GCOWE '95: Canada Model

Donald J. Moore, Canada
Director, Vision 2000

Launch

Since its launch in 1990, Vision 2000 Canada has emerged as a movement committed to evangelism, now embracing more than 100 denominations and parachurch ministries in Canada. Its mission statement is clear:

Vision 2000 Canada seeks to serve the Body of Christ in evangelism so that every person in Canada will have the opportunity to see, hear and respond to the Gospel by the year 2000.

Beginnings

In 1986, at the urging of key Christian leaders, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada formed a task force to study the state of evangelism in Canada. In June of 1987, the task force forged the name Vision 2000 Canada and soon after, Dr. Don Moore, former Dean of Graduate Education at Briercrest Schools in Saskatchewan, was named Executive Director.

Strategy

Eight strategy groups consisting of well-respected Christian leaders researched the status of evangelism and submitted their findings in Ottawa at the historic launch of this decade committed to evangelism in May of 1990. More than 700 participants, from nearly sixty denominations and parachurch ministries sparked a tremendous sense of vision, unity and commitment for evangelism. Denominational leaders accepted the challenge, leading their churches in a vision-casting process, resulting in the formation of decade plans for evangelism.

Mandate

In April 1992 Vision 2000 Canada refocused and refined its mandate, leading toward a series of mid-decade consultations on evangelism in 1995. The mandate is: to mobilize church and parachurch leaders with vision and hope to reach our nation for Christ through commitment and cooperation. Here is how their four objectives are achieved:

• Vision: by informing one another of critical needs and opportunities for evangelism;
• Hope: by inspiring one another with illustrations of what God's people are doing in evangelism;
• Commitment: by influencing one another to make evangelism a high priority in our ministries;
• Cooperation: by initiating efforts and coordinating evangelism strategies which will strengthen our collective endeavours.

1995 Consultations on Evangelism

In preparation for the mid-decade Consultations, a 224 page book entitled "In Search of Hidden Heroes: Evidence that God is at Work" was written to reveal how God's people are making evangelism happen in unique ways. During January - March, more than 2000 people participated in the 1995 Consultations on Evangelism hosted in eight centres across Canada. Each Host Team shaped their weekend Consultation to equip and energize God's people in light of the regional issues facing them in evangelism. A "State of the Nation" report was prepared for response by denominational and parachurch leaders during the National Leadership Consultation on Evangelism held March 30 - April 1. Emerging from the National Consultation was a tremendous recommitment to our mission and calling as we move towards the year 2000.