Posted: August 5, 2025
Featured Image: Photo by Crosstown Impact, a NewGround partner located in Eastern Ontario
I am always in awe of the ways God works in our lives and in particular, the way He shows up. One way He does that (for me!) is through repeated themes that keep showing up to the point where I just can’t ignore them.
Back in April of this year, a few of our staff, along with some friends at Resonate Global Mission, began planning for the second Moving Forward in Faith (MFIF) Conference, happening this coming fall. A theme that emerged from our brainstorming and dreaming together was The Church Released. We later chose Matthew 6:10 as our key verse: ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven’, taken from the Lord’s Prayer.
A couple weeks later, our Development Coordinator, Aren, was working on our brand new monthly donor campaign and we were brainstorming ideas for names, etc. The one that rose to the top was Build UP – with the emphasis that our donors help us help deacons build God’s Kingdom here on earth. (Now at the time, I wasn’t thinking at all about our MFIF theme, partly because we hadn’t picked that key verse of the Lord’s Prayer yet.)
Then, on May 23rd at our annual Ministry Networking Day with NewGround partners, Ron, our National Director, shared an opening talk about his experience with Diaconal Ministries over the last number of years. He shared that he saw a new reformation happening in the church – led primarily by the deacons and the ones who are pursuing justice and mercy – God’s Shalom. He shared a compelling video by Brian Maclaren about how following Jesus isn’t about getting into heaven/God’s Kingdom, but it’s about experiencing and bringing His Kingdom down here, on earth, as it is in heaven!
But wait – there’s more!
Then in June, my church was privileged to have Kevin DeRaaf of Resonate Global Mission speak. His sermon was on Isaiah 62:1-12 and he called it ‘Give Them No Rest’. Looking at the title, I wasn’t sure what it was going to be about; mostly because I wasn’t super familiar with Isaiah 62.
And then he started preaching!
Isaiah 62 is a prophetic vision of restoration, hope, and God’s divine commitment to a renewed people and land. It paints a picture of Jerusalem no longer forsaken but called “Sought After” and “The City No Longer Deserted.” It was written to the people when they were in exile in Babylon, not living their best life by any means. In these verses, God is reminding His people that he has not forgotten or forsaken them. Isaiah 62 shows God’s unwavering love and commitment to His people. Despite their past struggles and tribulations, a beautiful future is prophesied; one filled with glory, righteousness, and divine favour.
In verse 6, God says: “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night.” In ancient times, the purpose of watching on the walls of a city was to observe what was happening and to spot enemies or danger that might approach. We don’t have literal watchers on the walls in our culture today, but there are lots of people who do something similar. Weather forecasters tell us what weather is coming. Financial experts keep an eye on the markets. Police ‘keep watch’ while we sleep in our beds at night. Others watch what’s going on in geopolitics.
Kevin reminded us that as Christ-followers (and I’ll single out deacons here too!), we act as “watchmen on the walls” when we keep paying attention in order to discern what is going on in the spiritual realm and to keep praying about it. We pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” and then look at where God is at work!
The best part of the sermon (for me!) was when we got to verse 10 and the prophecy calls for a physical and spiritual rebuilding. It instructs people to “build up, build up the highway” and clear away obstacles, signifying the preparation of a way for God’s people and their salvation.
Isaiah 62:10 is a call to action, urging people to actively participate in the rebuilding of lives and communities, allowing God’s work to be done; for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven!
- When we visit someone in prison, we are building God’s Kingdom.
- When we care for creation and not misuse it…
- When we love our enemy and those who disagree with us…
- When we share our resources willingly and cheerfully…
- When we stick up for people who can’t stick up for themselves…
- When we forgive others as God forgives us… we are building God’s Kingdom.
This recurring theme of building God’s Kingdom here and now reflects perfectly the work of Diaconal Ministries Canada.
Every day, deacons lead the way in compassion, justice, and stewardship – equipping and empowering their congregations. And when deacons are well-equipped and supported, communities flourish!
But deacons can’t do it alone; they need ongoing support, training, and encouragement to thrive in their roles and lead lasting change. This is where Diaconal Ministries comes in – walking alongside them and their congregations.
But we also can’t do this alone! This is where YOU come in.
“Build UP” is our new monthly giving community – an invitation to join a faithful body of supporters investing in long-term transformation.
By giving monthly, you’ll help us continue to build UP church leaders who are rooted in service and wisdom. And through that, you’ll be building UP communities of care that reflect Christ’s love in real, tangible ways.
When you give monthly to Diaconal Ministries, you help us:
- EQUIP Church Leaders to Serve in Holistic Ways: Your support helps us train and mentor deacons to walk with people facing poverty, displacement, and injustice – with wisdom and compassion.
- STRENGTHEN Communities through Local Churches: Your monthly gift nurtures strong, faithful leadership in local churches and allows us to reach more communities with practical support, spiritual encouragement, and Christ-like compassion.
- SUSTAIN a Movement of Justice, Stewardship, and Mercy: You’ll be part of a growing network that nurtures biblical justice and faithful leadership – not just occasionally, but month after month.
Your steady, monthly support will allow us to plan wisely, respond quickly, and walk closely with churches year round. Any amount can make a lasting difference in the lives of deacons – and, ultimately, in the communities they serve.
We can’t wait to build a stronger future together – with you!
To find out more, email our Development Coordinator, Aren Plante, at aplante@crcna.org. Or if you’re ready to become a monthly donor today, click the button below!
