{"id":25096,"date":"2017-10-17T09:00:19","date_gmt":"2017-10-17T13:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cccc.org\/news_blogs\/?p=25096"},"modified":"2020-06-18T14:27:03","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T18:27:03","slug":"pioneers-canada-spiritual-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cccc.org\/news_blogs\/storiesoffaith\/2017\/10\/17\/pioneers-canada-spiritual-entrepreneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"Pioneers Canada: Spiritual Entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Submitted by\u00a0<\/strong>Pioneers Canada<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 1979 a middle-aged\u00a0businessman with a military background felt the call of God on his life. It wasn\u2019t completely clear, but his heart was focused on one ambition: \u201cto preach the gospel where Christ was not known\u201d (Romans 15:20).<\/p>\n

He had no formal theological training. He had a growing family: a wife and four children. He wasn’t a typical \u201cmissionary.\u201d They applied to over 25 mission organizations, but were rejected because of their age and the size of their family.<\/p>\n

They simply did not fit the mold. But he was certain that God had called.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s voice was unmistakable. Ted Fletcher and his wife Peggy knew that God wanted them to share the message of Jesus Christ in places that were largely unreached. They just didn\u2019t know how it would happen.<\/p>\n

After much prayer and\u00a0with the encouragement of wise counsel from believers in their local church, they decided to move forward and create a new mission organization to pioneer strategies to reach communities unreached by others. God would lead them as they train, care for and help to fund others who were called to go.<\/p>\n

Ted\u2019s entrepreneurial focus and spirit of innovation echo throughout the organization. They chose the name \u201cPioneers\u201d because pioneers venture into new territory, inventing as they go. They are not afraid of crossing into regions that are uncertain, but are willing to test different ideas to accomplish the task before them, in spite of barriers.<\/p>\n

The story of Pioneers Canada also embodies the same pioneering spirit as the Fletchers. Inspired by Jim Elliot\u2019s transformational story, Charles and Judy Wight committed their lives to missions. They started World Outreach Fellowship in Canada, which became Pioneers Canada in 1993. \u00a0The goal was to send short term mission teams to support works like the one in Peru where Bert Elliot, Jim\u2019s brother, was reaching out to tribal peoples of South America. Pioneers Canada has since grown to send and support long term workers beyond South America, to the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe.<\/p>\n

As Pioneers, we go where we are called, even when we can\u2019t see the complete picture. We simply walk in obedience one step at a time. God works in miraculous ways time and time again.<\/p>\n