Global Gathering
The Jaffray Offering
Transcript
Hi everyone! Fall is here, school is in and jackets and hoodies have come out at least over here. And I love this time of year and all the energy and excitement that comes with it.
So today, two updates for you. The Jaffray Offering and Global Gathering.
Jaffray. We’re again raising $500,000 for missions in Asia and the Middle East through our annual missions focus, what we call the Jaffray Offering. Now, last year’s gifts allowed an investment of $250,000 in Asia, and these are already beginning to bear fruit. As a quick reminder, generosity of this size makes possible the training of 128 pastors, who will plant, on average, five churches each. That’s approximately 640 new churches through this generosity. Thank you.
Additionally, your generosity also helped equip 29 emerging church leaders in one close Middle Eastern country—strengthening their faith, in a season which we’ve all seen on the news of rising persecution. In the first half of 2026 alone, 68 people professed faith in Christ, and six were baptized. That same generosity reached 35 families affected by persecution—175 believers in all. You have seen the news.
The needs are staggering and very real, and our shared generosity has strengthened the resilience of the persecuted church as they remain on mission. Friends, the church is growing in some of the hardest and darkest places in the world, despite facing prison, and an abuse or death, Christ is being proclaimed. So, thank you. Please keep praying for our spiritual family all over the world, but in particular with this offering in South Asia and the Middle East.
Now, let’s talk about Global Gathering. In March of 2025, we hosted our first ever Global Gathering with 450 people gathering together overseas for a powerful time of encouragement and prayer, inspiration and vision around our shared mission in Canada and around the world. I think if you ask anyone who attended, it was powerful. and the presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable.
Now, with that in mind, I’m excited to share that General Assembly, this past summer affirmed our next global gathering in March of 2028. Somewhere between March 1st to 11th for four nights and five days, the Alliance Canada will gather for our second-ever Global Gathering—bringing together our churches from across Canada, our international workers, and many of our national partners from around the world.
Now the location is still TBD, but we are waiting to hear back on two primary locations later this week. And before that comes in, I do want to take just a few minutes to tell you why I believe this matters so very much.
As we pursue the vision 2034, and seek to double our reach—both here in Canada and around the world, we have been seeking Jesus for his direction, his pruning, his fresh faith and empowerment for this missional moment we find ourselves in.
And sometimes, I have found, even as a former international worker, it is in the steps of faith, stepping outside of what is familiar that the Lord seems to do incredible work in those moments.
Now, to be clear: Does the Lord need an overseas location to do his transformative work in us? Of course not. But I have seen something happen time and time again that when people leave a place that is familiar to them and enter a context that is not their own, a context where they are reminded that they are perhaps not as in control of their life as they perhaps once thought they were.
And at the same time, they are surrounded by godly brothers and sisters from around the world. I have found that to be very fertile ground for the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes, at least for me, it is often when the Lord disrupts my routines that he deposits fresh revelation—simply in his kindness, he opens my eyes to see more clearly what he has for me.
And so, with this in mind, I’m filled with anticipation of what the Lord might want to do in us, among us, and through us during these days together. And while that alone is so encouraging to me, there are, of course, many other reasons why this gathering is so important. It gives us the very rare opportunity to gather all our international workers together in one place, not simply with one another, but alongside you, our Canadian churches.
Additionally, again, I think for one of the first times ever, we will be working to bring many of our national partners along with us, so that we all have opportunity to hear from our global brothers and sisters and to be mutually encouraged. Of course, there will be opportunities for further trips to visit our workers and partners on the ground, and as a firm by GA, we will be providing grants to support increased opportunity for the great diversity in our churches, our leaders, and more information on that, will be coming out very soon.
But, think about this for a moment. Pastors and leaders from across Canada, all of our IWs from around the world, face to face time with our national Global Alliance partners, opportunity, since we will be so close already to see the tangible work on the ground, grants for our younger pastors, solo and small church pastors, different generations, cultures, languages and ministry context—all worshiping together, praying together, crying out to God, praying, learning together and asking God to Double our Depth, surrender and submission to him, all for his name and his fame and Lord willing, a doubling of our reach. Friends, there might not ever be another unique opportunity like this again. Of course we don’t know that, but I am excited, a little nervous because there is a lot to figure out. But definitely excited.
For now, the next step is to add your name and others onto the more information sign up page on the website so that you can stay up to date.
Now. post Assembly, I’ve often found myself pondering some of the phrases from that time together, and the afterglow of that time is still remains on my heart. Some of those things that I’m reminded of today phrases throughout our time together was “Drowning and hope. Stand firm. Swing for the fences. Cast your net on the other side. That Caleb had a different kind of spirit and it’s time to run.”
Of course, while the afterglow remains, we don’t live for an afterglow doing. And I’m reminded and encouraged, and compelled by the filling and fire of the Holy Spirit to make much of Jesus in each and every moment that he grants us. So stand firm, Alliance Canada, swing for the fences. It is time to run. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your love for the church. Thank you for making much of Jesus and living sacrificially and joyfully for his name and his fame. 3.6 billion people have never heard the name of Jesus before. But right now, in the hardest places on earth—that’s changing. from North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula to the heart of Asia. God is on the move.
In North Africa, a new generation of leaders is rising. 200 young leaders are in training right now by the local church— to reach the Middle East and North Africa. They are the next wave of missionaries and pastors. The future Church is being built today, right now. On the Arabian Peninsula, where faith can cost you everything— 29 emerging leaders are equipped and trained. 68 new believers professed faith in Christ this year. 6 were baptized. And 35 families, 175 believers are standing strong through persecution with a little aid. And in Asia, the local church is exploding. 19,000 church planters, 85 people groups reached last year alone. And churches planted. Not by the dozen, not even by the hundreds. Over 57,000 churches with a goal to reach 100,000 by 2030.
This is what happens when we go together with local partners. This is what you’re giving makes possible, a whole Gospel— for the whole world.
This October, please give to The Jaffray offering. Let's reach the unreached together.