“As far as being a leader, I don’t think of myself as a leader.  I function way better in the background, but every Christian
has an influence on others. So I cannot say I’m not a leader, because people are watching my life at almost every moment.” 

The word leadership often conjures up images of being 'on stage' before a sea of onlookers or 'up front' with masses marching behind you. While these public roles draw on certain leadership gifts, many other vital forms of leadership are primarily expressed off-stage.

Marlene started attending Priory Park Baptist Church in Guelph, ON when she was 68 years old. Within two years, the church recognized her wisdom and integrity and invited her to join the Elders' Board. It was an intimidating proposal.  She had never served in a role like this before and the Elders were "way more intelligent people." Yet she resolved to not let this bother her because she was part of the church for a purpose and wanted to play her role.

CBOQ:   What was it like to be on the Elders’ Board?

Marlene:  It was uncomfortable. The Elders are way more intelligent and way more skilled in all kinds of ways. I had to keep thinking, “Don’t let that bug you; you’re here for a reason.”

I am uncomfortable around larger groups of people. And I’ve learned that uncomfortableness can happen for many reasons. But there’s a blessing in it, just as Jesus said ‘blessed are the poor in spirit’. And I didn’t want to run away from the blessing.”

CBOQ: Is it still difficult to not be bothered by others’ qualifications?

Marlene:  Not anymore. When I start to look at it, I’m part of a team. Think of a baseball team.  If I play left field, I’ll see things from that perspective that nobody else on the team can see. You look at things from your angle; I see things from a different vantage point.

CBOQ: How have you been changed through the experience of serving on the Elders’ Board?

Marlene:  Well, I’ve probably learned a lot about myself that wasn’t good, that I needed to quit doing. I had to recognize my own critical spirit.  I was critical of what was happening around me and even of myself. I know the Bible well enough and I know Jesus well enough to know that is not Him, that’s me. That’s not any evidence of the fruit of the spirit.

More recently, I recognized that I was a real rule person. I needed to quit having rules. I don’t need rules except God’s love; love your neighbour as yourself. So I learned to examine my own thinking and stop and wonder where my thoughts come from.

CBOQ: I’ve heard that Priory has a flexible environment that lets people serve and develop their gifts right away… 

Marlene: Yes, I think this is good because to me that’s what love looks like. And that’s another thing about rules. Why do churches have to have all these rules? Certainly, if you want to be a member, you need to be baptized. But if you want to serve, go ahead. We are a family, and that’s what love looks like.

We have been stung a few times, so we know we need to be discerning, but we don’t want to get hung up. If the Lord is sending someone here, we don’t want to say you can’t serve.

CBOQ:  When many enter their 60s and 70s, they are settling down and aren’t looking to try new things.  Why are you still taking risks?

Marlene:  Because God says He is the only one who never changes. This life always changes – it’s never the same all the time. This church is always changing. We’ve got a big vision: “Transform the City of Guelph with the power of Christ.” But you’re not going to change anybody until you first get changed yourself. God works in us to change us so that we can change the world. That’s the power of Jesus.

I sometimes wonder, “Lord, why did you wait until I was 45 to save me?” Because I would have been the most legalistic wretched person you would ever meet. So I now understand it’s about love and not about rules. The people in this church are growing, and we want to “transform the city of Guelph”, but I always want to add to that vision statement, “starting with me.”

CBOQ: What would you say to other women and men who have disqualified themselves from leadership?

Marlene:  I would say that they may know about Jesus, but they don’t know him. When your mindset is “I can’t do this” or “I can’t do that,” remember that Jesus threw that kind of defeated thinking away. He’s made you new.

I used to read scripture and say, “I can’t do that. I can’t be that loving.”  That was the truth.  I really couldn’t do it – not without Jesus.  We don’t have anything except what we receive from Him.  So ask yourself, “What have you received from Him?”

A view of history would remind us that we tend to allow the pendulum to swing too far in back in response to its being in an exaggerated position. This is what can happen with the discussion around the church today. While we are becoming increasingly aware of God’s mission out... the local and global community around us we must not lose sight of the reality that God also has a mission in... the life and interaction of the body of Christ, the church.

Throughout Scripture we can find pictures of God’s mission out and God’s mission in.  We are called to both experience and pass along God’s blessing.  We are reminded that the greatest commandment (s) revolve around loving God and each other.  The early church in Acts 2 loved each other intensely and also won the favour of all the people around them.

The great thing about God’s mission to the world and his mission to the church is that they are not distinct activities that we and he participate in; it’s not like we should spend half our time loving each other and half our time loving the local and globally community.  As I understand scripture these two missions work very interdependently. In fact, it could be argued that they are the same mission.  One of the best ways we love our community is by loving each other and one the best ways we love each other is by serving our community in Jesus’ name.

For me the place in scripture that best illuminates this idea is Jesus’ high priestly prayer that concluded the upper room discourse.  The whole of John 17 records Jesus prayer.  For his followers then (the disciples gathered around the table) and his followers of all time Jesus prays this poignant prayer. Jesus prays that (we) would be one as (God) is one. The profundity of Jesus prayer cannot be overstated.  Jesus prayer and “God’s mission in,” is that the relationships that exist within the (local and universal) church would mirror the relationship that exists between God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed that the interdependence and intimacy that marks the interactions between the persons of the Godhead would be replicated in the church. Jesus prayed that the unity and love marked by mutually honouring one another that is lived out in the Trinity would be realized in our churches today.

Three times in this chapter Jesus prays that we would be one as God is one. But it does not end there.  As we experience this oneness Jesus’ prayer explains that as God’s mission inward comes to fruition that God’s mission outward also comes to fruition. John 17: 21 says:  ...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. In case we missed the unity of God’s mission out and his mission in, Jesus prays the same concept two verses later in John 17:23: ...May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

To drive the point home even stronger, Jesus uses the community that exists within the God head as the model for the church to engage in God’s mission out.  John 17: 18 reminds us that we are to emulate God’s mission to earth by copying what the Trinity did when Jesus prayed that:  As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world

The more we love God and each other the more we should engage our community with this love.  The more we collectively serve our communities with the great news of the gospel the more we should grow in our love for God and each other.

Mission out... Mission in... let’s engage in the mission of God!

Friendship House Brantford continues to shine with the light of Christ in the community of Brantford.

Kipling Avenue Baptist Church is a growing multicultural church in North Etobicoke whose face is turned towards the community.  

This short video tells the story of two members of Kipling's congregation who serve God by serving a family that has recently arrived in their neighbourhood from Burma.  Each week, Dawn Clarke and Anne Marie Jerome travel to the home of this family to teach English, Math, Spelling and Social Studies to four young Karen children.  Dawn and Anne Marie have been a big help - the children are still a little bit behind their classmates but they are all getting passing grades.

This documentary depicts one of the three homework clubs in Etobicoke organized by Jeff McCarrell, the director of Dixon Ministries - Toronto Baptist Intercultural Services.  

Local high school students work alongside volunteers from local churches to provide tutoring to young students after school or during the lunch hour.

These homework clubs provide a great benefit to the students and they offer church members a chance to reach out into their communities in a very practical manner.