And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 
Mark 1:17 (ESV)

-  BUILDING  -

10.16.24 update

Over the past 10 years we have looked at and prayed about different properties and buildings… the old church downtown, the old Hungarian Hall on the North End, as a couple of examples, but the Lord closed the door on them, and for that we are grateful… because we want HIS plan for us, as HE builds HIS church!

A couple of months ago, one of our Elders drove by a property up on the North end, and then shared it with the rest of us.  We began praying fervently for the Lord to lead us… and that led to a site visit with our Commercial Realtor, and that led to some more prayer and discussion.

Out of those times of Prayer we decided to do some more behind the scenes homework on the property.

We have a couple of trusted Christian Brothers from sister churches with expertise in areas of City Planning, Architecture and Engineering, and they know the ins and outs of a project like this very well.  These men have helped us immensely over the years, and now again as we look at, pray over, and make some plans for this property!

We are now at the stage of prayerfully considering a Conditional Offer on the property, and want to bring you into this, and get you all praying fervently, and with full assurance, dependant and expectant together about this!

This first slide is a map of the new City of Brantford Official plan, with it’s new city limits.  You will notice a RED STAR near the top middle of the map… this is the location of the property… 352 Governor’s Rd.  Around this site in next 10-15 years, they are anticipating a lot people moving into this area, maybe in the neighbourhood of 20-30,000 people.

Here are a few pics of the Land and building which would be our Phase 1 of the whole plan.  The building that is currently on the property, potentially would allow us to hold all of our mid week ministries and offices!

There are some large rooms that are big enough for things like Prayer Meetings and Youth Ministry, along with other rooms for training and classes.

It is not large enough in it’s current state to hold our Sunday mornings, but the property is almost 4 acres, which would allow us for a second phase in the future if the Lord leads.

The current list price for this almost 4 acre property and the building that is on it is $2.29M, and we are praying about what a fair price might be for this property.  If the Lord allows, the plan would be to purchase this, move all our Mid Week ministries and offices to this building and work towards paying it off completely.

After this, we would begin praying and planning for phase 2, which this next slide gives a picture of a new, almost 30,000 sq foot all encompassing building for all things Mission City, as well as ample parking!

We will be adding all this info and pictures to this FOLLOW ME page so you can continue praying along with us!

LET'S PRAY AS WE FOLLOW HIM:

• Pray for God's Leading in every part of this potential property (Prov. 3:5-6; Matt. 6:33-34; Rom. 12:1-2)
• Pray for God's Wisdom for our Elders (Prov. 1:7; Prov. 2:6; Eph. 5:15-17; Col. 1:9; Jam. 1:5)
• Pray for God's People (Col. 3:15; Ps. 119:133; Rom. 12:9-13; Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1)
  • Fully engaged in the Mission and Vision
  • Complete unity as we Follow Him
• Pray for God's Provision (Matt. 6:33-34; 7:11; Phil 4:19; Eph. 3:20-21)
  • Conditions on the property
  • Zoning for "A Place of Worship”
  • Favour with City officials
  • Other conditions on the property
  • Financial Provision

• Pray for God's Glory through this ( 1 Chron. 16:24; 1 Cor. 10:31 )

1 Chronicles 29:11 (ESV)

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty,
for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all."

05.04.24 update

1 Corinthians 3:11
"For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (ESV)

This final area of our Follow Me Campaign is to start praying, saving, and working towards a building.  This is a huge mountain in front of us, but we believe in a God who moves mountains, for NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!  He has done GREAT THINGS!

When the Lord provides…

this building will be a tool to make disciples of all nations, starting right here at home, and to the ends of the earth. It will be a training facility to raise up and send out those who are called. 
And it will be a gathering place for the people of God to come together daily and weekly in Fellowship, Prayer, Worship, to hear and study the Word of God, to be encouraged in the faith, and to be equipped for the work of ministry, in order to effectively reach our city, country, and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our one and only foundation on which we build upon!

A hub of Gospel Ministry, all to the praise of His glorious grace!

-  FOLLOW ME CAMPAIGN  -

In order for us to move forward with this follow me campaign, we are asking each of us to prayerfully consider what we can give above and beyond our regular giving.  We have been blessed to be a blessing!

Our plan is to see the Lord provide through this campaign an additional $1,000,000 in this first year by the end of December 2024, that will be used for all 3 parts, training, multiplying, and a building.  

We want to give you some time to prayerfully consider this and study God’s word on sacrificial giving on your own.  So in a few weeks from now on June 2nd, we are going to have an opportunity for you to commit to the Lord what you can give as your part of this sacrificial giving to the Lord, in this Follow Me Campaign, as well as praying for the Lord to provide for His Mission and Glory!

If the Lord prompts you to cheerfully give today, or before we come back to this in a few weeks time, you can give Online, or through our Church Centre App by selecting the new FOLLOW ME fund in the drop down menu.

You can give HERE!

-  MULTIPLYING  -

09.08.24 update

We are a church that has in our DNA this mandate of Multiplying… making Disciples, that make Disciples, with our Mission being the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment.  Since our start as a church over 10 years ago, the Lord has been growing a desire in our leadership, and church body to Multiply the Work of Christ, all for His glory!  We have had the opportunity over the years to Partner in some Church Planting across Ontario, Canada and around the World, and look forward to what God has for us next!

With our connection to the Great Commission Collective, which is all about Planting and Strengthening Churches, we are excited, expectant, and completely dependant as we Follow the LORD in this area!

We also are a growing church both in number and in health, and the Lord is growing in us a passion and need to plant a church!

Over the past few years the Lord has been raising up another Church Planting Pastor among us, and I am exited to announce to you today that we have put forth, and the GCC has officially accepted Ken Connell as a Church Planting Pastor.  Ken and Erin, along with their family are following the Lord into this new season of life as Church Planters, and Lord willing, we are looking to plant a GCC church in the Norfolk Region sometime in the fall of 2025! PRAISE THE LORD!

Commit to Praying with us: 

-Pray for Ken and Erin, and their family as they Follow hard after the Lord as he leads them in the days ahead.  Ken will be starting his Church Planting Training this month, and in the months ahead.

-Pray for us as a church family and leaders, for Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment, and the Lord’s leading as we move forward this coming year with a lot of work to do, but in His strength and guidance!

-Pray about what your part may be in this.  
     For some of you, the Lord may lead you to Go to be part of this upcoming Plant.  
     For some of you it may be taking the next step in serving or leading, or getting fully connected, so that you can fill in a spot that will be opened up right
     here at Mission City as we Send a group to this new Church.

God at work, in and through each of us, all to the Praise of His Glory!

_____________

05.04.24 update

Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV)

Week after week, and as we look around , we see the Church that the Lord has built, and it is very evident that we are running out of space because He is MULTIPLYING HIS WORK, which is a great thing!  God has done Great Things!

One of our Pillars is STRATEGIC CHURCH PLANTING - Together and Around the world!

We need to plant some churches, for the sake of the Gospel and the Glory of Jesus Christ!  

By the grace of God, we have had the opportunity to already partner with some sister churches in planting a few already, but that the Lord will send out from here some new works of Multiplication! 

We have begun praying and seeking the Lord on this, and ask that you will join us in this prayer.  It is our hope to have some regular prayer meetings in the near future, seeking the Lord together about our next steps in STRATEGIC CHURCH PLANTING in our region, as there is a need for more healthy, PURPOSEFUL DISCIPLE-MAKING churches, that are intentional and in community.

With all this in our hearts, we are asking the Lord to guide us in working towards MULTIPLYING the work that He has done here, into another location in our region as a church plant in the next 18 months, holding all things loosely, and by His strength, provision, direction, and presence.

Matthew 9:36–38 
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” (ESV)

Please join us in praying earnestly to the Lord of the harvest!

What your next step might be in this exciting expansion of God’s Kingdom work!

-  TRAINING  -

05.04.24 update

Ephesians 4:11–12
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,” (ESV)

With a focus on making Disciples that make Disciples, our plan is to coordinate our efforts on growing quality Disciples in all ages… Kids, Youth, and Adults, that will then go and make more quality Disciples.

We need to prioritize Identifying and Training up more leaders at every level of ministry, by coming alongside one another, and really striving together for the faith of the Gospel.  

We want to Know and Love God more, and know and Love each other better, so we can grow together, as we Follow Christ, and become fishers of men, not to mention, training the next generation of leaders for Mission City, and the Lord’s church around the world!

We have many small groups that are doing life together, but we need to increase these right away, as many of you are waiting to be placed into a small group.  There is such a beautiful thing that happens when God’s people are together daily, living the way he wants us to, as laid out for us in His word!

We need more Workers for Christ in Kids, Youth, and Adult Ministries as we continue to grow! 
Please join us in praying about this in all areas of the ministry!  

What is your next step as you Follow Him?