More Grace for the Race

As you know, RMCC is a non-denominational church. Twenty-five years ago, RMCC’s Senior Pastor Glen Nudd sought affiliation with a church movement called Calvary Chapel, which has a strong commitment to the systematic and expositional teaching of the Word of God.

As they say, the rest is history, but one of the many benefits of being part of the Calvary network of churches is the strong bond between and among the pastors and leaders in these churches.

Once a year the pastors in our region, their wives, ministry leaders and believers who have a heart for ministry and fellowship gather together to build one another up in their most holy faith. Brothers and sisters from BC to Manitoba and throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan come together for two days of teaching, worship, prayer, and fellowship; not unlike what we read in Acts 2:42.

The Ministry Huddle, as it has become known, will be held this year from October 18-20 at Camp Caroline just southwest of Red Deer, in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains. As is often the case in ministry and life generally, there are things you feel you have to do and then there are things you get to do. The Ministry Huddle is, as Pastor Glen likes to say, “a great get-to.”

The theme for this year’s Huddle is “Humble Yourself!” The goal of the Huddle is to encourage those in ministry to get back to the basics of what it means to be equipped to do the work of ministry. Essentially that means being reminded that the work of the Lord is not done by strength or might, but by God’s Spirit and the grace God provides as we humble ourselves before Him.

Pastor Glen acts as a mentor to the Calvary Chapel network pastors across western Canada and has a heart to see these men and their churches become fruitful vines in their communities. Through nearly 40 years of ministry Pastor Glen knows very well how those on the frontlines need encouragement to carry on. As the writer of Hebrews expressed, these ones have need of endurance, so that after they have done the will of God, they may receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36).

Knowing all of this, I pray you are inspired to pray for the Huddle. Please ask the Lord to bless this time, even to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond what we might ask or reasonably imagine. At the same time, pray the Lord blesses Pastor Glen to enjoy great wisdom in this matter of loving and encouraging the pastors and ministry leaders in our region.

As you pray for the Huddle you should expect your prayers to produce a blessing in your own life. You might wonder how that works, but the truth is God means for our prayers for others to also produce a blessing in our own lives!

As Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7, when we pray, the Lord desires to give us a peace that guards our own hearts and minds. As well, whenever we pray, we are, in effect, humbling ourselves and God gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). Finally, when we pray for others with a sincere heart, we express love for others and thus fulfill God’s “royal law” (James 2:8) which puts us in a place where we can receive God’s blessings.

So, as Calvary Chapel pastors and brothers and sisters meet this month, please be in prayer for them and know that the Lord intends to produce great fruit from your prayers, fruit that remains and fruit in your own life.

Written by Pastor Bruce Daze