VANCOUVER—Tens of thousands of Christians gathered in Vancouver to talk about missionary work and evangelization.
Missions Fest, an annual conference, featured exhibitor booths for 250 outreach programs, camps, colleges, and other groups Jan. 30 – Feb. 1 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
“We want to show people Christ’s love, and hopefully point them to salvation,” said Wayne Bertness, a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association.
A pastor from Arkansas started the group after attending a motorcycle rally and realizing many bikers hadn’t heard the Gospel, Bertness explained.
The group’s 116,000 members are spread across the U.S.A., Canada, and other countries; 32 of them serve in the Fraser Valley.
Member Fred Sawatzky said he rides to Mexico to convert rebels every year. “I go to their drug cartels, take Bibles in my suitcase, and hand them out,” he said.
“Sometimes it takes two to 10 years, especially with Hell’s Angels. The first person took 10 years until he accepted Christ. Now he’s leading his buddies and going to Bible school. Praise the Lord!”
A few exhibits away, Suji Won described her plans for the spring: living in a slum in Kolkata with missionary group Servant Partners.
“Just like Jesus said: go two by two, heal the sick, and share the Good News. We’ll be doing that in the slum.”
She and three others will organize Bible studies and serve in connection with a local church. Servant Partners, which reaches out to poor people living in urban areas, has a presence in the Downtown Eastside.
Director Mike Schouten said it’s the first time pro-life group We Need A Law has entered the Missions Fest scene.
“It’s pretty exciting. We’re signing up tons of people to our email list,” he said.
When he applied to join the three-day event, Schouten wondered if Missions Fest would consider the pro-life group a fit among the faraway missions.
“Our primary mission is to save lives, but in those conversations we are always talking about what our motivations are for doing that: as human beings, we are created in the image of God,” he said. “There are so many opportunities to be missionaries in this role.”
Organizers estimated 30,000 visitors had participated in the three-day event, though that number didn’t account for repeat visitors. Among them were a handful of Catholics.
“The benefit of Missions Fest is, I think, a chance to build community,” said musician Samuel Rocha, who performed at a praise session. “It really offers itself to the local Christian community as a great chance for inter-church and inter-faith dialogue and fellowship.”
Most of the songs he played were from Late to Love, an album inspired by St. Augustine, who he said offers a “uniquely ecumenical witness to the Christian life.”
