Flourishing Congregations Institute
@fcinstitute.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary, ecumenical research centre, housed at Ambrose University. We research the Canadian Church, providing Canadian data for Canadian church leaders.
Join Angela Reitsma Bick, Editor of Christian Courier Magazine, for an interactive 45-minute webinar about her book Blessed are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada.
*This webinar features a conversation with a church leader respondent, following the presentation.
*This webinar features a conversation with a church leader respondent, following the presentation.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
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November 3, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Join Angela Reitsma Bick, Editor of Christian Courier Magazine, for an interactive 45-minute webinar about her book Blessed are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada.
*This webinar features a conversation with a church leader respondent, following the presentation.
*This webinar features a conversation with a church leader respondent, following the presentation.
Explore the relationship between Christianity and culture in this video with James T. Robertson, Associate Professor of Christian History at Tyndale University. This video offers a nuanced look at how images of the divine reflect—and often reinforce—human narratives, sometimes in problematic ways.
Defending White Jesus
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
October 27, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Explore the relationship between Christianity and culture in this video with James T. Robertson, Associate Professor of Christian History at Tyndale University. This video offers a nuanced look at how images of the divine reflect—and often reinforce—human narratives, sometimes in problematic ways.
How hospitable are #congregations to #pastors? Find out in this insightful article by Margaret Clarke Counselling Department Head and Assistant Professor of Couple and Family Therapy at Briercrest College and Seminary.
How Hospitable are Congregations to Pastors? – Flourishing Congregations Institute
How hospitable are congregations to pastors? Pastors are often central in extending care and hospitality in congregations. But they need to be recipients of care by their congregations too, not just t...
flourishingcongregations.org
October 15, 2025 at 9:55 PM
How hospitable are #congregations to #pastors? Find out in this insightful article by Margaret Clarke Counselling Department Head and Assistant Professor of Couple and Family Therapy at Briercrest College and Seminary.
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar with Ross Lockhart, “Minority Report: Christian Witness in a Secular City,” or wish to watch it again or share with others? You can access a recording of the half-hour event here.
Minority Report: Christian Witness in a Secular City
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
October 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar with Ross Lockhart, “Minority Report: Christian Witness in a Secular City,” or wish to watch it again or share with others? You can access a recording of the half-hour event here.
Our event is just a few days away, and there is still time to register. Join us on October 10 with Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for a #webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver.
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Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
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October 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Our event is just a few days away, and there is still time to register. Join us on October 10 with Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for a #webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver.
Join Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for an interactive half-hour webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver. Attend this webinar to learn about how Christians are sharing the gospel.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Join Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for an interactive half-hour webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver. Attend this webinar to learn about how Christians are sharing the gospel.
Join Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for an interactive half-hour webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver. Attend this webinar to learn about how Christians are sharing the gospel.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
September 12, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Join Ross Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, for an interactive half-hour webinar about his recently released book, West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver. Attend this webinar to learn about how Christians are sharing the gospel.
Curious about what helps #Canadian congregations flourish forward in ministry? Join Canadian researchers and #church leaders for four half-hour webinars on topics intended to help congregations flourish. Learn about the Flourishing Forward Webinar series and save your spot by visiting our website.
Upcoming Events – Flourishing Congregations Institute
flourishingcongregations.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:42 PM
What stories do #congregations tell when confronted with transition and change? And what can other #churches learn in the process toward their own flourishing? Learn more in this fascinating article by Joel Thiessen, Director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute at Ambrose University.
Your church’s story – Flourishing Congregations InstituteBluesky
In this article, sociologist Joel Thiessen shares some great ideas from his recent research on how a church can tell and live its story for a dynamic future. This article was originally published by F...
flourishingcongregations.org
June 18, 2025 at 4:53 PM
What stories do #congregations tell when confronted with transition and change? And what can other #churches learn in the process toward their own flourishing? Learn more in this fascinating article by Joel Thiessen, Director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute at Ambrose University.
What makes a great #church leader? Research shows that patience and intentionality are key. Discover why in this insightful video by Elizabeth Millar, Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research, Wycliffe College.
Two Good Habits of Canadian Christian Pastoral Leaders
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
June 2, 2025 at 4:42 PM
What makes a great #church leader? Research shows that patience and intentionality are key. Discover why in this insightful video by Elizabeth Millar, Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research, Wycliffe College.
Our webinar is just ONE WEEK AWAY, and there's still time to register. On May 29th (1:00PM ET), join Arch Wong, Professor of Practical Theology at Ambrose University, in a webinar featuring data from a recent national survey on #evangelism. Register now!
Events — Church Planting Canada
www.churchplantingcanada.ca
May 21, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Our webinar is just ONE WEEK AWAY, and there's still time to register. On May 29th (1:00PM ET), join Arch Wong, Professor of Practical Theology at Ambrose University, in a webinar featuring data from a recent national survey on #evangelism. Register now!
Is #Canada socialist? Check out this thought provoking, witty & professionally produced video by historian James Tyler Robertson who invites us to consider the role of the local #church in society a century ago … and today. youtu.be/TzAwuihLgC8
Is Canada Socialist?
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
May 16, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Is #Canada socialist? Check out this thought provoking, witty & professionally produced video by historian James Tyler Robertson who invites us to consider the role of the local #church in society a century ago … and today. youtu.be/TzAwuihLgC8
On May 29th (1:00PM ET), Arch Wong, Professor of Practical Theology at Ambrose University, will be hosting a webinar in partnership with Church Planting Canada. The webinar - "What Should Church Leaders Know About Evangelism?" - will feature data from a recent national survey on #evangelism.
Events — Church Planting Canada
www.churchplantingcanada.ca
May 13, 2025 at 9:16 PM
On May 29th (1:00PM ET), Arch Wong, Professor of Practical Theology at Ambrose University, will be hosting a webinar in partnership with Church Planting Canada. The webinar - "What Should Church Leaders Know About Evangelism?" - will feature data from a recent national survey on #evangelism.
Interested in learning about co-vocational #pastors? Check out our most recent Flourishing Forward release by Dr. Rebeca Heringer, Co-Vocational Canada Researcher at Briercrest College and Seminary.
Co-Vocational Ministry in Canada: A Passion, An Enduring Challenge, and a Call for Action – Flourishing Congregations InstituteBluesky
How is co-vocational ministry being experienced across Canada? Data from Co-Vocational Canada Symposium reveals insights from denominational leaders, co-vocational practitioners, and academic leaders ...
flourishingcongregations.org
May 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Interested in learning about co-vocational #pastors? Check out our most recent Flourishing Forward release by Dr. Rebeca Heringer, Co-Vocational Canada Researcher at Briercrest College and Seminary.
Join #Christians from across #Canada at the 2025 NATIONAL MINISTRY MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT.
If you attend, you’ll hear Joel Thiessen present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
You can register for the summit here: lnkd.in/gY89zxA2
If you attend, you’ll hear Joel Thiessen present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
You can register for the summit here: lnkd.in/gY89zxA2
May 2, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Join #Christians from across #Canada at the 2025 NATIONAL MINISTRY MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT.
If you attend, you’ll hear Joel Thiessen present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
You can register for the summit here: lnkd.in/gY89zxA2
If you attend, you’ll hear Joel Thiessen present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
You can register for the summit here: lnkd.in/gY89zxA2
"Canadians are increasingly less inclined toward participating in structured religious activities and are less inclined to belief in God." Rev. Dr. Lee Beach, Associate Professor of Christian Ministry at McMaster Divinity College, in our most recent Flourishing Forward release.
Hope For the Future: The 2021 Canadian Census – Flourishing Congregations InstituteBluesky
I am an editor for the journal Post Christendom Studies. In the most recent issue we asked a number of scholars to reflect on the 2021 Canadian census with a view to understanding the implications of ...
flourishingcongregations.org
April 21, 2025 at 7:56 PM
"Canadians are increasingly less inclined toward participating in structured religious activities and are less inclined to belief in God." Rev. Dr. Lee Beach, Associate Professor of Christian Ministry at McMaster Divinity College, in our most recent Flourishing Forward release.
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar on our recently released book, The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing in the Face of Transition and Change? You can access a recording of the one-hour event here. youtu.be/bC0XBmhvzcE
The Stories Congregations Tell - Flourishing Forward Webinar
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
April 7, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar on our recently released book, The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing in the Face of Transition and Change? You can access a recording of the one-hour event here. youtu.be/bC0XBmhvzcE
Would you like to learn more about #preaching? Check out our recent Flourishing Forward release with Rev. Dr. Sarah Han, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Tyndale University.
flourishingcongregations.org
April 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Would you like to learn more about #preaching? Check out our recent Flourishing Forward release with Rev. Dr. Sarah Han, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Tyndale University.
In less than one week, we will be hosting a #FREE webinar on our new book, The Stories Congregations Tell. In this webinar, you'll hear from the authors and three practitioners, including Dr. Sarah Han, Linda Nicholls, and Fr. James Mallon. The webinar will occur on April 1, 10:00AM to 11:00AM MST.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
March 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
In less than one week, we will be hosting a #FREE webinar on our new book, The Stories Congregations Tell. In this webinar, you'll hear from the authors and three practitioners, including Dr. Sarah Han, Linda Nicholls, and Fr. James Mallon. The webinar will occur on April 1, 10:00AM to 11:00AM MST.
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar with Katie Steeves, “Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender Inequality,” or wish to watch it again or share with others? You can access a recording of the half-hour event here.
Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender Inequality
YouTube video by Flourishing Congregations Institute
youtu.be
March 24, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Did you miss last week’s Flourishing Forward webinar with Katie Steeves, “Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender Inequality,” or wish to watch it again or share with others? You can access a recording of the half-hour event here.
Reposted by Flourishing Congregations Institute
If you’re in Calgary, register to hear me present on 2 projects from sabbatical research this Wednesday at Ambrose Research Conference. Presentation on religious transmission w/children in Catholic parishes & author-meets-critics session on new book, The Stories Congregations Tell. ambrose.edu/arc
Ambrose Research Conference | Ambrose University
ambrose.edu
March 24, 2025 at 6:55 PM
If you’re in Calgary, register to hear me present on 2 projects from sabbatical research this Wednesday at Ambrose Research Conference. Presentation on religious transmission w/children in Catholic parishes & author-meets-critics session on new book, The Stories Congregations Tell. ambrose.edu/arc
Our event is just a few days away! Join us Friday, 11:30AM MT, to hear Katie Steeves, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity Western University and Associate Director of Research at the Flourishing Congregations Institute present on #Canadian #Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender #Inequality.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
March 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Our event is just a few days away! Join us Friday, 11:30AM MT, to hear Katie Steeves, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity Western University and Associate Director of Research at the Flourishing Congregations Institute present on #Canadian #Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender #Inequality.
"For those of you not in a ministry role, how might you support the clergy people that you know and their spouses, knowing that they experience challenges?" Margaret Clarke at Briercrest College and Seminary, in our NEW Flourishing Forward release.
The Impact and Recovery from Adverse Ministry Experiences on Clergy and Spouses – Flourishing Congregations InstituteBluesky
In this video, Dr. Margaret Clarke will discuss preliminary findings from the new study she and Dr. Marcus Tanner conducted investigating clergy and spouses’ ability to bounce back from stressful expe...
flourishingcongregations.org
March 7, 2025 at 6:07 PM
"For those of you not in a ministry role, how might you support the clergy people that you know and their spouses, knowing that they experience challenges?" Margaret Clarke at Briercrest College and Seminary, in our NEW Flourishing Forward release.
Register for our FREE webinar with Katie Steeves, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity Western University and Associate Director of Research at Flourishing Congregations - "Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender Inequality." March 21, 11:30AM MT.
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
March 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Register for our FREE webinar with Katie Steeves, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity Western University and Associate Director of Research at Flourishing Congregations - "Gender Light Bulb Moments in Ministry: Canadian Women Pastors' Experiences of Gender Inequality." March 21, 11:30AM MT.
Join #Christians from across #Canada at the 2025 NATIONAL MINISTRY MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT.
If you attend, you’ll hear Dr. Joel Thiessen, Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University, present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
If you attend, you’ll hear Dr. Joel Thiessen, Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University, present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
March 3, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Join #Christians from across #Canada at the 2025 NATIONAL MINISTRY MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT.
If you attend, you’ll hear Dr. Joel Thiessen, Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University, present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.
If you attend, you’ll hear Dr. Joel Thiessen, Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University, present on normalizing (and stigmatizing) mental health and illness in congregations on Wednesday May 21st, 2025.