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Vancouver’s Westside MB Church started as a plant in Kitsilano, a place near the beaches where old homes get converted into suites, and newer apartment buildings abound. They meet at 5th Avenue Cinema on Sundays – and attendance has grown to about 400 per week, an encouraging success story. Many members at Westside are new believers.
So what’s a church plant like this to do? Plant churches! Westside has two ambitious projects underway to reach more Vancouverites for Christ. One of them is focused to launch this year and the other is on a longer track, hoping to establish itself in the West End, one of the densest residential areas in Canada.
“We just want to be obedient,” says Westside lead pastor Norm Funk. “We’re committed to this, but we don’t know all the details yet.” The church has named Kristian Martens and Russ Otterbein to plant a church this year, probably in the Main Street area of Vancouver – though it’s unclear where they would meet since community centres are full on Sunday mornings.
Gord Fleming, B.C. Conference church planting director, is pleased this project is going ahead. Vancouver, he says, is one of the prime places to do this work. “It’s exciting,” he says, “to see a church plant working to pass on the blessing.”
—Barrie McMaster
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