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Canada: God's Nation from Sea to Sea!
Psalm 72:8 says "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto
the ends of the earth." (KJV)
Founded in 1867, Canada is the second-largest country in the world and spans from the Pacific
to the Atlantic Ocean. The founders of Canada had a vision to establish the country as God's
"dominion from sea to sea" based on Psalm 72:8. Canada has a population of 34 million
people and is a mosaic of immigrants who have retained much of their original culture.
In the 19th century, a wave of missionaries was sent out from Canada. One such missionary
was James Scarth Gale, a University of Toronto graduate. On his graduation day, he was appointed
as a missionary to Korea, where he helped translate the Bible into Korean and even coined
the Korean term for God, which is "hananim" meaning "the One and Only."
However, during the late 20th century, Canada's spiritual condition began a sharp decline.
Christianity has become nothing more than a cultural affiliation. The terms "born again"
and "evangelized" carry a negative weight and there is a great gap in the public's perception
of spirituality vs. religion.
Overcoming the suspicion and dismissiveness of an unbelieving public has been a daunting
challenge.
In the province of Quebec, church attendance rates are the lowest in the country, having
dropped from 90% in the 1960s, to less than 8% today. The majority of regular churchgoers
are now senior citizens.
Toronto, formerly known for its vast number of churches, is now a place churches are being
converted into theatres, nightclubs and condos.
At the same time, the work of God in Canada is undeniable. God is touching the youth of
the nation through student ministries at nearly 300 colleges and universities, serving 1.1
million students. These campus ministries expose the word of God to Canada's young people
where they have the potential to make a deep and lasting impact.
The cultural and linguistic diversity of evangelicals also reflects the Canadian society and God
can use this diversity, as well as unity, to act as a testimony of the truth and the
power of the gospel.
UBF has been playing an important role in campus ministry. In the early 1980s, God sent
23 missionaries from Korea to Winnipeg, Manitoba as sewing machine operators.
As immigrants, hardships were ahead, but they held on to Jesus' words "Everything is possible
for him who believes." (Mark 9:23) Despite their poor English, God used them as Bible
teachers and spiritual mothers to university students. During this time God raised John
Giesbrecht as an ancestor of faith for Canada UBF. Andrew Christopher and Kevin Jesmer were
also fruit of their labor.
From Winnipeg, UBF spread out to other cities, and coworkers received God's vision to pioneer
300 Canadian campuses and establish families who could serve Canada.
Montreal UBF was the first ministry to be established, and God answered our prayers
to raise up shepherd families.
Since then, God has established many more Canadian ministries in the following cities:
● Ottawa ● 6 chapters in the Toronto area
● Hamilton ● Waterloo
● Guelph ● and London
● UBF also spread to Western Canada ● And around the world. Canadian missionaries
are currently in the US, Japan and Uganda.
Despite spiritual challenges, it is evident that God is working in Canada. But more workers
are needed!
God is inviting us to join him in the mission field of Canada, to bring his love and his
truth to all its people, to make this nation his dominion from sea to sea. Who will go
as harvest workers to all 300 Canadian campuses?
John 4:35b says, "I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for
harvest."
May God shine his love over Canada and to the ends of the earth through the gospel of
Jesus Christ.