MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT: MIKE AND DEBBIE BISHOP

Mike and Debbie Bishop
32 Seminary Ridge, Cochrane, AB T4C 2E8, CANADA
Phone: (403) 851-1333
E-mail: mbishop@living4jesus.net

As Debbie and I look forward to this coming Christmas season, we cannot help but thank God for His provision and blessing in our call to Canada in November 2001. It seems just like yesterday that we moved here to attend the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and to work as Mission Service Corps (MSC) missionaries, church planting in Alberta. We continually see His sovereign hand and His plans unfold to us every day.

Our journey started with a series of events that God put into motion long before our call to Canada. I was leading Experiencing God for the Saturday men’s group of our church, Immanuel Baptist in Highland, Calif. As I was previewing the videos, God began to break my heart for Canada. I found myself in tears as Henry Blackaby described the need for Christ in Canada. I prayed and God let me know that He had something in store for us.

The next week we received a call from a couple, Bill and Lucie Saleme, friends we had met six months earlier. God had placed us on their heart and they were calling to ask if they could pay for us to attend the Billy Graham School of Evangelism. I thanked them and told them I would send for a brochure and let them know.

It was that week that the Stand Firm conference came to Immanuel. During one of the worship times Randy Bond, from The Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary, was preaching from Isaiah 6. He appealed for laborers to go into the field to reach the lost in Canada. I was hooked. I knew God was calling us. Deb joined me in praying about this call.

One week later Bill Saleme called back about the School of Evangelism we would attend. Bill went ahead and chose for us—–not knowing anything about our interest in Canada—the location was Lake Louise, Alberta. I looked at a map of Canada and found that on the way to Lake Louise one passes by Cochrane, the location of the seminary. I could see God’s hand in this and shared with Bill what God was doing. We rejoiced together.

When we went to Lake Louise we were also able to visit Cochrane. As we toured the seminary we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God wanted us there. Randy put me in contact with Wendy Woods at the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) office about the MSC program. Dwight Huffman, CNBC church planting strategist for Western Canada put in a request from his office. We went home and sent in our application. As we prepared to answer His call, God miraculously provided for us every step of the way.

Six months later we were in Canada attending the seminary and serving as MSC missionaries. We have been blessed to see God’s hand at work on a daily basis.

God has recently led us to join Jesse and Kathy Morales and Pat and Susan Duggan as a team to plant a church in Symons Valley, a fast-growing area in Northwest Calgary. It is expected that up to 54,000 people will move into the area over the next several years. The group has chosen to name the new church Symons Valley Community Church. Jesse and Kathy are the lead planters on the team and have successfully planted The Bridge International, a multi-cultural church in Calgary. Pat is serving as the administrative pastor and I am serving as teaching pastor and I feel so blessed to just be on this team. Pat and Sue graciously host our group in their home each Sunday evening. God has added nine more to this core team and we are seeing God do some awesome things.

Please pray for the people of Symons Valley and for His provision for our church plant. Pray that God would provide at least 10 homes for Bible study and property for a future building. God can do anything so we pray big! In all of this we give Him the glory and the honor and the praise for all that He has done and continues to do.

Thank you in advance for your prayer support!
Mike and Debbie Bishop

MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT ARCHIVE