Rebuilding evangelical presence in St. John’s
Steve Bray, pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in St. John’s, is helping to spearhead Mile One Mission, planting churches in Newfoundland and Labrador. PHOTO: ERIK MCLEAN
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. PHOTO: CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Returning to Newfoundland to join St. John’s Calvary Baptist Church as lead pastor after 15 years of Maritime preaching, Steve Bray vowed to “rediscover St. John’s heartbeat.”
Bray began working to develop relationships with the government, local schools, businesses and communities. He also set out to meet with leaders from various surrounding churches and ask questions about turnout, membership and growth.
After gathering a picture of the city and its church life, the state of evangelical faith “horrified” him.
Seeking a solution Bray brought an idea to the leadership team at Calvary Baptist Church.
“What would be more effective, strategic and valuable to St. John’s? One church of 2,000? Or ten churches of 200, all unique [places of worship] reflective of and embedded in the neighbourhoods [where] they are located?”
Mile One Mission plans to open four additional churches within the next two years.
Leadership agreed with the latter and Bray launched the churchplanting initiative Mile One Mission (MileOneMission.ca) in 2019 – named after the iconic Mile One of the Trans-Canada highway in St. John’s. Bray explains how, since its inception, Mile One Mission has looked for ways to be involved in many different communities, live out Christianity and model what it looks like for broken people to pursue and be transformed by a perfect Saviour.
This has included its churches operating various programs like clothing banks, addiction services, refugee work and community cleanup events while also supporting existing food banks, making plans for affordable housing and gaining shelter status.
Currently, with two church plants in St. John’s and one in Labrador, the organization plans to open four additional churches within the next two years.
But to Bray, simply growing churches is not indicative of success – the mission is so much greater.
“I don’t want people talking about [me]. I don’t even really want them talking about Mile One,” says Bray. “I want them to say, ‘God has done something in Newfoundland and Labrador.’ Because it’s about God saving people and people truly coming to Christ, putting their faith and trust in Him, and growing in Him and the Word.”
Photos: Erik McLean and Calvary Baptist Church