November: more conferences, a wedding, and keeping the pace.

Hello Friends Family and Internet Wanderers!

Thinking about this past month I would say it was pretty lackluster, with my highs and lows tempering each other. But upon further reflection I can definitly say God has been at work in me this past month. At the beginning of this month I was able to attend the Canadian Youth Workers Conference (CYCW). Later on I jetted off to Comox, BC to stand beside a dear friend as he got married. Also this month I have started volunteering at a high school, helping newcomers to Canada with their english. Then finally I attended another shorter series of meetings (not quite a conference) on the Mennonite Brethren involvement with education and formal schools. So as you can tell this month has been quite full of extras that go alongside my regular leadership responsibilities.

Thankfulness

This is the third year in a row that I have been able to attend the CYCW and each year I come away with some gems to hold onto. Last year I got to hear my grandmentor (the mentor of one of my mentors) teach about confession and how in the times when God appears to be silent, it is often because of unconfessed sin in our lives. This year I recieved a powerful gem that I thought I would share.

This is so simple that I struggle to share it as a gem, but gem it was. In an increasingly post-Christian society there is a lot of fear that we are losing the battle for the soul of our cities and North America itself. But the church was BORN in turmutuous times. The Gospel was PLANTED into pagan soil. It was in a hostile, violent, and enslaved culture that Jesus was born. He gave a message that did more than unsettle people, and so as Christians (Christ followers) we are invited into these spaces. Christians have had the privledge in North America of being the mainstream for the past howevermany years. But now we are increasingly being called to be counter cultural, to stand firm in a faith that is different from the surounding culture. We are called to be so radically different that people do not know what to do with us.  It is time for us to get off our spiritually lazy buts and start modeling the gospel. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2

It is also important to note that while I attended alone, due to the small size of our church/budget. I was once more welcomed into the community of leaders who attended from my old church. That church and particularly the youth ministry team there continues to be an inspiration and a blessing for me, one that I am incredibly thankful for.

Additionally I was able this past month to fly out to Comox British Columbia for 4 days and celebrate the marriage of some friends from university. It was my first time going to the west coast, and while I did not end up seeing many sights, I did see both the Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. Being a students and tight on finances I was a little hesitant to go, despite being asked to be best man. But I am glad I did, because not only did I get to see a new place, but I got to share in something special with one of my best friends. Additionally I did not have a place to stay for the final night I was there (I stayed an extra night to save some money on the flight), and so while I figure I would bum around the city and crash in the airport; unbeknown to me my friends family decided to put me up in a hotel for the night. I am thankful to my church for letting me take time off for this. I also am so thankful to have been able to support my friend, and for the generosity that I have come to know from him and his family.

Prayer Requests

This past month I was subject to the most insulting assault on my character that I have ever had to stomach. This was not at the hands of someone I know really at all and as such was even more frustrating and confusing. I left that short experience shaking with a combination of rage and powerlessness. This was a the hands of someone close to a good friend and I struggle with the decision to disclose or not this event to my friend. I have struggled both then and now to understand what happened and why, but ultimately I believe it was a scheme from the enemy designed to fill my mind with doubts and feelings of low self worth. This has unfortunately not been the only time this past month I have experienced similar attacks seemingly out of the blue. Please pray that if I am at fault I would come to know what I am doing which is so objectionable, and that either way I would not carry this further than the cross. However my only solace comes from the fact that the enemy does not waste time on those who are not doing good work, and so I take strength from the idea that I am considered worth targeting.

On the financial side of things, I received an updated statement of my account this month and I am funded until the end of March! This is such a huge blessing and I am so thankful. But I am still a fair ways from my goal of 10,000 for the next year.  As it stands I still need around $8000 for 2017 Please pray that God would continue to provide funds and support for my ministry. It really has been such a blessing not to worry about whether there will be money for the next paycheck.

Thank you so much for your faithfulness and guidance in prayer and deed. I cannot fathom doing this without each and everyone of you.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

October: Conferences, School Work, and Baptism.

Hello Friends Family and Internet Wanderers!

This past month has been incredibly full of both huge highs and pretty deep lows. It is in times like these that I am incredibly blessed and thankful that God has provided me with such a faithful and encouraging support network such as what I have. This past month I have attended lectures, conferences, a lot of school and was able to perform my first baptism. God is Good.

Thankfulness
Thank you for your prayers for my health, I was able to recover from my cold/flu within a week of my last post. Normally a minor sickness does not hinder me so much, but this time it was really kicking my but and so I am quite appreciative of a speedy recovery.

School has been going exceptionally well so far and I am also very thankful for that. This semester I am taking two classes, one on Mennonite Brethren history and one called Foundations of Pastoral Ministry. In the MB history class I am on track to receive an A in the course, which as a historically C+/B student I am a little surprised. But the class has been interesting and illuminating for both the past and the present understanding of the positions our conference has on certain subjects. For my Foundations class I am on track for a B+ and am gaining a lot of knowledge and perspective as to what it means to be a pastor. An added bonus of both of these classes is the fellowship and friendship of other people in ministry settings, their camaraderie and friendship has been quite the blessing for me.

This past Sunday I performed my first Baptism and was deeply blessed by the honour and sacredness of the moment. In the tank I was able to speak to this young man words of affirmation and encouragement I hope he never forgets. I often forget or do not realize the impact of my ministry, and to be honest this month I have experienced that as well. But this Sunday was a reminder that just because I do not see obvious outer signs at first, doesn't mean that God is not working inside. Just as a seed must grow roots before it sprouts, so to does our work and service take time before we notice any fruit. I am so thankful and proud of the young man who committed himself to Christ in Baptism and I hope that many more will follow him.

Prayer Requests

I received an updated statement of my account this month and I am funded until the end of March! This is such a huge blessing and I am so thankful. But I am still a fair ways from my goal of 10,000 for the next year. Please pray that God would continue to provide funds and support for my ministry. It really has been such a blessing not to worry about whether there will be money for the next paycheck.

On a more personal note, this past month I went on several dates with just a lovely young woman. However for reasons which are still quite unclear to me, after the third date she decided she did not want to pursue a relationship. When it comes to relationships I usually keep to myself since I do not like explaining I was rejected. But this is the third girl this year who has said she was not interested after the third date, and for this woman in particular it hit me hard. By all accounts and I got a lot, the dates went exceptionally well. So while I respect her decision, the enemy has been using this to attack me. I am already prone to discouragement and this is extremely discouraging. I honestly do not know what to do, and so I ask that you lift me up to the Father in this.

Finally I would ask that you pray for me and my leadership in the various ministries. With the combination of school and ministry I have a lot on my plate and while I genuinely love it, I fear something will slip through the cracks and do not want that to happen. Particularly I feel like I have not been providing as much leadership to my youth leaders as I should be, and that is partly because I am at a bit of a loss at how to go about that. I am attending another conference this weekend and it is something I hope to learn more about there. Please pray that I will lead both our youth and our adults well and that God will be my guide in everything I do.

Thank you so much for your faithfulness and guidance in prayer and deed. I cannot fathom doing this without each and everyone of you.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

September, Start of School and of Ministry

Good Morning friends, family, and internet wanderers!

Wow where did September go? This past month has been a whirlwind of school, ministry and new possibilities. The beginning started with a lot of anxiety and fear, but God has been at work in my life and my ministries, showing both His provision for my life and his grace. Truly I can do nothing apart from Him

Thankfullness

Thank you all for your prayers. This past month School has been characterized by a lot of anxiety, specifically around readings and assignments. In my undergrad I often felt intimidated by my peers and both their ability to process the information and also to use it later. My main anxieties this month have been about how much work will I have to put in, and will I actually gain anything out of the process, since as far as I can tell I only remember about 10% of my undergrad. But with that being said, school is progressing well, not only am I getting along well with my peers but I am contributing on the same level. In the middle of this month when my first small assignment was due, I received some good advice from my pastor/supervisor. He told me to write about how the information was useful, or not, to my life and work as a pastor, this idea has been crucial in both my ability to write and do so in a timely manner. I have had a few assignments so far and only received grades for 2 of them, but both of those have been A's. So thank you for your prayers.

Youth started up this month, and in the days leading up to it, it seemed like all my plans were just being swept away. I never have trouble sleeping, but the night before the kickoff I did not get much sleep as I tried to think my way through all the variables and possibilities of this new group and new leaders. Last year we had a core attendance of 4 students and our kickoff a few weeks ago had 9 students, with potential for 6 more. These numbers are not particularly high or anything, but for our little church they are fantastic and quiet unexpected. Thank you for your continuing prayers for our youth group and my leadership of these students and leaders.

Prayer Requests

About a week ago I got this years cold, and it is still sticking with me. I know it is a little thing, but it would be good for both myself and all those I interact with if I were able to recover quickly.

Our youth program is always in my mind, and so I ask you to continue to pray for me and for our youth team. As our youth group grows, I am able to spend less face time with each individual student and need to rely on and equip our leaders to do more and more. Please pray that the Lord will show me how to equip our leaders and how to take a step back and watch as they work.

Finally there are a lot of different events happening in October and early November that will keep me busier than I am used to. I have been asked to mentor and baptize a student from my past church, and will be taking some time at the end of the month to baptize him. In early November I have been invited to be the best man at one of my best friends wedding, in British Columbia. So I am taking a few days to fly out and attend a wedding, but I still have school to get done in that time. Additionally I have 2 conferences to attend, on top of my regular responsibilities and assingments. All of which I am looking forward to, but I ask for prayer that I will manage my time well and not forget important details or leave others feeling left out.


Thank you so much for your partnership in prayer. I truly feel blessed to be able to do the work I am, and that is in large part due to your influences.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

August: Birthdays, School, and Youth Min

Good Morning friends, family, and internet wanderers!

I apologize for my late posting this month. For a month that was supposed to be relaxed (in comparison to the rest of the year) it went by in a flash. Personally it has been a busy month getting settled into my new living situation and getting used to having roommates around. If I am being honest I was more than a little hesitant to enter into my new living situation, but after 6 weeks or so I must say all my fears were unfounded. I have been pleasantly surprised both at my roommates and myself in our combined maturity and willingness to work to keep the house the way the other desires.

Also in august I got to say goodbye to 27 and hello to 28 as I have completed another full rotation around the Sun. I celebrated by inviting friends to a murder mystery masquerade which another friend was kind enough to host for me. But for those of you who know me well know there is one tradition which I hold most dear for my birthday and that is the 'new pie' tradition. For those who may not know, my parents like to make a special meal on their children's birthdays, usually whatever is requested (within reason). My only request for these meals is to have a new pie, or one I have never tried before. Initially my mom thought this was too difficult, but every year she pulls out a new one, usually more obscure than the last. I have had tamarind, pasta, spinach and bacon in pies, but I think this years was my favourite so far: beet pie. I am not sure if it was the fact that beets are one of my childhood favourites, or just the particular way it was made, but this is definitely one of my favourite pies of all time.

Ministry wise August was very full of finalizing plans and getting ready for school. I am please to announce that CMU has given me advanced credit for two of my undergrad courses and so before classes even start I have 6/60 credits completed. Also at the encouragement of my lead pastor, I have begun and finished about half of the reading in one of my courses, so as to accommodate for the potentially chaotic ministry schedule.

Thankfulness:

Last month I asked you to pray for another youth leader for the fall, and this month I can say that God has indeed answered those prayers. I have a vision for this youth ministry and I believe that God has inspired it in me, but it requires more than I alone can do, so I am incredibly blessed to have the leaders I need. In fact not only do I have the leaders I need, but I received an e-mail a week ago from a church we partner with, that they want to send us leaders as well because they believe in what we are doing for our combined youth.

I also asked for continued prayer for finances as the position I am in is based on fundraising from people like you. This month I have received a number of additional donations, including two more recurring ones. After a conversation with the church treasurer I am please to announce that I am covered until the end of January, potentially February (the last donation has not been factored in yet). I am so blessed and encouraged by the prayers and financial support of everyone, words cannot express my love and gratitude.

Prayer Requests:

School has started a few days ago, and while I feel prepared I also feel a bit overwhelmed at the sheer volume of work that needs to be done for each class. One of my classes is online and for the first week, the recommended reading was over 200 pages of a history text, much of which is names and dates, which I cannot possibly recall after a single reading, if I am even able to get through that much in a week. Please pray that God will bless me in my studies, that I will learn what needs to be learned and that I will develop efficient study habits.

The youth year is about to start and with the new leaders I am able to do more than I originally planned for. We also have a solid chance of growing our youth group significantly as about 6-8 students have shown up over the summer and will be invited to participate. Please pray for myself and my leaders that we will use our time well in preparing and connecting with the students, that God will show up in the lives of the students, and that our church and community would be a place of fun and fellowship for all involved.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and to pray. I could not do what I do without you doing what you have been doing!

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

Moving, Planning and Thankfulness!

 Hello Friends, Family and Internet wanderers!

July has been a very full month and I am not entirely sure I was ready for it. This past weekend I moved from my parents old house in the North End, (they have sold it) into the top two floors of a house in Wolsley. It is times like this that I am regularly reminded of how blessed I am, to see friends come out and give up their Saturday to help me. The move was a fairly stressful one, but I cannot imagine how much more so it would have been without their support. Currently most of the boxes have been emptied and put away, and I am just waiting for my roommates to finish up with theirs.

Ministry wise this month has also been a busy one filled with plans and dreams for what the future will look like for our group. Sometimes I forget that our group and church is very small and find myself dreaming/brainstorming for a much bigger group than we have. But I know that God is at work in the lives of the students and leaders we do have, so I am excited to see what He has in store for us this year. I know from experience that my plans only go so far, and that all real change comes from God.


Thankfulness:

I cannot overstate my thankfulness to those who gave up their long weekend Saturday to help me and a few friends move. One of the most stressful parts of this move was that it looked like we would have very little help originally and thankfully that did not end up being an issue.

This month I was invited by a past student to watch him get baptized! Sometimes working with youth can feel very discouraging because they do not often respond in the ways we pray and hope for. But just because they do not show outwardly does not mean that God isn't working in their hearts. These moments are the reason I love youth ministry so much, seeing a student get it; seeing them step up in front of friends family and even a few strangers to share what Jesus has done in their life. I was incredibly blessed to be invited into this moment for one of my past students, remembering the part of his story that I walked with him through and then hearing his testimony blessed me incredibly.

Also a huge Thank You!! to anyone and everyone who has supported me so far. Both prayers and financial donations are so important to my ministry so thank you!


Prayer Requests:

Our youth group this year has a lot of ambition and currently we do not have the leader support that we would need to grow as I would like. Please pray for me as I learn how to cultivate and grow a leadership team. Please also pray that God would bring into our youth ministry a strong female leader, this year we have 3 young girls aging into youth and with youth ministry being so relational we really need a strong female presence to engage these girls.

My finances are doing well, currently I am covered for the next 4 months!  This is a huge blessing already, but I still have further to go in this 2-4 year program. Please continue to pray for God to bring people with a heart for giving to my ministry. If you feel like contributing either monthly (preferred) or a one time amount, please follow the link bellow and hit the Donate Now button on the top left of the page. http://www.crossroadsmb.ca/

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and to pray for me.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

Starting again, Fundraising, and working as an Apprentice Pastor

Hello Friends, Family and Internet wanderers!

It has been some time since my last update, and that is mostly because TREK has finished! But even though TREK is done, I am still continuing to serve with Crossroads MB church and they have brought me on as their Apprentice Pastor! For those of you wondering at the title, apprentice here is being used as it would be for a trades-person, as someone who has skill and competency, who is working and learning from someone who has been practicing even longer than they.

So I have decided to continue to use this Blog as a way of sharing my experiences and the different ways God is revealing himself to me, as well as my prayer requests. My hope is to invite you and others like you into partnering with me on this ministry journey. It is only because of the prayers and generosity of others that I am able to live and serve in this way and I am so blessed because of them and you!

The beginning of Elevation, the program I am in which allows me to serve and learn while still being compensated, started for me in June with a pastoral retreat. This retreat was a huge blessing and affirmation for me from both the conference and the people who make up it. I was also asked as a first time attender to review the experience, so if you are interested you can read my review here http://mbcm.ca/2016-pastor-and-spouse-retreat-in-review/

The rest of this month has been settling into the rhythms of ministry and finishing well the ministries I was a part of on TREK. Now for July and August I will have the opportunity to plan both for youth and for the children's ministry.

Thankfulness:

This past month I have been blessed greatly and I want to thank God for His leadership in my life. I have found a place to live for the foreseeable future and will be able to move August 1st. This past year has been incredibly stressful with most of my possessions being boxed up and living very minimally, it will be nice to finally unpack

A past student (not from this year) has invited me to mentor them as they are discerning things of faith and next steps. For confidentiality sake I cannot disclose who it is, but just say that I am so amazingly excited about the steps they are moving towards in their faith, and that this person considers me someone who helped them get there!


Prayer Requests

Our youth group is a fairly small one with a core group of 4 who regularly attend. But recently I have been approached by another small youth group and plans to combine the two have begun. If all goes well our core will double for next year which will open up so many opportunities for the youth, such as bigger games, and the ability to bring friends from school. Please pray that this other group and I will work well together for the betterment of the Kingdom and the students we seek to serve.

Financially I have still a long way to go for this year, not to mention the ones to follow. As part of the Elevation program I need to fund-raise 10,000 a year or 1/3rd of  my 30,000 annual salary. With my starting in June this year I need about 6800 for this year and 10,000 for the following 3. So I am in significant need of monthly donors. Based on the numbers I know at this time I need approximately $830 a month in donations, and right now have a little less than 1/3rd of that. I have been blessed with a few large donations to tide me over for a bit, but if you could pray for God to bring people with a heart for giving to my ministry I would be really blessed. And if you feel like contributing either monthly (preferred) or a one time amount, please follow the link bellow and hit the Donate Now button on the top left of the page. http://www.crossroadsmb.ca/

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and to pray for me. Please let me know if I can pray for or help you in any way.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

End of Trek, Thank You!

Hello Support Team!

First of all I want to say thank you to everyone here! Thank you for your prayers as I sought out God's plan for me and the people I was serving over this 8 month period. Thank you for you financial support, which freed me to take this time to serve wholeheartedly and invest in the lives of the people at Crossroads MB Church, while still paying bills and being able to live. Thank you for the encouragement that each and everyone who is reading this post gave to me, in notes, texts, e-mails, through phone calls and coffee's, and in every other amazing way which I was invested in by each one of you. Believe me, without your support, spiritually, financially and emotionally, I could not have done a fraction of what I have.

Looking back on my time it is hard to measure success in a position like this. Ultimately I think it depends on the goals we have, and for me my goal in this Trek experience was to test the call I have felt towards ministry, to gain valuable experience, and to engage the people I am ministering to with the good news about Jesus through relationships.

During this time I was able to meet regularly with 4 youth students and play games with them, teach them about our creator, and just live life with them. At this time I do not know how impact-full my presence is, but I do know that they have grown much over this past year, and that overall it is my job to plant the seed, and it is the Fathers job to make it grow. (1 Cor 3:16) I have also had the pleasure and the privileged to meet regularly with an amazing group of young adults and walk with them through life and scriptures, meeting twice a month for fellowship and bible studies. These are times I cherish as we delve deeper into relationships, and what God has for each one of us.

Over this 8 month period I have had a veritable buffet of experiences from preaching and teaching to seeing the behind the scenes of a funeral and helping install a bathroom. I have served and seen most ministries of the church and been able to share in the visions behind them all. This time has been a great one of gaining valuable and varied experiences which I know will serve me well in the future.

Finally my biggest goal this year was discern the call I have felt some time now towards ministry. In these past 8 months I have found what I excel in and what I do not. I have been given the chance to share and see students engage with what I am saying and watch that mold their lives. But more than that, others have scene me do this as well and have told me so. I have been greatly affirmed and encouraged in my call towards ministry by this experience. There was a time, not to long ago when I thought that due to the slow forward movement towards ministry, that it was in fact not my calling. But through the people of Crossroads MB church, God has shown me that He has plans for me and my future, and while I may have started slow, I am building up momentum as long as I continue to lean on Him.

So with that I have been asked to stay on with the church and be a part time staff working in the same areas as I have been serving in on Trek. Starting in June I will be a part time Masters student at a local Seminary, and a part time pastoral staff at the church. During this time the courses will be paid for and a salary will be provided for me, of which I will need to raise 1/3rd, or $10,000 per year. This past year could not have happened without you all, and similarly this new phase of my life and ministry cannot happen without supporters. So if you wish to continue to support me you can send a cheque to the address listed below with my name in the note column, or you can contact me to set up a pre-authorized automatic withdrawal system.

Thank you so much for your support and an even bigger thank you for the support that I have already received. I feel so privileged to be in this position and so encouraged by each and every one of you.

- Stefan Klassen


Crossroads Mennonite Brethren Church
231 Kitson St , Winnipeg MB R2H 0Z4

Results of the Vote, Endings and Beginnings

Hello Support Team!

Thank you all for your prayers and kind words during this process of discernment and waiting. As most of you know my last few entries have included requests for prayer and discernment on my participation in the Elevation program both on behalf on myself and the church I am serving with. So today I share with you the results of the conversations around this topic.

Although initially I had many reservations, through prayer and discernment both on my own and with mentors I felt that this program and my continued service with this church is where the Lord was placing me. The church held an initial meeting where several objections were raised to the money that would be required to keep me. I left that meeting feeling discouraged and mentally preparing myself for a later rejection, but I kept on praying for myself, the church, but mostly that Gods will be done in this situation. On Wednesday April 13th the church held another meeting about inviting me onto the staff.  The meeting started off with me answering a few questions and then being dismissed so the congregation could talk freely. The setup was that of a sharing circle where everyone present had an opportunity to hold the mic and say their peace about the situation, and then everyone had an opportunity to respond to what had been said. After the mic made its way around the circle 2 times they had a vote. It was a secret ballot to prevent anyone from being called out who may have wished to differ from the oral consensus. I do not know the exact number of members who attended the meeting, but I do know that there were many more at the second meeting than who attended the first, including most of those who voiced initial objections. (have I made you wait long enough yet?) The vote was unanimous in favour; with the exception of one who chose to abstain. I am told by the chair of the church council that this person approached him later to share that they were not quite ready yet, but were close and they did not want to vote no, but needed a bit more time before they could vote yes, so they abstained. 

I did not hear the circle discussion, but I am told that there was overwhelming support for me and the ministry I have been doing with the people of this church. So on June 1st I will officially be hired by the church as a part time staff, and shortly after that I will enroll with Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary as a part time masters student! 

For quite some time I have been concerned that my sense of call has been faulty in some way. I felt that my difficulty in finding a ministry to lead and serve with was somehow indicative of the Lords desire for me to do something else. This year has been a time of incredible affirmation in ministry and I have been so blessed by the opportunity to serve in this way. 

It turns out that in hindsight one of the biggest reasons it took me so long to find a path, was my own pride. A few years ago, (possibly less than a year before I started TREK) I would not have considered Trek, let alone the Elevation program primarily because they are only small positions that require me to fund-raise, and ask for donations from friends and family. But between friends and family, and the church I am serving with I received funds/pledges to cover all my expenses by the time the TREK program started. For the Elevation program most of my initial reservations also had to do with my own pride, being an apprentice and having to fund-raise 1/3 of my salary for 2-4 years is not exactly prestigious. But I  am trusting that the Lord will provide for me in this as well. I do not have all the fundraising details at this time, but I will be acquiring and circulating them in the next week or two. 

Please pray for supporters and ministry partners as I start the process of raising the funds needed to continue serving in this place/way. The goal is 10,000 a year (12 months starting in June) that will be matched by both the conference and the church, to make up my annual salary. I am not 100% clear on what happens if I can't raise it all, but my current understanding is that the money from the church and conference is to match my own, meaning that if i raise 5,000 only, then I only get a total of 15,000, to cover living/school expenses for the year.  So while ten thousand seems like a lot to raise, every dollar will be tripled by the generosity of the church and conference. Please pray that the funds come in, and perhaps consider continuing to support me financially if you are able.

I continue to look forward to what God has in store for me both at the church I am serving with, and in this new program. 

God Bless

- Stefan Klassen

Voting Today

Hello Support Team,

Tonight the church I have been serving at will be voting on the decision to bring me on as a staff member or not. The meeting will start this evening at 7:30 and I would appreciate if you would join with me in praying today that God will influence both the church and myself towards His plans for us. I feel strongly in favour of this partnership, but more than that, I want to follow God's path wherever that takes me. Thank you for your prayers, I will post a similarly short entry in the next day or so when I am told the results of the vote.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

End of March - Possibilities and Trust

Hey Support Team,

I must apologize for missing my last post. It was partially due to being busy, but also due to the fact that not a lot has changed since my last post.

My last post I talked about the possibilities of staying on with the current church that I am serving with, through a program called Elevation. I have prayed and asked all of you to pray as well and the feedback has been overwhelmingly one sided. With a single exception I have felt through prayer, and conversation that I am to pursue this program. So I have told the church that I am interested and willing to stay on. However that is and was not the end of the conversation. Because although the leadership of the church is overwhelmingly for this, the membership is not as much. Not to say that they are against my coming on, but rather that there was a small, but vocal, group who protested against my wage, despite my having to raise a third of it and the total being less than if I was hired any other way.

So in mid April the church is going to vote on whether or not they want to hire me in this Elevation position. I feel very strongly about it, but if the church chooses to go another way I will be in need very quickly. So I am struggling between exploring my other options and having faith that the church and what I believe God is saying will line up.

Please pray for me in this situation. All my decisions, for the foreseeable future rely on knowing where I will be serving/working. As I get closer and closer to the date of the completion of my program, I get more and more nervous and concerned. So please pray that the both the church and I are able to understand and discern the will of God for me and the possibility of my continued involvement with them. Also please pray that if this is not in Gods plan, that he would reveal my next steps to me.

Other than the aforementioned issue I am doing well. The students are being more open and receptive to me and my teachings. The young adult ministry is thriving and growing. My comfort and ability to preach and teach are increasing. And I am developing strong relationships with mentors and other pastors who have been doing this much longer than I.

 Overall this time has been very affirming of my gifting, while also highlighting the necessity of God in ministry. I know that seems obvious, but to my observations it is Christ alone who makes the real changes in a persons life. Over the past few weeks I have been meditating on this thought and a few days ago I read this in my devotions

              "After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's Servants through whom you                      believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in                      your hearts, and Appolos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It is not important                    who does the planting, or who does the watering. What is important is that God makes the                    seed grow." 1 Corinthians 3:5-7

Whether planting, watering, or reaping a harvest, I am just a worker in the field that the Lord has placed in front of me. Each plant requires its own special treatment and care, and I need to rely on God to show me how to care for them all, because it is God, not me, who makes them grow.

God Bless

- Stefan Klassen

Middle of February - Opportunities and Reviews

Hello Support Team,

I am so thankful for where God has placed me! These past few weeks I have had my mid-program review with my mentoring pastor and have been invited into a potentially amazing opportunity for my future.

As most, if not all, of you know I have felt called to ministry for some time now, and while there has not been a lot of movement on that front, the feeling of call is still strong. There have been periodical affirmations from different ministries and leaders as I continue to volunteer and serve in these ministries. But I have never before received such a strong affirmation as I have recently from the church I am serving at. My progress at the church I am serving with was recently reviewed, and while I think that everyone needs to be assessed at times, I was still caught of guard at the notion of being reviewed when I was essentially a volunteer. It is weird that no matter how well I think I am doing, at the prospect of reviews my mind always goes to the worst case scenario, regardless of how unlikely. This case was no different. So when I met with my pastoral mentor I had not a small amount of trepidation and uncertainty regarding said review. It also bears mentioning that my mentor and supervisor does not give superfluous compliments or comments, he chooses his words carefully with intentionality to be certain that what he says is exactly what he means. So when I received a glowing and positive review, with an endorsement to the conference that he does indeed believe I have the capacity and gifting to be a pastor, I was incredibly encouraged.

Coming out of this I had a meeting with the pastor and church council chair about a week later. The meeting was about the prospect of me staying on for a good while longer and taking part in the MB conferences new Elevation program. The decision has to be approved by the church, but it also presents me with a decision about weather or not I want to enter into it. This Elevation program involves me staying on with this church for half time (22 hours a week) for between 2-4 more years as an apprentice and serving in many of the same ways I have been so far. But for the other half time it involves me going back to school for my Masters degree. If I attended 2 years part time I would receive a certificate that could be upgraded after another 2 years (30 credit hours) to a Masters of Church ministry.

So the pro's are obvious. I have the chance to continue serving where I am and invest further with the relationships I have already begun to invest in. This would be a paid salary position and my school would be mostly paid for as well. I would also get a good head-start on a Masters, which most churches, require for a lot of pastor positions.

The con's are less obvious but still there. I would be a student for at least 2 more years, and while I think it is important to always be learning, I also would like to actually do something with my learning. For this paid position I would need to fund-raise 1/3rd. (approximately 10,000 per year). God has been so generous to me through the donations of many of you who are reading this right now, but it is still a huge ask. And finally, it is my current and strong conviction that I am to function and serve in youth ministry, which does not require more than a bachelors degree, so while a masters may be nice it is not expressly required.

This is a decision I have to make rather sooner than I would like, as the church needs to vote on weather or not they are up to the additional financial commitment that they would undertake as well. But for me, right now, wherever you are, could you please pray for discernment for me at this time. I am of two minds on this issue and will seek wherever God directs me, but I very much need that direction to move forward. And if in your prayers you find God speaking to you about me and this decision please let me know.

God Bless
- Stefan Klassen

Preaching, Funerals, and Other Pastoral Experiences

Good Morning all,

The past few weeks have been very good, and very busy for me, but that being said I do not have to many new observations to share with you, so I will keep this post brief. Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to preach once more, I have shadowed the Pastor who has been mentoring me as he led and performed a funeral, and have had a number of pastoral experiences.conversations with people. 

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach on Psalm 19. I do not know if you have ever preached or tried to do an in depth study of the Psalms, but most of them are fairly straightforward. The Psalms are songs and poetry, all of which are good and important, but there is not much more to say usually beyond what is written down. So I struggled to try to faithfully preach the text, but also avoid boring people to tears as I spoke for 25 minutes on little more than a dozen verses. So I did my best to offer insights and rather than go for an in depth word analysis, I decided to relate personal stories of how the passage related to me and my life. This went over very well and despite some significant trepidation I feel like it may have been one of my best messages. But the funny thing about sermon prep, at least in my experience, is that sometimes the key point of the passage is completely different when you are done, than when you started. I was reading Psalm 19 as a passage where David is praising God for the ways He shows Himself to David. And while that is true, the real beneficial observation is that before Jesus and the Spirit, humanity was incredibly limited in our ability to speak with and hear from the almighty. This reminded me of what one of the Trek Orientation speakers shared with me. 'The Gospel is as powerful today as it was 2000 years ago!" Jesus said that all the laws of the prophets and the old testament were about love (Mathew 22:40), and that His coming was the fulfillment of the old testament (Mathew 5:17). So everything I teach, everything I preach, all my interactions with believers and unbelievers should be directing people towards the life changing gospels of Jesus Christ. After all my job is not to make the seeds grow, but rather to plant them faithfully and trust in God for the rest. 

This past week I have also had the opportunity to participate in the funeral of someone who was fairly well known at the church I have been serving with. I am still processing the experience, but it was fairly surreal to be at a funeral, but not know the deceased, or even their family. But it occurred to me, and not for the first time, is that the funeral is for the living and not the deceased. It is about honouring the memory of the departed, but also about reminding all in attendance about the resurrection and hope that can be found in Jesus. As I watched the pastor interact with mourners and preach a short message I noticed him doing these two things, honour the memory and preach the resurrection.

Other opportunities I have had over the past few weeks are attending a multi-denominational ministerial conversation. I was able to interact with and learn from Lutheran, Anglican, catholic and united church pastors/priests a really cool experience as they were very open to having their brain picked. 

I attended a youth ministry class as a panelist along with 3 other people who I know fairly well, doing  a lot of the same that I am, and most not for much longer than I had. It was a very cool and affirming experience, but also quite intimidating at times as the students asked many difficult and insightful questions. 

I attended a meeting of several churches where I was able to hear firsthand testimony of a Mu$lim mi$$ion@ry, and how this person has been able to impact that area of the world for the kingdom of God. 

I attended a poverty simulation hosted by the United Way in Winnipeg. Where I and about 40 other adults took on roles of people living in our city and how poverty affects them. It was incredibly profound as I found myself being the sole breadwinner in a family of 5 and having to trust my 'family' to make good choices. Then knowing and being able to see a way to get myself and family out of poverty, but being unable to share that vision or properly care for my fictitious children, because I was at work all day. It was a very different view of poverty than I had previously thought of.

All in all a good few weeks. Please keep me in prayer for continued wisdom in leadership of the youth and young adult ministries. 

God Bless

- Stefan Klassen