___________ THE CITY OF Surrey, BC ___________

I can only tell the story of the Surrey Pastors Network (SPN) from my perspective. I did not have the opportunity to run this by the rest of the team before I flew out to Ottawa.

Background
Surrey is the fastest growing city in Canada at fifteen hundred new residents a month. Construction of new homes is at an all time high and the average price limits the average family from having ownership. It is know for being a city of parks, has a large agricultural base and a growing business sector. There is a high population of Indo-Canadian and other ethnic group which make up a total of 43% non-Caucasian. The city is currently in the middle of civic election and the current Mayor, with three terms under his belt, could be upset by a councilor with the same length in office. There is a significant drug/grow op, prostitution, homeless crisis in the city that is largely untouched by police or politician power. The church is increasingly aware of the crisis and is growing in its participation in contribute to its solution.

The Surrey Pastors Network (SPN) officially became a recognized non-profit society two years ago and received charitable status this past Easter (2005). However, the group that founded the regular prayer meetings and the relational networking started many years ago in different locations in the city. For years several pastors have met for weekly prayer in three primary locations in the city: Cloverdale, White Rock and Central Surrey. Those groups developed at various rates according to the initiative of key leaders and the participation of the local pastors. At the present we still have at least three groups meeting. However, the Central Surrey group is the most developed and involved in city impact activities. The three groups are now connected through a monthly email newsletter and occasional networking events. Although the majority of participants are evangelical and somewhat charismatic there is a genuine valuing of all expressions of Christ’s body in the city. Our servant leadership team is comprised of seven pastors from a variety of backgrounds.

Earlier this year the SPN leadership team discerned that the workload and the potential for growing our influence would require one of our own to take the lead with a part time paid position. We presented this at our pastors group and to the church of surrey at the annual Good Friday. They voted with their wallets and we initiated a two day a week position for a one year contract. The mandate of the Surrey Pastors Network Coach is to advance functional and spiritual networks of relationships between pastors and their congregations to further the work of the Kingdom of God in the City of Surrey. This is accomplished through three primary avenues: awareness, involvement, and networking events.

SPN REPORTS

Click here for SPN Newsletter

Canada City Impact Consultation – SPN Report Back – Nov 23rd
I represented the Surrey Pastor’s Network at the first Canadian City Impact Consultation, Nov. 21-23, 2005 in Ottawa, Ontario. “The main goal of this consultation is to synergize the various practitioners in Canada's cities, by providing opportunities for dialogue and mutual instruction which will inspire them for greater effectiveness.”

• Over 70 pastors and Christian leader, mostly from Ontario, gathered to tell their story of what God is doing in their city through the networking of pastors and churches.
• I was pleased to write a brief summary of what I perceive is our story in the City of Surrey. You have a copy of the word document that I presented and I have copies of 17 other city church stories.
• The most encouraging element for me at this event was the call to preserver in building synergy for involving the church in holistic kingdom city-transformation through the city church .
• Three distinct legs of this movement include:
  
  o collective prayer and individual purity
  o authentic networking relationships
  o collaborative action

• The value of “one Church, many congregations” was reiterated.
• Three prayer levels for city agreement
  
  o Ongoing – 100%
  o Strategic – 30%
  o Prophetic – 15%

• “God is restoring geographic integrity and responsibility through one Body of Christ in city, region and nation.” Tom White
• Issues that pollute the land
  
  o Blood shed
  o Broken covenants
  o Sexual immorality
  o Idolatry
  
• Several City Transformation Streams
  
  o Revival Praying (spiritual mapping)
  o Social Transformation
  o City Reaching
  o Urban Renewal
  o Church Planting
  o Mobilizing the Marketplace
  o Apostolic Restoration
  
• In a season of holistic Kingdom paradigm breaking into the future
  
  o Nurture the present
  o See the Future
  o Plan the transition
  
  Key Questions:
  1. What does it mean for the church to be clean (responsible and identificational repentance)
  2. What does sustainable holistic kingdom city transformation look like for the City of Surrey over the next five or ten years?
  3. Do we have to wait for a city calamity before a city church is mobilized or will collaborate now?
  4. Will we wait on the Lord long enough to hear Him correctly, and discern God’s will from the latest fresh ideas and attractive methodologies?
  5. How can we expand our potential as a city church with other pastors, Christian leaders, city officials and the business community?