Fall 2009 Update

Fall 2009 Update Sundown in the Paris of the Prairies…. Saskatchewan, CANADA

Context—This year Tim has been travelling to areas where NAIM staff live and minister and a couple of weeks ago spent time in Saskatchewan. The purpose of these trips is to become familiar with contexts for decision-making...gaining a better understanding of what’s happening locally. Saskatchewan is a Canadian prairie province whose name comes from the Saskatchewan River and its Cree designation: kisiskāciwani-sīpiy, meaning "swift flowing river". Prior to European settlement, Saskatchewan was populated by various indigenous peoples of North America, including members of the Athabaskan, Algonquian, Atsina, Cree, Saulteaux and Sioux tribes. These tribal groups are still prominent. NAIM staff live in the cities of Regina, Saskatoon and smaller rural towns. While in Saskatchewan, I watched a local Cree pastor guiding the gathered believers at a Native Fellowship. Rapport and connection with his people was obvious…from indigenous humor to the way the service flowed. He presented the opportunity for those present to come with a message. If someone wanted to share, he set his talk aside. Parts of his message made reference to Cree words to help elders understand Scripture from their context. The night previous, after two hours of hockey and basketball with local teens, he spoke to them in firelight asking them the question, “Are you good enough to get into Heaven?” He knew his people well. This was my first time in the community. I was struck by the distinctives of the people gathered. Interconnectedness of relationship, shared experiences of pain, lack of pretence, generosity and lots of humor were common. Overarching all this was the pastor’s statement, “Salvation cannot happen without leaning into Christ.” At the end of the day, we are all the same…in desperate need of a Saviour. (continued..)

Hockey in Canadian towns (big and small) is played almost anywhere.

Fresh fish from Montreal Lake.

“The greatest apologetic of the Gospel is not the actual telling of the story in proposition as powerful and necessary as that is…it seems the thing that will cause the world to really believe that Jesus is God’s Sent One is when the world comes together in response to Jesus’ prayer of reconciliation.” –Brian Buhler (Alliance Pastor) Ch Ch Ch Changes—Last January I stood on the exhibitor’s floor of Vancouver’s Missions Fest, an annual event that attracts about 230 different agencies. A friend remarked, “I wonder how many of these organizations will be around in three to five years?” A Wall Street journalist speaking at Willow Creek’s 2009 Leadership Summit said, “Leaders everywhere are being mugged by change…the pace of change has gone hypercritical…the future is less an extrapolation of the past and our conservative, hierarchical organizations aren’t up to the challenge – they’re simply not adaptable enough.” Mission agencies like NAIM face internal and external challenges. Working as NAIM’s Operations Director and overseeing NAIM’s field ministries, staff and Field Directors puts our leadership team in the crosshairs of many of these decisions. Please pray for continued guidance, wisdom and courage as we go forward. John 17 and Christ’s prayer for unity among his disciples and followers is a constant reminder of what we are called to be (even through difficult times). Thanks for listening and for your engagement in our lives. The Higginbothams