Engaging the next generation of workers

Many years ago, I visited Pastor Edwin Plett to discern the call to missions I was experiencing. He responded, “Praise God, we’ve been praying for more missionaries to be sent from our church!” The Prairie Rose EMC and EMC Missions were faithful senders as they supported Brenda and me throughout our years of service.

Calvin Tiessen

What was the role of the prayers of the church in calling and sending our family? I think it was foundational, and I’ve often pondered what could happen if all 60-plus churches in the EMC made prayer for sending workers a priority in their congregations.

At our fall planning meeting, the EMC national office staff declared that this year we would focus on strengthening our approach to the recruitment, training, placement and retention of missionaries, church planters and pastors.

Late last fall, I met with Calvin Tiessen who offered to provide us with a portion of his time to dedicate to this task. Calvin is an experienced cross-cultural worker currently on home assignment in southern Manitoba until June. He has a passion to motivate young people into full time ministry and will be working together with our staff to help us to find ways of “strengthening our approach.”

Calvin will be visiting EMC churches, spending time with students on the SBC campus, and examining our current models of engaging with potential workers to see how we can improve. Please welcome and encourage him as he is involved in this work over the next six months.