The Free Methodist Church in Canada (FMCIC) has faced a challenging reality in the recent decade, marked by the closure of several churches. This trend is not unique to FMCIC; it reflects broader shifts across the North American church landscape, including the reality of a post-COVID world. In response, FMCIC has and will continue to engage in serious conversations about restructuring, renewal, and revitalization. That’s one of the absolute priorities of our Church Health department. One of the joys of my role is to come alongside Pastors and boards, together with our regional coaches, to hear unique church stories and accompany them as they make hard yet necessary changes to see things shift in the right direction.
The challenges faced by FMCIC churches are unique yet not insurmountable. Many congregations are small, with an average attendance of 30 to 60 members, often situated in remote areas. Pastors are often bi-vocational or multi-vocational, and many churches lack the visibility and accessibility found in urban locations, where spontaneous visitors are more frequent. While some congregations benefit from fully paid-off buildings, they contend with an aging membership, a scarcity of younger families, and the pressures of maintaining part-time pastoral leadership. For some, the focus has shifted to simply “keeping the lights on,” with little capacity for growth or long-term momentum.
Yet amidst these challenges, there are inspiring stories of deep discipleship, relational growth, and God’s miraculous power at work in communities. These glimpses of hope remind us that God is still at work, calling us to be faithful stewards of the mission He has entrusted to us. To move forward, we must be proactive in our approach and priorities, recognizing the urgency and opportunity of this moment. As we plan and prepare for the future, sometimes church closures are inevitable. Many of our FM churches may never be called to be mega-churches, and being small isn’t always bad. Yet, to navigate each scenario with clarity, we need to establish clear guidelines for advancing along the path ahead with prayerful discernment, strategic focus, and unwavering trust in God’s ability to bring renewal and transformation.
Today, I want to invite Pastor Danny Arévalo, a member of the newly established National Church Health Team and Lead Pastor at Freedom Church (formerly New Westminster), to share a brief story about the joys, pains, challenges, and realities involved in a church’s journey toward revitalization in his own context. When Danny was hired, New Westminster Church was struggling, barely holding on with a few older, faithful members. Through a combination of God’s sovereign work, intentionality, a team mentality, and prayer, God has begun to completely renew this church into a place where people can continue to come and experience His renewing touch. However, the road has not been easy for Danny and the team at Freedom Church. I want him to share part of his story and a video interview he recorded a few months ago when he accompanied me to pitch the idea of engaging in a unique revitalization journey to another FMC Church in BC.
-Jervis
