Canada Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Ava Cummings
Manager of Donor Relations, Gideons International Canada/ShareWord Global
Angie Chrichton
Site Director/Local Missionary, Next Door Social Space
COST - FREE
Registration and continental breakfast at 9:30
Discussion starts at 10am
Registration required by emailing your name here
Gideons International Canada/ShareWord Global has graciously supplied FREE bibles for each attendee, hoping you'll feel inspired to share it with someone.
Please extend this invitation to whomever God puts on your heart
We celebrated Jesus by sharing our testimonies of salvation with one another. In doing so, we quickly began to see how much God loves everyone and wants us to be messengers of the Gospel.
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Romans 10:13-15 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
This is what we shared, discussed and learned:
A – Every testimony is worthy to be shared.
Some think that their testimonies are too boring to share because they experienced no extreme circumstances that drew them to God. What we learned is that God came to save everyone, and we all come in different walks of life. God came to save the good, the bad, the sad, the happy, the rich, the poor, the religious, the ones who seemingly have life together, the drug dealers, the do-gooders, the murderers, the kind-hearted, etc. Jesus came to save even those who didn’t think they needed to be saved.
Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
B – We all come to know about Jesus in different ways
- Some people are personally witnessed to by other believers
- Some people call upon God themselves and God reveals Himself to them in some way
- Some people are raised in a Christian home and naturally moved into personal relationship with Jesus
- Some people encounter some kind of evangelism outreach ministry/literature
Mark 16:15-20 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
C – Why are we afraid/don’t to share the Gospel?
- We judge others and don’t think they are deserving of God’s love
- We ourselves don’t want to be judged/shunned
- We use our ‘quiet’ personalities as an excuse
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
D – How do we overcome our fear?
- Know who we are in Jesus
- See people the way God sees them
- Love your neighbour as yourself
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
2 Timothy 1:8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
E – How to share the Gospel – How does this play out in real life when the world opposes you?
- Show love to others – Live as an example of God’s love
- Be an example and live for God and His ways – Courage to live/think differently than the world
- Don’t live in a bubble – don’t be afraid to be friendly to the world/cultures
- Be prepared to share your testimony at any time – don’t think your testimony isn’t as valuable as someone else’s
- Be in prayer and listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit –You’ll never be nervous when the Holy Spirit works in you
- Understand the basics of our faith – know who you are in Jesus – God loves everyone not just you
- Don’t spend all of your time with Christians only – get involved in a community outreach initiative
- Participate in global missions – give your time, talents, resources, and support through prayer
1 Peter 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
F – What if someone says ‘YES’ to Jesus?
- Pray for them
- Encourage them
- Connect them to the body/church for continued discipleship
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
We thank our three panelists for sharing!
Hans Ostrem, Regional VP – Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Thank you for taking us through a simple process for sharing the gospel from: https://thefour.com/en/
Ava Cummings, Manager of Donor Relations– The Gideons International In Canada & ShareWord Global
Thank you for providing Bibles for all our guests and introducing us to the evangelism app: https://newlife.bible/home/
Angie Crichton, Site Director / Local missionary – Next Door Social Space
Thank you for sharing how you and your team impact your community through love, food, and the Word at: https://www.nextdoorsocialspace.com
YOU ARE INVITED
This event is for those who:
Have experienced deep and everlasting forgiveness, or
Have a testimony of forgiveness that will encourage others, or
Feel justified in their unforgiveness, or
Don't feel worthy of God's forgiveness.
If you have experienced forgiveness, come and encourage others.
If you are going through forgiveness, come and learn.
If you are hungry for more, come and discuss.
COST - FREE
Registration and continental breakfast at 9:30
Discussion starts at 10am
Registration required by emailing your name here
Please extend this invitation to whomever God puts on your heart
If a person is forgiving someone based on their own strength, their emotions of the day, or on the temporary good behaviour of the other person, they will be let down the next time the forgiven party re-offends. We will always be waiting for the next shoe to drop and when it does, we will pull out our very long list of grievances from that person and start from square one all over again. Forgiveness is not about how we feel about the person, or whether that person is deserving of forgiveness, but rather a command from God.
When we obey God’s command, we should never do it begrudgingly. God always knows our heart and will always look for our heart motive. Therefore, when we forgive, we should do so with a willing heart and joyful, wanting the offender to experience the same grace as has been extended to us by God, through the blood of Jesus.
The world gives us daily opportunities to act in unforgiveness
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Every day we are given the opportunity to lose patience, to be unkind to someone, to be jealous of another, to behave rudely, to be proud and boastful, to be irritated, to demand justice for a wrong. Every day we are given the opportunity to feel justified in our unforgiveness towards others. Every day we are given the opportunity to cast judgement on another and say, “they hurt me, it’s not fair, they don’t deserve forgiveness”.
And because there is a daily opportunity to act in unforgiveness, we are given this daily prayer:
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) “This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
It is saying that we will all goof up and need daily forgiveness and that others will offend us, and that we need to forgive them.
God asks us to forgive and walk in love. God asks us to live contrary to this world
Romans 12:17-21 (NIV) Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap, burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT) Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
In fact, we are to continue to forgive.
Matthew 18:22 (NIV) Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
The question is how can one develop a willing heart to forgive?
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
So, if Almighty God can forgive us who are undeserving, then who are we that we can’t forgive others?
We are not perfect, and neither are our enemies. This is why we need the blood of the lamb to wash us clean.
It was not fair that God would send His son to pay for our sins, yet He did!
Forgiveness is not about fairness. It’s about love.
Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
How can I love God that much, and love my neighbour as myself?
1 – You cannot love your neighbour like yourself if you don’t actually love yourself
2 – You can only love yourself if you see yourself the way God sees you.
3 – God sees you as righteousness, forgiven, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, and fill with His Holy Spirit
4 – God sees you as a new person
5 – If you believe that God has done all of this for you, then how can you not love God with all you heart, soul, and mind
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
If Almighty God can forgive you, then you can forgive yourself!
If God can forgive you, He can forgive others.
If God can forgive others, you can forgive them too.
If you don’t think that’s possible, it’s like saying that the Cross was not enough.
If alternate thoughts invade your mind, they are nothing more than a lie of the enemy.
And if that is happening then you have to take captive every thought that exalts themselves absolute truth of the word of God. It is the enemy who comes to destroy, and he will try to destroy our relationships through any means like:
Impatience, jealousy, boastfulness, rudeness, pride, anger, resentment, demanding, irritation, injustice, giving up on people, etc.… (1 Cor 13)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
God best for us is to forgive!
Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
If we are saved, then forgiveness for others is possible because we have been given God’s Spirit which produces fruit. We can’t do it in our own strength.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
How can we do this:
Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
And it IS pleasing to HIM to forgive!!
By reading the word of God, our minds and hearts will be renewed! The Holy Spirit will continue to reveal God’s love for us all.
John 15:12-17 (NKJV) This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
Mark 11:25 (NIV) 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Luke 6:37 (NIV) 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
What are the consequences of unforgiveness?
Our spiritual growth and walk with God are seriously impacted
We don’t give room for God to work in our lives
We remain as prisoners
We continue to relive the grief
Our hearts become hard
We become self-centred
All of our relationships suffer and are shallow
We turn inward and become isolated
Our physical and psychological health are negatively impacted
Nothing ever seems good enough or fair
We sometimes even sweep things under the rug as in out of sight out of mind, while the mound under the rug gets bigger, tripping you along your journey in life
Our decision-making process becomes tainted
Askyourself – When someone sins against you, do you:
- Forgive them and pray for them, or
- Complain about them to someone who makes you feel justified
The goal is to start seeing everyone through the eyes is Jesus!
YOU ARE INVITED
Are you hungry for the Holy Spirit to work in you and trhough you?
Join us for a lively discussion around what it is to hear, discern, and distinguish God's leading and how yielding to Him shapes the life He has called us to.
PANEL GUESTS:
Barrie & Holly Down
Authors of "Living the Himpossible Life"
Being led to minister in the real world
Kevin (Kip) Philp
Founding Pastor of 24/7 Church and Emmaus Church
Living in the next leg of God's journey
Vera Follett
Pastor's wife, mother, and grandmother
On the move after Go'd heart
COST - FREE
Registration and continental breakfast at 9:30
Discussion starts at 10am
Registration required by emailing your name here
Free "Living The Himpossible" book for all who attend!
Please extend this invitation to whomever God puts on your heart
On November 30th we celebrated the inaugural Pasture Event in Oakville Ontario, where the body of Christ came together to discuss, learn, and encourage one another on the topic of Being led by God.
We hosted: 33 guests from 11 cities (Ajax, Burlington, Cambridge, Georgetown, Mississauga, Oakville, Paris, Scarborough, Sunderland, Toronto, Waterloo) and 8 denominations (Alliance, Anglican, Baptist, Brethren, Catholic, Evangelical, Nondenominational, and Pentecostal). Glory be to God for the body of Christ!!!!!
Our prayers were that the Holy Spirit would be present to break down silos, leaves us hungry for a deeper relationship with the Father, inspire us to dive into the word of God, learn how God is at work today leading His entire Body, leave us encouraged, healed, stretched and strengthened in our faith. Our prayers were answered!
Here were some to the take-aways:
Our proximity to God and His priority in our lives helps distinguish God’s voice from our thoughts, the world’s thoughts, and those of the enemy.
Knowing God’s word helps us recognize Him.
God’s leading is never contrary to His word.
God’s leading is described as a peaceful, compulsive, nagging, as well as still-quiet voice.
When God leads one spouse, He give peace to the other spouse, even though their emotions and intellect may disagree.
God’s leading changes us on the inside and builds our faith
God leads even if it seems unpopular to those around us and according to the worlds standards of what is normal.
God’s leading causes a chain reaction but that God is the master planner for all parties involved.
When God leads you, you don’t see immediate fruit, or the end result all the time.
God leads us to encourage and bless others (sometimes it’s not about us).
God leads us to trust Him on smaller stuff to build our faith, before leading us into bigger stuff.
God leads us one puzzle piece at a time and that His plans have no borders or boundaries.
He speaks to us through His word, during prayer, through our spirits (peace), dreams, visions, prophecy, revelation, and through other people.
His sheep know His voice – John 10:3-5
Things to consider moving forward:
Are you afraid to hear from God in case He asks you to do something out of your comfort zone?
Do you trust Him enough to show you and guide you?
When God does lead you, are you prepared to take action (obedience)?
Are we willing then to give God the reigns?
Do you trust God enough to go through whatever He has for us?
Are we willing to say Your will be done, even when we don’t know the end result?
Hebrews 13:8 – Thank you Jesus for being the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow!
Thank you to our panel and guest who shared beautiful testimonies about how God has led them in their lives. All the glory goes to God!
Bless you all
Romans 1:12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
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