Green Shoots Out of Dry Ground: Growing a New Future for the Church in Canada

edited by John P. Bowen

All over Canada, from coast to coast, there is new life in the Christian church. In spite of declining numbers, every Christian tradition has stories to tell of new ministries, fledgling Christian communities, and fresh expressions of church springing up, sometimes in unlikely places.
Here, seventeen authors with experience in areas such as church revitalization, innovative ministry, evangelism, and church planting, reflect on what they are seeing and how the lessons they have learned can guide us into ways of health and vitality.
They tell us about immigrant churches and indigenous ministries, about youth research and environmental concerns, about churches in the city and churches in the country, about leadership and spirituality.
Scattered throughout the book are ten exciting stories of new ministries and new churches, from different traditions and different parts of the country, all seeking to engage their communities with the Gospel.
Does the church in Canada have a future? The answer these authors give is a resounding yes—green shoots can grow out of dry ground—if we are prepared to rise to the challenge and follow where the Spirit of God leads.
This book is timely, comprehensive, challenging, and deeply encouraging.

“This visionary book taps into deep biblical roots to discern how green shoots are springing up out of the dry ground of a post-Christendom culture. If the church is born of the word of God planted in dry ground, then this book offers gardening tips, and perhaps some fresh water to nurture those fragile seedlings. Or maybe we could say the church is a community garden and John Bowen serves us all as a master gardener, bringing together others with church growing, planting, and nurturing skills to make this garden flourish.”
—Brian J. Walsh, CRC Campus Minister, University of Toronto

“Bowen, in Green Shoots out of Dry Ground, captures the dilemma we face: wanting to be hopeful and inviting of Spirit-driven seasons, yet honest and reflective about the dryness of soil and too little rain. The bumpiness of opinion from one writer to another is helpful, reminding us that none has mastered the answers, yet all are desirous to see green shoots grow out of dry ground.”
—Brian C. Stiller, Global Ambassador, The World Evangelical Alliance

John P. Bowen is Professor of Evangelism and Director of the Institute of Evangelism at Wycliffe College in Toronto. He is author of Evangelism for “Normal” People (2002), The Spirituality of Narnia (2007), and Growing Up Christian (2010); he is also the editor of The Missionary Letters of Vincent Donovan, 1957–1973 (2011).