Their key question is, “How can our 62-year-old church
influence our city for good” The central campus stands in
the heart of Rutland, an area with 30,000 people in 10,000
homes. This campus is known for children’s programs and
youth ministries. Families come because of their children.
The midweek ministry attracts about 750 youth, including
50 per cent with no church background.
The Metro Community campus, organized two years ago,
serves the working poor and homeless. Some could be described
as dysfunctional, exhibiting striking disabilities or addictions;
others are sex workers. Excitement rises in his voice when Burch
shares a cool story about Christ’s transforming power in people
like Rick, the “giant teddy bear.” Rick sports a prosthesis – his arm was shot off in a drug deal gone bad.
Living on the street in his addiction, Rick became
involved in a recovery program before being baptized and training to be a truck driver. Recently he
landed a job in Alberta. Metro celebrated when
Rick reconciled with his two children after more
than eight years without contact.
A year ago, the Metro Community formed a
night patrol that distributes sandwiches and hot
chocolate. They talk and pray with people living on the edge of
oblivion. It’s changing the lives of churchgoers willing to look
deeply into the eyes of homeless and desperate people.
The youth adopt-a-block ministry asks neighbours “How
can we help?” One person was about to be evicted if the
junk in his yard was not cleaned up. When the youth hauled
it all away, the elated homeowner wrote a letter thanking
the church for saving his home. Neat intergenerational relationships are being formed in the community and there is a
noticeable heart-shift in the youth – to service – so the name
of Christ is lifted high.
A handful of people were involved with NeighbourLink,
a collaborative ministry with several churches in town. People
phoned in needs and were matched with skilled practitioners.
Some fixed leaky roofs while others did housecleaning. In
January 2006 they amalgamated with Church Serve, a partnership with the Home and Community Care program of the
regional health authority. Reaching out to people with health
or disability limitations is another way of extending Jesus’
hands of service in practical ways.
graphic.” The foundation is being laid through four locations with eight service times.
The original Highway 33 campus, comfortably seating
500, was jammed to capacity with 1,400 people in four
services. Not anxious to build, 150 people were sent off
six years ago to grow a new site. Within four months they
doubled in size through a combination of 30 per cent Willow Park, 30 per cent other church people and 30 per cent
new community contacts. “There are no fireworks,” says
Burch. “We’re really a meat and potatoes type church. It’s
the power of God’s Word.”
Willow Park Lake Country launched two years ago in
a separate village of 10,000 people north of Kelowna. A dozen or so families from Willow Park
already lived there; others relocated to join the
new launch. Now 150 people attend!
God is al-
ready ruling
and reigning –
God’s reign
is not merely
a future event
to wait for
In Every Neighbourhood
With a voice empty of competition or pride, Burch states:
“We dream of the day when there is a congregation of
Willow Park Church in every neighbourhood in our city.
Instead of expecting everyone to come to us at one large
central facility, we are taking the church to them through
a network of congregations that share the same DNA but
are unique in location, target audience, style and demo-
Breaking Single-Cell Mindset
Thinking about God’s kingdom, Burch drove around
the southern interior – a two-hour radius surrounding the original campus, a region of 400,000 people.
He found discouraged pastors in small, struggling
churches. He found rock-hard soil. When asked to describe the
life of the local evangelical community, a Christian bookstore
owner replied: “Welcome to the desert! The numbers don’t
change; they just keep shifting like the sand.”
“Once you break a single-cell mindset into several services
then multi-site is not a stretch,” declares Burch. Operating
under one board with one budget (www.willowparkchurch.
com), they dream of a dozen neighbourhood congregations.
Jesus is still building His church. Community outreach is a
forever vision. Even in this postmodern era, people are still
hungry. A fifth campus launches in fall 2009.
A multi-site strategy must balance both strengths and
weaknesses. The challenge is to see “one church” beyond the
four sites, when some people experience only one campus.
Multiple expressions of ministry make each location unique
with hands joined around a common vision to love people,
follow Jesus and serve the world.
Burch arrived at Willow Park 12 years ago. He came
during the church’s 50th anniversary to pastor 600 people.
The congregation now numbers 1,900. His personal vision
jumps off the pages of Jesus’ conversation with the disciples
after talking with the woman at the well. “Lift up your eyes.
. . . I’ve sent you to reap” (John 4: 35-38). Welcome to the
homecoming!
Charlene de Haan is a freelance writer in Toronto. She also serves as
project manager, educational services for The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Willow Park is an EFC affiliate congregation.
Read all the profiles in this ongoing series at www.faithtoday.ca.
