By Pastor David Fields
Summit Drive Church in Kamloops, British Columbia
On the corner of my desk, I have a stack of baptismal testimonies – twenty-one of them – that I rescued from beside the tank after the happy cheers, hugs, and joyous chatter faded from the sanctuary after the service. Some testimonies are handwritten and others printed. One is nearly illegible due to a large tearstain, as the man from the Philippines read his story with both grief for what had been and joy for this fresh new reality in Christ.
Some represented stories of those “born-and-raised” in Christian homes (two were my own sons!), while many others were recent coming-to-Jesus-as-adult stories – each story indelibly stamped, in a unique and beautiful way, with the Spirit’s work.
One young woman, reading with her Persian accent, told her story of a miraculous healing from cancer in 2015 after calling out to Jesus. She had been given a Bible by her brother, who had been sentenced to death for his Christian faith. Fortunately, while out of custody, he was able to flee the country. As she read the Gospels, her heart was softening to Jesus.
But it was in Canada where she had the freedom to dig into her questions. As we sat in Booster Juice one spring afternoon, I realized the level of intellectual rigor in her wrestling. . . .
The season of Advent is nearly upon us, and with it comes the annual NAB Advent devotionals. Join with churches and individuals across the NAB as we step into the nativity story through daily devotionals, looking at how God became like a child for our sake and examining how Jesus calls us to become like children.
You can sign up to receive them in your inbox each day through the link below.
sign up for advent devotionals
In the meantime, you can find materials to promote the NAB Advent devotionals at your church or Bible study – including the full text of all twenty-six devotionals – at the resources link below.
Find advent devotional resources
The registration for Bonfire 2026 is almost ready to open. Starting December 4, you can register for Bonfire, taking place May 5–8, 2026, in a new city and with a new format.
What we call Bonfire has taken on several different iterations over the years. At its core, Bonfire was always designed to gather NAB leaders together around a shared purpose – commitment to our missional/formation journey as the NAB.
Just like a bonfire itself brings people together who may not otherwise interact, these gatherings have morphed and expanded as different NAB groups – Multipliers, Governing Board, Missions Advisory Team, just to name a few – have caught wind of and bought into the shared purpose of mission and formation.
This year, based on much feedback, we are streamlining this event in a way we hope reflects this purpose. Bonfire will now be the name we use to refer to the overarching event, the main umbrella under which these various gatherings of NAB leaders meet. There will be two main evening sessions for the entire group, including dinner, fellowship, worship, and a unified speaker. During the days, each attendee will join their specific group gathering, or Ministry Track – Multipliers Summit, MAT, Missional Initiatives Alumni, etc. – to engage with each other.
It is our hope that Bonfire 2026 will serve you, equip you, and encourage you in ways both specific to your individual group but also in broad ways as a vital member of our conference of churches.
Keep your eyes out for registration, and more information, coming soon!
The most recent issue of TouchPoint is out now. This newsletter from the NAB Women’s Connection Team includes great resources and stories for and by women. In this issue, you will find:
- Women’s Connection events in British Columbia, both this past September and coming up in January.
- A new TouchPoint series: The Women of Kairos, with Miriam Modi in Romania the first to be in the spotlight.
- A White Cross US update from Debbie Long.
- And book and Bible study favorites.
Click on the link below to read the newest copy. You can also sign up to receive a copy directly in your inbox.