I began serving as a youth pastor with the Saskatchewan Baptist Association in Melville, Saskatchewan, in 2020. It was my first pastoral role. I stepped into it with energy, excitement, and wonder—only to quickly discover that expectations were high . . . and often conflicting.
Then came COVID.
Suddenly, ministry was uncharted territory. Every decision felt like a lose–lose situation. Opinions clashed—not only about the pandemic, but about politics, culture, and almost everything else. Sadly, these divisions didn’t end when restrictions lifted—they seeped deeper into homes, churches, and communities. Families stopped gathering for holidays. Friendships fractured. And all the while, the youth—those entrusted to our care—felt the ripple effects of the adults’ inability to reconcile.
In moments like this, our role can feel impossibly lonely. How do we unite youth and their families around the one truth that should bring us together—what Jesus did for us on the cross and the hope we have if we trust him?
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2 NASB)
Sometimes the challenges make it hard to see clearly. But God provides what we need for his service when we place our trust in him.
Philippians 2:13 reminds us “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
God provides his Word and his Spirit, and also his people. You are not alone. Others have walked this path before. Right alongside you, others are facing the wilderness of ministry, the loneliness of leadership, and the weight of division as youth workers in the NAB. We want to walk with you.
On August 14, we had our very first meeting of the Landing Youth Worker Strategy Team. . . .
Just a few weeks ago, NAB Multipliers hosted our seventh Fit Assessment at Heartland Community Church in Medina, Ohio. We were joined by four couples exploring calls to church multiplication and international missions. It was a joy to serve them!
The primary aim of Fit Assessment is to help individuals and couples discern their best next step in ministry. We use proven methods and tools designed to help each candidate accurately appraise their fit for a variety of ministry roles. Whether you’re considering taking on the role of lead planter in a church plant, being the lead pastor of a revitalization effort, or serving as an international missionary, we can help!
God is on the move through Fit Assessment, and it continues to expand. The next Fit Assessment is scheduled for February 24–26, 2026 in NorCal. If you or someone you know is interested in the assessment process, you can find more details at the link below.
Even if you’re not exploring your next step in ministry, Fit Assessment might still be for you. It’s exciting to share that we’ve now trained sixty leaders to serve on our Staff Team at Fit Assessment. If you’re interested in serving at a future event, please email Carissa Steinhart – we love engaging new leaders in the process!
learn more about fit assessment
Assess your congregation’s evangelism readiness with this four-week, online training.
- How well equipped is your congregation for the ministry of evangelism?
- How do you evaluate your church’s health in that regard?
- How would you identify equipping gaps in your congregation’s evangelistic faithfulness?
This training will provide an evaluative framework to help you assess your evangelistic equipping efforts. It will help you to recognize gaps you may need to fill and distortions you will want to correct and provide a clearer path forward towards helping your church become more evangelistically faithful.
This online training consists of four sessions that will be 90 minutes each.
Dates: October 1, 8, 15, 22
Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. (Eastern)
Register by September 30 at the link below. Training is free for NAB ministry leaders.
Blue Ocean is a transformative one-year learning experience. You’ll be part of a cohort that journeys together throughout the year, exploring what it means to join God on mission, be formed into the character of Christ, and dwell in your neighborhood – sharing and living out the Gospel. We meet three times a year in three different cities across the United States and Canada for multi-day retreats. Blue Ocean includes pastors, leaders, and regional ministers from across the NAB. Each cohort represents a cross-section of regions, church sizes, and ministry styles. The discussions are both encouraging and challenging.
Module 1
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Dates: October 21–24, 2025
Topic: Missional Theology – Joining in with the God of Mission
Module 2
Location: TBD
Dates: February 1–4, 2026
Topic: Missional Formation – Becoming Like Christ
Module 3
Location: Medina, Ohio
Dates: May 5–8, 2026
Topic: A Missional People – Becoming a Sent People
There is no cost for Blue Ocean, though participants are responsible for covering their travel and accommodation costs. All other costs are covered by the NAB.