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Imagine CSB
God's Mission for CSB in Alberta Continues
What started as a call for men and women, and their churches, to get involved in building children and youth for the Lord Jesus Christ has blossomed into a growing number of churches starting Brigade.
What started as a call for men and women, and their churches, to get involved in building children and youth for the Lord Jesus Christ has blossomed into a growing number of churches starting Brigade.
CSB in Alberta - 2019:
Christian Service Brigade - The 2019 Overview:
The Principle of Multiplication is a marvellous concept: if every year you give someone something, and that someone does the same thing, and you all repeat it to different people every year, very soon the whole world will have been given that something. The problem is that it doesn't work, because it's missing the moving of God. To multiply God's Kingdom is to allow Him to do it as He determines. This is how CSB is growing in Alberta... God's way. In Calgary, it is by people and churches attending a rally and catching a common vision. In Edmonton, it has been through one church showing another church the value of building its men - yes, its men - through ministering to boys. In BC, it's something else. The point is that CSB grows through God. Our purpose is to be so tight with the Lord that we are walking with Him. Not running on ahead, not lagging behind, but right with Him. CSB is growing in Alberta through people who are seeking God. Please pray that we do it God's way.
The Principle of Multiplication is a marvellous concept: if every year you give someone something, and that someone does the same thing, and you all repeat it to different people every year, very soon the whole world will have been given that something. The problem is that it doesn't work, because it's missing the moving of God. To multiply God's Kingdom is to allow Him to do it as He determines. This is how CSB is growing in Alberta... God's way. In Calgary, it is by people and churches attending a rally and catching a common vision. In Edmonton, it has been through one church showing another church the value of building its men - yes, its men - through ministering to boys. In BC, it's something else. The point is that CSB grows through God. Our purpose is to be so tight with the Lord that we are walking with Him. Not running on ahead, not lagging behind, but right with Him. CSB is growing in Alberta through people who are seeking God. Please pray that we do it God's way.
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Christian Service Brigade (City Light News - January Edition)
Christian Service Brigade and the churches of Alberta are building Godly men of today and tomorrow. The need for boys to have a Christ-centred meeting place where they can learn to be men of God has never been greater. Parents from Fort McMurray to Medicine Hat, Lethbridge to Lloydminster, Calgary to Edmonton are looking to the Church for a wholesome ministry for their sons. Ordinary men of the local church are certified by CSB to win and train today’s active boys and young men for Christ. They hone their leadership skills through games, projects and storytelling. Their churches use Christian Service Brigade as an outreach to the families of their communities. CSB churches grow as their men and families incorporate “service to others” as their mission for Christ. Check out what’s new with CSB in Alberta at www.csbbc.org/alberta and get your boys and men involved in a CSB group near you. |
Christian Service Brigade - The 2018 Overview:
For Christians, education is more than just sitting in a classroom and learning facts. It is about building a relationship with Jesus Christ and incorporating His principles into everyday life. Adult believers get this, but children, especially boys, need to see it demonstrated in practical ways. CSB gives boys hands-on experiences, activities and games which reflect real-world action and adventure. Certified CSB leaders – ordinary men with real-life jobs – show them what it is to be a man of God in today’s world. CSB resources capture the action of life and wrap it in Biblical truths in a way that appeals to both boys and men. Imagine that: men leading the boys and young men of their communities to serve Jesus. It’s a hallmark of CSB.
For Christians, education is more than just sitting in a classroom and learning facts. It is about building a relationship with Jesus Christ and incorporating His principles into everyday life. Adult believers get this, but children, especially boys, need to see it demonstrated in practical ways. CSB gives boys hands-on experiences, activities and games which reflect real-world action and adventure. Certified CSB leaders – ordinary men with real-life jobs – show them what it is to be a man of God in today’s world. CSB resources capture the action of life and wrap it in Biblical truths in a way that appeals to both boys and men. Imagine that: men leading the boys and young men of their communities to serve Jesus. It’s a hallmark of CSB.
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CHRISTIAN SERVICE BRIGADE (Christmas Edition 2018 - City Light News)
On a cold, wintery night just outside of Chicago, a young college student introduced his Sunday school class to Christian Service Brigade. He was worried that though his boys lived like Christians on Sunday, they were anything but during the week. That was in 1937. Things have gotten worse. Few boys show up at church on Sunday; men even less. Most churches don’t do much for the boys or men in their own congregations, let alone in their neighbourhoods. As a society, we lament the loss of Christian values in our schools and government institutions, but we do little to change it. We won’t volunteer to be part of a Christ-centred ministry. Very few people even encourage those who give up an evening each week to win and train boys and young men for Christ. It’s hard making a difference in people’s lives. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ entered this world and changed it. Generation after generation went and made disciples of Jesus. Those disciples reached us – this generation of Christians. Building Godly Men of Today and Tomorrow is hard work. It takes time, money and dedication. Be part of the solution. Point boys to Jesus through Brigade: www.csbbc.org/alberta. |
August 2018 Update:
As the fall season of ministry approaches, we are encouraged that three churches in the Calgary area have been pursuing CSB ministries for their communities. This is a critical time as the Lord is about to expand His Kingdom into neighbourhoods in a different way. The opposition doesn't like it and will do anything to put things offtrack. If you are a follower of Christ, please pray that God will encourage and protect these churches as they push on to finish the race.
There is other news, and while we can't be sure, it looks like our effort to grow CSB in Calgary is washing over into other parts of the province. A church north of that city is considering restarting their ministry of men to boys. We are working with them to help it happen.
When we began our effort in Calgary, we placed one ad in the City Light News. Nothing happened, or so we thought. We received a few inquiries from the area. Then we got the idea that the Lord might be beginning something, so we began to pray in earnest and enlisted others to do the same. The interest grew. That's all explained in the updates below. But what also happened was some generous donors gave us money to pay for the work in Calgary and that included more advertising.
What we didn't know was that, at the time, City Light News was being bought by Light Media, a publisher in the Lower Mainland of BC. They were our advertisers there, and they told us that our discounts in Vancouver would be applied in Alberta. That saved us a huge amount of money. And, it benefited our CSB camp west of Sundre: Camp Teepee Pole. Then they told us that they were expanding the paper's territory to include Red Deer and Edmonton. The result was more readership for a lot less money.
God has His plan and we don't have the privilege of knowing it. Our job is to follow. Christ simply said to His disciples, "Follow Me." And they did, and His Church has not stopped growing. CSB is part of that. Please be praying for us. Lord, make us all faithful.
As the fall season of ministry approaches, we are encouraged that three churches in the Calgary area have been pursuing CSB ministries for their communities. This is a critical time as the Lord is about to expand His Kingdom into neighbourhoods in a different way. The opposition doesn't like it and will do anything to put things offtrack. If you are a follower of Christ, please pray that God will encourage and protect these churches as they push on to finish the race.
There is other news, and while we can't be sure, it looks like our effort to grow CSB in Calgary is washing over into other parts of the province. A church north of that city is considering restarting their ministry of men to boys. We are working with them to help it happen.
When we began our effort in Calgary, we placed one ad in the City Light News. Nothing happened, or so we thought. We received a few inquiries from the area. Then we got the idea that the Lord might be beginning something, so we began to pray in earnest and enlisted others to do the same. The interest grew. That's all explained in the updates below. But what also happened was some generous donors gave us money to pay for the work in Calgary and that included more advertising.
What we didn't know was that, at the time, City Light News was being bought by Light Media, a publisher in the Lower Mainland of BC. They were our advertisers there, and they told us that our discounts in Vancouver would be applied in Alberta. That saved us a huge amount of money. And, it benefited our CSB camp west of Sundre: Camp Teepee Pole. Then they told us that they were expanding the paper's territory to include Red Deer and Edmonton. The result was more readership for a lot less money.
God has His plan and we don't have the privilege of knowing it. Our job is to follow. Christ simply said to His disciples, "Follow Me." And they did, and His Church has not stopped growing. CSB is part of that. Please be praying for us. Lord, make us all faithful.
June 2018 Update:
Two weeks ago, another church got in touch with us about restarting their CSB ministry of men to boys in their church. There is something happening in Alberta, and it started with the Lord pushing us in Calgary.
As the March 7th Rally approached, we had seven people registered. The day before two people called to say that they couldn't make it. Five people were coming. As Steve Grove, the president of CSB Canada, and I went to set up our meeting room we asked, "How many chairs should we set out?" Twenty was our mutual answer, though it made no sense. We then went and bought refreshments for twenty people. People started arriving, and as we started twenty-one people were in twenty chairs; one being a two-week old baby boy whose mother wants to have the same opportunities with CSB as his dad. The presenters had to grab three additional chairs for themselves.
Seven churches were represented... That night and within a few weeks, there was fruit with three of the churches. Two other churches had been interested for quite some time. This is the Lord's Work and we do not presume upon His favour. He will do what He does and inspired those whom He will. We know the value and the potential for CSB in the local church for the local men, boys and families. We - the leaders, volunteers and staff of CSB - KNOW it! But we must wait for the Lord to bring it to fruition.
We are now seeing an increasing interest about CSB from the greater Edmonton area. This is primarily from parents looking for something for their sons. This is how it started in Calgary. What is the Lord's next step in Edmonton? How is CSB to respond? This is where prayer and prayer warriors are vitally needed.
At the same time, the CSB Area Committee in the Lower Mainland of BC is getting anxious about its future. What does the Lord want of them? And, they are feeling the pressure - they know that He is stirring up things in their part of the world.
The Lord is moving and people are taking notice. Please be praying for His will to be done. Thank you.
Two weeks ago, another church got in touch with us about restarting their CSB ministry of men to boys in their church. There is something happening in Alberta, and it started with the Lord pushing us in Calgary.
As the March 7th Rally approached, we had seven people registered. The day before two people called to say that they couldn't make it. Five people were coming. As Steve Grove, the president of CSB Canada, and I went to set up our meeting room we asked, "How many chairs should we set out?" Twenty was our mutual answer, though it made no sense. We then went and bought refreshments for twenty people. People started arriving, and as we started twenty-one people were in twenty chairs; one being a two-week old baby boy whose mother wants to have the same opportunities with CSB as his dad. The presenters had to grab three additional chairs for themselves.
Seven churches were represented... That night and within a few weeks, there was fruit with three of the churches. Two other churches had been interested for quite some time. This is the Lord's Work and we do not presume upon His favour. He will do what He does and inspired those whom He will. We know the value and the potential for CSB in the local church for the local men, boys and families. We - the leaders, volunteers and staff of CSB - KNOW it! But we must wait for the Lord to bring it to fruition.
We are now seeing an increasing interest about CSB from the greater Edmonton area. This is primarily from parents looking for something for their sons. This is how it started in Calgary. What is the Lord's next step in Edmonton? How is CSB to respond? This is where prayer and prayer warriors are vitally needed.
At the same time, the CSB Area Committee in the Lower Mainland of BC is getting anxious about its future. What does the Lord want of them? And, they are feeling the pressure - they know that He is stirring up things in their part of the world.
The Lord is moving and people are taking notice. Please be praying for His will to be done. Thank you.
March 2018 Update:
CSB Canada had an introductory dessert fellowship – a CSB Rally – in Calgary NW on Wednesday, March 7th, from 7 to 8:30pm at Harvest Hills Alliance Church. Interested parents, concerned church leaders, Christian men and CSB Brigade supporters were invited to hear about CSB’s newly updated ministries to boys and young men, and to pray for the Lord's leading in serving the boys and families of Calgary. This was a step forward in CSB's effort to equip churches in “Building Godly Men of Today and Tomorrow.”
Over the past year and a half, about 18 families and churches have approached CSB Canada about weekly groups in the Calgary area. There are none. Well, this is not an anomaly. CSB, Awana, Pioneer Clubs and every other church-based midweek club ministry is disappearing from Canadian cities. What makes Calgary so different is that an inordinate number of families are looking for something wholesome for their boys.
CSB Canada has been working hard to develop programs that are attractive to boys and men. We have been putting together key resources which explain the work to which we are called. We have brochures and samples and videos that share our vision. Across the country, we have five staffmen who are experts at the doing of CSB. We have taken years to get to this point and now we have all the tools to relaunch CSB.
CSB has always been a work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are Spirit-led, so when God starts moving in a specific area, we take notice and we choose to follow His lead. Calgary is NOT a convenient place to have a revival of CSB. No staffmen live there. But, the Lord knows best. Calgary is a starting point. We don't know where it will lead, but we are determined to follow.
In a few days, a report of what we learned through the Rally will be added here. Thank you for your patience.
CSB Canada had an introductory dessert fellowship – a CSB Rally – in Calgary NW on Wednesday, March 7th, from 7 to 8:30pm at Harvest Hills Alliance Church. Interested parents, concerned church leaders, Christian men and CSB Brigade supporters were invited to hear about CSB’s newly updated ministries to boys and young men, and to pray for the Lord's leading in serving the boys and families of Calgary. This was a step forward in CSB's effort to equip churches in “Building Godly Men of Today and Tomorrow.”
Over the past year and a half, about 18 families and churches have approached CSB Canada about weekly groups in the Calgary area. There are none. Well, this is not an anomaly. CSB, Awana, Pioneer Clubs and every other church-based midweek club ministry is disappearing from Canadian cities. What makes Calgary so different is that an inordinate number of families are looking for something wholesome for their boys.
CSB Canada has been working hard to develop programs that are attractive to boys and men. We have been putting together key resources which explain the work to which we are called. We have brochures and samples and videos that share our vision. Across the country, we have five staffmen who are experts at the doing of CSB. We have taken years to get to this point and now we have all the tools to relaunch CSB.
CSB has always been a work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are Spirit-led, so when God starts moving in a specific area, we take notice and we choose to follow His lead. Calgary is NOT a convenient place to have a revival of CSB. No staffmen live there. But, the Lord knows best. Calgary is a starting point. We don't know where it will lead, but we are determined to follow.
In a few days, a report of what we learned through the Rally will be added here. Thank you for your patience.
