What We Want You To Know About Us
1. Though we try, we don't always live the way we should, and we know it.
Like every family, we have our problems, and each of us is still struggling to be what God wants. If you're looking for Christians who live perfectly, keep looking.
2. We won't force our faith on you, ever.
Though we feel a passion and responsibility to share what God has done for us, we don't have the right - or desire - to push our beliefs on others. You’ll never have to worry about pressure of any kind.
3. We’re not after your money.
Though we take up a weekly, voluntary collection, it's only for those who want to give and visitors are not expected to contribute. What people give is their own business.
God cares about motives, not amounts.
4. We’re interested in all areas of your life, with no strings attached.
That includes your family, social, and emotional needs. We're not very big and we don't
have much, but we're committed to making a difference in people's lives.
5. We’re a come-as-you-are church family.
We won't judge you and we'll welcome you no matter what you look like on the outside, or the inside. We wear our regular clothes for worship instead of dressing up. But more important, we accept one another the way we are while helping each other reach our full spiritual potential. Our family is a safe place to share your doubts, needs and struggles.
6. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter Christianity.
God created each of us as unique individuals and we give each other the freedom to respond to Him with the very real differences in our personalities and approaches. We don't want to change you into someone you're not. We only want to help you connect with God so He can make you what He always intended.
7. We encourage people to check things out for themselves.
We believe the Bible is clear about the essentials: God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is loving and involved in the lives of His creatures; Jesus was fully human and fully God and was raised from the dead after dying on the cross for our sins; we can know what God is like and what He wants through scripture; and love comes first. But we also believe not all issues are black and white. We encourage personal study, discussion, and the respectful sharing of viewpoints without anyone imposing their views on others. If you're looking for a church with uniform, consistent doctrine that everyone must embrace, Followers would disappoint you.
8. We connect faith to real life.
We believe God is the answer to the challenges in every part of our lives and relationships. Our goal is to make faith interesting, relevant, and meaningful.
9. We’re not the best show in town.
Our worship is organized and strives for excellence, but if you're looking for professional live music or flawless performance, we're likely not for you. But you can expect worship that's intimate, informal, heartfelt, and God-centred.
10. We’re Christians only, but we're not the only Christians.
Our church family is completely independent and not linked to any denomination. We know we're only a small part of the one church set up by Jesus, so we want to love, accept and work alongside other Christians, without feeling the need to agree with everything they do or believe. We're followers of Christ. It's not just a name. It's a
way of life.
Like every family, we have our problems, and each of us is still struggling to be what God wants. If you're looking for Christians who live perfectly, keep looking.
2. We won't force our faith on you, ever.
Though we feel a passion and responsibility to share what God has done for us, we don't have the right - or desire - to push our beliefs on others. You’ll never have to worry about pressure of any kind.
3. We’re not after your money.
Though we take up a weekly, voluntary collection, it's only for those who want to give and visitors are not expected to contribute. What people give is their own business.
God cares about motives, not amounts.
4. We’re interested in all areas of your life, with no strings attached.
That includes your family, social, and emotional needs. We're not very big and we don't
have much, but we're committed to making a difference in people's lives.
5. We’re a come-as-you-are church family.
We won't judge you and we'll welcome you no matter what you look like on the outside, or the inside. We wear our regular clothes for worship instead of dressing up. But more important, we accept one another the way we are while helping each other reach our full spiritual potential. Our family is a safe place to share your doubts, needs and struggles.
6. We don’t believe in cookie-cutter Christianity.
God created each of us as unique individuals and we give each other the freedom to respond to Him with the very real differences in our personalities and approaches. We don't want to change you into someone you're not. We only want to help you connect with God so He can make you what He always intended.
7. We encourage people to check things out for themselves.
We believe the Bible is clear about the essentials: God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — is loving and involved in the lives of His creatures; Jesus was fully human and fully God and was raised from the dead after dying on the cross for our sins; we can know what God is like and what He wants through scripture; and love comes first. But we also believe not all issues are black and white. We encourage personal study, discussion, and the respectful sharing of viewpoints without anyone imposing their views on others. If you're looking for a church with uniform, consistent doctrine that everyone must embrace, Followers would disappoint you.
8. We connect faith to real life.
We believe God is the answer to the challenges in every part of our lives and relationships. Our goal is to make faith interesting, relevant, and meaningful.
9. We’re not the best show in town.
Our worship is organized and strives for excellence, but if you're looking for professional live music or flawless performance, we're likely not for you. But you can expect worship that's intimate, informal, heartfelt, and God-centred.
10. We’re Christians only, but we're not the only Christians.
Our church family is completely independent and not linked to any denomination. We know we're only a small part of the one church set up by Jesus, so we want to love, accept and work alongside other Christians, without feeling the need to agree with everything they do or believe. We're followers of Christ. It's not just a name. It's a
way of life.
WHO WE ARE

As in any family, each of us shares privileges and responsibilities, and we encourage individuality and a sense of belonging.
We come from many Christian heritages, or no faith background at all, united in the quest to be just followers of Christ. Simply put, we want to put aside the religious traditions that divide believers and unite on the simple teachings of Jesus in a way that's fresh and relevant to real life.
We come from many Christian heritages, or no faith background at all, united in the quest to be just followers of Christ. Simply put, we want to put aside the religious traditions that divide believers and unite on the simple teachings of Jesus in a way that's fresh and relevant to real life.
Our NAME

We're trying to model ourselves on the character and example of Jesus. He says,“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23)
We believe Jesus is the Son of God, who was crucified for our sins then raised from the dead on the third day, making Him the the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We trust Him to help us live the loving, significant and fulfilling life God always intended for us, from the very beginning.
We believe Jesus is the Son of God, who was crucified for our sins then raised from the dead on the third day, making Him the the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We trust Him to help us live the loving, significant and fulfilling life God always intended for us, from the very beginning.
What We're All About

Though our church family — and our lives — are far from perfect, we're committed to letting Jesus help us find love, meaning and strength for the journey of life. Our goals:
1. Point people to God and honour Him in all we do and all that we are.
2. Lovingly serve one another and those around us, with no conditions attached;
3. Share the Good News about the life-changing message of Jesus with all who want it. We have no desire to force our faith on anyone who isn't interested.
1. Point people to God and honour Him in all we do and all that we are.
2. Lovingly serve one another and those around us, with no conditions attached;
3. Share the Good News about the life-changing message of Jesus with all who want it. We have no desire to force our faith on anyone who isn't interested.
Why We're in the Community Centre

Our church began when a small group of Christians decided to establish a congregation in an area of the city that was struggling. When Thomas B. Costain School was closed and put up for sale, we thought it would be ideal for a non-traditional church. So we prayed, asking God to show us whether Costain was where He wanted us and — if so — to make it clear. It was, and He did.
When we couldn't raise enough to buy the property, we began to pray God would provide the $300,000 we needed. To be honest, some of us were very skeptical. But three weeks later, SC Johnson notified the City it was spending $600,000 to buy and completely renovate Costain, provided the municipality turned it into a Community Centre. Since the City needed partners, and knew of our long-standing interest in the property, we were invited to lease space. Incredible co-incidence? We don't think so.
When we couldn't raise enough to buy the property, we began to pray God would provide the $300,000 we needed. To be honest, some of us were very skeptical. But three weeks later, SC Johnson notified the City it was spending $600,000 to buy and completely renovate Costain, provided the municipality turned it into a Community Centre. Since the City needed partners, and knew of our long-standing interest in the property, we were invited to lease space. Incredible co-incidence? We don't think so.
OuR MINISTER

Our pastor is Rick Gamble. He'll be the first to tell you he's always been flawed and continues to be very imperfect, but the word minister means "servant", and that's how Rick sees his role.
After working as a CTV news reporter for many years, he went into full-time ministry in 1997. Along with his preaching, teaching, and counselling work, Rick taught Journalism at Wilfrid Laurier University for two decades and did several documentaries in Africa, notably on child soldiers, HIV AIDS, and the exploitation of impoverished workers.
His hobbies are videography, snorkeling and running. Rick's wife, Susan, is a gifted worship leader and ministry partner.
After working as a CTV news reporter for many years, he went into full-time ministry in 1997. Along with his preaching, teaching, and counselling work, Rick taught Journalism at Wilfrid Laurier University for two decades and did several documentaries in Africa, notably on child soldiers, HIV AIDS, and the exploitation of impoverished workers.
His hobbies are videography, snorkeling and running. Rick's wife, Susan, is a gifted worship leader and ministry partner.