RAMESH & ELSIE NARAINE
Catch The Fire Toronto East
I’ve had three conversions thus far. The first was when I was 14 and heard clearly for the first time the story of Jesus Christ. I decided then that I believed his message and that he was my Saviour.
The second was around the age of 24 when I met some Christians my age who had made rather radical decisions and had become short-term missionaries. I wanted to be radical too and also decided to be a short-term missionary – right out of university. It was during that period that I realized I hadn’t really made as full a relinquishment of my life to God as I had thought. I needed to, because he deserved it. Jesus had been, as it were, my co-pilot and I needed to make him the Captain.
The third was when I was 34 and encountered revolutionary teaching to me about God as a Loving Father. This conversion has in a sense been ongoing because my heart (the real me deep down) is still learning that I don’t have to live as if I were an orphan. I have a Good Father who provides, protects and has my best interest in the centre of his heart. This understanding of God revealed in the Bible is making all the difference in the world to me!
The second was around the age of 24 when I met some Christians my age who had made rather radical decisions and had become short-term missionaries. I wanted to be radical too and also decided to be a short-term missionary – right out of university. It was during that period that I realized I hadn’t really made as full a relinquishment of my life to God as I had thought. I needed to, because he deserved it. Jesus had been, as it were, my co-pilot and I needed to make him the Captain.
The third was when I was 34 and encountered revolutionary teaching to me about God as a Loving Father. This conversion has in a sense been ongoing because my heart (the real me deep down) is still learning that I don’t have to live as if I were an orphan. I have a Good Father who provides, protects and has my best interest in the centre of his heart. This understanding of God revealed in the Bible is making all the difference in the world to me!
My deepest desire is that I would help people to embark on a similar journey as I did – moving from embracing Jesus Christ as Saviour to discovering God as a Loving Father; from intellectual assent about the truth of the Gospel to radical devotion to the Person of the Triune God. This plays out in a much richer life, full of joy, peace, love and laughter!
My wife, Elsie, and I are currently happy leaders of a local church in Toronto. We love travelling, movies, good storytelling and hanging out with friends over a nice meal. I have a love-hate relationship with golf. Elsie is a professional watercolour landscape artist.
My wife, Elsie, and I are currently happy leaders of a local church in Toronto. We love travelling, movies, good storytelling and hanging out with friends over a nice meal. I have a love-hate relationship with golf. Elsie is a professional watercolour landscape artist.
PASTOR JONATHAN & TIAH BOUNDS
The Word Church
PASTOR JONATHAN & TIAH BOUNDS
Jonathan has served as the senior pastor at The Word Church of Lloydminster's sister church in Loon Lake since 2005, and transitioned into also pastoring the Lloydminster church in 2011. Together with his wife, Tiah, they have committed their lives to seeing the Kingdom of God expand in the hearts of the church while also seeing it expand into our communities and beyond.
Jonathan has served as the senior pastor at The Word Church of Lloydminster's sister church in Loon Lake since 2005, and transitioned into also pastoring the Lloydminster church in 2011. Together with his wife, Tiah, they have committed their lives to seeing the Kingdom of God expand in the hearts of the church while also seeing it expand into our communities and beyond.
It is their passionate desire to see Jesus glorified in Lloydminster, Loon Lake, and communities of Northern Canada, and they are thrilled to lead a thriving body of believers who share that same vision.
Joe and Nola Sinanan
Contend Canada
Contend Canada is a renaissance movement of vertical worship and intercession. Jesus appointed the twelve to first of all “be with Him”. This core value set the pattern of David’s Tent, St. Francis of Assisi and his troubadours, and the Moravians. This is also the DNA of Contend Canada. It is diverse in expression, non-denominational in affiliation, simple in focus, and missional in practice.
New branches are growing up from the ancient roots of David’s Tabernacle. When Saul encountered the Presence of God in the company of Samuel’s school of prophetic minstrels, he was “turned into another man”.
New branches are growing up from the ancient roots of David’s Tabernacle. When Saul encountered the Presence of God in the company of Samuel’s school of prophetic minstrels, he was “turned into another man”.
When David brought the Ark of God to Zion, Israel was turned into another nation. An open heaven environment rested on an entire region. As a result, the dream that God had for David’s generation was realized. David’s Tent is being restored today on a global scale, and the influence of the Kingdom of God and the outpouring of God’s Spirit will flood the nations. This is the heartbeat of Contend Canada – to see the Father’s dream for this generation realized.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks (John 4:23).”
This is not the mission of some elite group of spiritual people. It is the heart of God for His beautiful bride, the Church. So come and be ignited. Worship. Pray. Contend!
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks (John 4:23).”
This is not the mission of some elite group of spiritual people. It is the heart of God for His beautiful bride, the Church. So come and be ignited. Worship. Pray. Contend!