Mike’s Sea2sea Blog

A few weeks ago, I got to enjoy some great conversations with a fellow pastor visiting from Ottawa. Jacques Lapointe is a francophone pastor with 20+ years experience in Quebec and Ontario. I knew and respected him as a colleague when I lived in Ottawa, but really I admired him as a parent, since I knew two of his grown kids quite well: Esther and Simon. 2 young adults in their 20’s who love Jesus, involved in their local church, and have adventurous hearts regularly seeking what God wants for their lives.

I think they (and young people like them) will reshape the church.

Then last week, I got to spend an afternoon and early evening talking with Ric Gilbertson. Ric was visiting Tyndale in Toronto, speaking at their chapel, and then giving a Converge presentation at lunch. Ric and Ruth Anne were missionaries in Venezuela, and now are directing the C&MA’s recruitment and development of personel. Just like Jacques, I respect them as fellow workers, but I was pretty thrilled to learn that they too, have kids in that “college” age bracket, who love Jesus, and are wanting to serve him.

In my time with Jacques, and then with Ric, we talked about new and risky possibilities for ministry, talked about  how we came to Christ and how we ended up being involved in ministry. In the midst of all this was encouragement (despite risk and uncertainty), enjoyment  of  the “unscheduled” benefits of these moments together, and re-orientation  into a world (this world)  where God is presently at work – reminding us of our first days of committing ourselves to His business. I treasure these kinds of conversations! (My grandpa once told me how great these fellow worker/disciple relationships can be , and it’s become my favorite part of new life in Jesus).

How did they manage to thrive in ministry and family life? What makes these guys tick? How come they can raise kids like they did?

Well, no easy answers. I saw a loving, listening, and encouraging way about them both. They both had something I also see in my wife’s father: A “go for it”, “you can do anything”, kind of atitude. I will venture to say they are able to look past a lot of faults, and see the seed of something spectacular in a young person.

Something about that is holy.