Read the exciting reports from the Surge team on the BPEA Blog.
A Letter from Bill
When God thrust me into international ministry in 1972, he also laid the ends of the earth on my heart. As soon as my wife, Gwen, and I began to penetrate isolated Inuit villages in the Canadian Arctic, the people captured my heart. I have had a passion to see the transforming power of God impact every northern community in the north ever since.
Over the years, many Inuit have come to Christ and fires of revival have sprung up across the Arctic. Several became mature Spirit-filled leaders who continue to influence their people for good. Sadly, many in subsequent generations have not experienced the power of God in the same way and are now caught between two cultures: their traditional ways and all that modern-day technologies and influence can offer. Without a dynamic personal relationship with Christ, they find themselves searching for identity, acceptance and fulfillment through alcohol, drugs and other destructive behaviours. I firmly believe the Arctic desperately needs to experience a mighty, Holy Ghost outpouring that will turn this generation to Jesus, the Source of everything they need.
Two years ago Dennis and Cherry Ignatius, former diplomats from Malaysia, journeyed with Gwen and me to Rankin Inlet, NU to minister at Glad Tidings Church. The culture, climate and circumstances were vastly different than their own, yet they too found their hearts seized with compassion and love for these beautiful people. They saw the dedication and perseverance of the believers. They saw the limitless yet untapped potential of the young people. But they also saw the desperate pain from hidden hurts that many of them carry.
Not long after returning to Ottawa, God birthed an amazing plan in Dennis’ spirit - The Surge. An army of Spirit-filled believers will form teams to target the community on many fronts. A dynamic group of young people will minister in the schools; a team of women will minister to victims of abuse living in “safe houses”; Bibles and Gospel literature will be distributed door-to-door; a healing clinic will operate throughout the day to minister to people with physical, emotional and spiritual needs, and we’ll conduct a daily equipping school to train the local believers so that they can continue the same things long after The Surge ends. Each night we’ll have great community-wide services with dynamic worship and ministry to “draw in the net” for a mighty harvest!
I am so pleased that a variety of respected ministries and churches are joining together to see The Surge become all God wants it to be. Pastors in Rankin Inlet are working cooperatively for the sake of harvest. Dennis’ passion has rubbed off on all of us, and intercession is rising to the Throne everyday for revival in Rankin Inlet!
Are you ready to get on board? Please pray. Please give. Please declare with us, “All the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God!” (Isaiah 52:10).
Yours in Christ,Pastor Bill Prankard Dominion Outreach Centre, Ottawa
