Centre for Missional Leadership

Looking to grow as a Christian leader?

Our new online courses are now available! 🎉

Explore practical, biblically grounded training in:
✅ Lay Leadership
✅ Preaching
✅ Spiritual Formation
✅ Mission & Witness

Learn from experienced pastors and ministry leaders, wherever you are and on your own schedule.

Visit thecml.ca or scan the QR code to get started.

A course: “Forming Churches that are Spiritually Alive in the Neighbourhood”

For church leaders (paid and unpaid). . .

A note from the Director of CML, Mark Glanville:

I wanted to let you know about this course, for churches that are seeking spiritual vitality and fresh imagination for witness in the local neighborhood. The course is run annually by the Centre for Missional Leadership, where I work (at UBC).

You gather a small cohort of leaders from your church (from three to ten leaders). This group joins us online for five Saturday mornings. The course is highly dialogical and practical. This past year we had twenty churches involved, from all over Canada.

Having a cohort from your church take this together it can impact the entire church (whereas if only you, or only one lay person, takes a course it is unlikely to impact the entire church). For many congregations, the course has not only jumpstarted a renewed missional engagement but has sparked overall vision conversation and energy.

At our gatherings we explore:

- Forming a Thicker Shared Life with each other and our Neighbours
- Reshaping our Sunday gatherings around food, conversation, prayer and welcome.
- Making a difference in your neighbourhood or city.
- A Neighborhood "experiment"
- A rich vision for worship
- Each church is assigned a coach from our team.

The course is not arduous, but it’s deep. The new cohort begins in late September 2026.

Group assignments are all geared to helping you engage your neighbors and your congregation more deeply; they are not assignments for "passing" the course. They help congregations implement some of the teaching and vision of the course.

One cool example of neighborhood experiments arising from the course was from Grace Presbyterian (Calgary). Grace Presbyterian got their front door painted red by someone angry about residential schools. Instead of just painting the door over, they used the incident as impetus to involve the church in hosting a public event (including their own apology or residential schools) and invited speakers to help educate their church and neighborhood. They made some tangible commitments to reconciliation themselves out of that journey. I love that story. This course is led by the one and only Tim Dickau

I just wanted to let you know about the certificate. The course will begin in September (as it does each year). If this is too fast for you, you can also jump on board in October. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you are interested in joining us. It’s as cheap as chips.
There is a tonne of information at this link—as well as registration.

Forming Churches that are Spiritually Alive in the Neighbourhood | Centre for Missional Leadership An increasing number of churches are recognizing the need to transition toward a more missional culture and framework whereby they can engage their neighbours and neighbourhoods more deeply. Some of these congregations are smaller and struggling to survive while others are larger but still desiring....

Ross A. Lockhart and Mark Glanville from the Center for Missional Leadership had the privilege of speaking at the annual conference for the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster today.

Ross spoke on the changing nature of Christianity and faith in cities like Vancouver—post-Christian cultures.

And Mark spoke on a vision for expository preaching in post-Christian contexts that nourishes faith (when faith is often so difficult).

The CML is grateful for this partnership with the Anglican diocese.

A Renewed Canadian Welcome - book launch event!
Friends, we're excited for this event coming up next week. We hope you can join us!

Join the CML team! We're hiring a Project and Communications Coordinator.

The position is 25 hours per week, and includes extended health and pension. The team is a fun group of missional practitioners and thinkers who are focused on the needs of the church. If you're in the Vancouver area, apply using the link below.

Join the CML Team! | Centre for Missional Leadership Join the CML Team! release Project and Communications Coordinator at the Centre for Missional Leadership The Centre for Missional Leadership (Vancouver) is seeking a Project and Communications Coordinator for 25 hours per week. This person coordinates administration and communications for the...

Are you a pastor interested in a week of encouragement, small group learning, conversations about missional practices, and refreshment? Applications are open for our 2026 Guder Pastoral Retreat week at St. Andrew's Hall.

Running August 5-7, 2026, the retreat is created to equip and encourage pastors through an intensive learning environment with a small cohort. This year we're pleased to welcome guests Rev. Albert Chu and Dr. Keas Keasler who will speak with us about our theme of Spiritual Practices and Missional Practices in the Church.

The best part? It's free! Accommodations and most meals are covered, and there is a travel bursary provided, up to $1000. Apply at the link below! We hope to see you this summer!

Guder Pastoral Retreat | Centre for Missional Leadership The Guder Pastoral Retreat is an intensive learning environment focused on Spiritual and Missional Practices for pastors' encouragement.

Hot off the presses!

We’re delighted to share the 2026 Lenten Devotion Guide from St. Andrew’s Hall. Inside, you’ll find daily reflections from friends of the CML and St. Andrew’s Hall, along with members of our team, offered to help you embody faithful presence and public witness throughout the season of Lent.

Download it here:
https://www.standrews.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SAH-LentenG-colour70-260204-pgs-1.pdf