Lewis Carroll wrote, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” In other words, you need to know where you’re heading in order to find the best way to get there. That’s what makes a clear vision and an overall strategy so vital. Having a year-long calendar gives a clearer image of where the ministry is going. Now is a good time to start
Many churches are seeking ways to bridge the generations within them. Some methods work; others don't seem to fit well. We're excited to be hosting one of the learning sessions at Assembly where we'll be exploring intergenerational ministries outside the Sunday service context. The learning session is feature four panelists: Gene Tempelmeyer (lead pastor at Spring Garden Church) Freddy Lam (youth pastor at Markham Chinese Baptist Church) Tanya Yuen (children
Avalanche and Blizzard are two flagship events at CBOQ Youth. Before we finished the 2016 event, we had already started planning for 2017. Part of that includes how we set our budget. While we won’t get into the dollar figures, there are some key elements to consider in any event budget: Venue: Check with the facility to ensure you understand the costs involved (e.g. space rental, food, insurance, etc.). You
We are excited to launch our redesigned website. While most of the website will still function similar to the previous version, there are some changes that we have made (or will finalize soon): The website is now responsive on your mobile device. So, click on any link, and it will appear in the most optimal way on your mobile device. We'll soon be announcing how our members access section works.
Since January, we’ve experienced an Avalanche, a Blizzard, a Today’s Teens Conference, a compassion experience to the Dominican Republic, a Centre Court and an office move. You would think after all that, we’d take a break. But there’s still a lot more to come in the next three months. Here’s a brief recap of what’s up next: Our redesigned website is launched so we’ll be working to keep that up
Toronto Raptors games are one of the hottest tickets in Toronto right now! On March 20, almost 500 students and leaders gathered at the Air Canada Centre to witness a Raptors victory. What happened afterwards was even more significant. As part of our post-game program, 80 students gathered on the court for our 90-second layup contest. All the churches were represented. Each contestant won a Raptors drawstring bag or a
Today, the CBOQ staff settles into our new work home. Moving to 5 International Blvd brings an exciting sense of a fresh start. But, as with any change, there are a few things to keep in mind. Very rarely will it go according to the original plan. No matter how many times you’ve moved and no matter how meticulous you are in preparations, there are always unforeseen details that impact
Last Saturday, over 1300 students and leaders gathered at the Meeting House for the 32nd edition of the Today's Teens Conference. The key speakers featured Dr. Chap Clark for youth leaders and Dr. Dave Overholt for students. They posed one key question: Are you all in for Jesus? With the help of an army of volunteers and over 25 workshop speakers (including Tim McCoy, Karra Overholt and Sam Lee), students
Two weekends ago, we hosted our latest Blizzard retreat and with 772 guests plus 61 staff, we had Muskoka Woods busting at the seams! Even so, one of the most common responses to the weekend was, “With so many people, it ran so smoothly!” It was great. Even great events require debriefing, however. Here are the lessons applied and lessons learned from this weekend. LESSONS APPLIED Communicate any potential
What happens when almost 840 people converge onto Muskoka Woods? You have the BIGGEST BLIZZARD EVER! While there was a mixture of excitement and anxieties heading into this, God had his plans already in mind. With Mike Gordon as our speaker and Life Support leading worship, we explored that foundational question we all wrestle with: Who am I? More importantly, who does God say I am? Mike used the story
