CANADA HAS GREAT
NEED
By most generous estimates, less than 10% of Canada’s population claim to be born-again Evangelical Christians. Not only that, but Quebec has the largest people group in all of the Americas that is unreached by the Gospel – around 98% of its population.
CANADA HAS GREAT
OPPORTUNITY
Many Canadians are beginning to understand that mission is not an optional program in the church but an essential element in the identity of the church. The primary way we fulfill this mission is through the planting of churches that plant churches.
Who we are
Acts 29 Canada is a family of church planting churches characterized by:
- Connecting & Collaborating
- Growth & Giving
- Influencing & Innovating
What we believe
Acts 29 stands in the tradition of historic evangelical confessionalism. While we believe it is vital that the elders of each of our churches determine where they stand on doctrines of second importance, we do wish to make known our convictions on the following five theologically-driven core values:
- Gospel centrality in all of life
- The sovereignty of God in saving sinners
- The work of the Holy Spirit for life and ministry
- The equality of male and female and the principle of male servant leadership
- The local church as God’s primary mission strategy
What we want to be known for
Acts 29 Canada will ensure that we are known for:
- Planting churches that plant churches
- Pursuing holiness and humility
- Fostering local and global partnerships
- Praying for conversions through evangelism
Our lead team
Dwight Bernier
Network Director
Dwight and his wife, Jessica, live in Montréal with their four children. In 2011 they began Church 21, a multi-location church in the province of Québec. Dwight has a great desire to see churches planted all throughout Canada. He enjoys baseball, running, reading, U2, and playing in the city with his family.
Brad Somers
Area Lead: Atlantic
Brad Somers planted PAXnorth Church in the high risk north end community of Halifax. N.S, in 2005. In 2017 PAXnorth birthed a second church in a rural setting in Nova Scotia which has since taken on the task of renewing a third and dying church. It is Brad’s vision to see ten new churches planted and 10 church renewals revived in the next ten years in the Atlantic region. Brad and his wife, Shelby have seven children ranging from 8-24 years of age.
Steve Cloutier
Area Lead: Québec
Steve has long served as a youth pastor at Victoriaville’s Baptist Church (Québec) before becoming pastor and church planter at Connexion Church in Plessisville (Centre-du-Québec region). He also works as Director of Church planting and youth movement with Association d’Églises Baptistes Évangéliques au Québec. He is married to Catherine Leduc and has a son and 2 daughters.
Cindy Ho
Communication & Events
After living abroad for many years, Cindy and her family moved back to Montreal, Quebec to be closer to family. They looked for an Acts 29 church to join and found Church 21 which quickly became their home church since 2012. In 2017 Acts 29 Canada had a job opening for an administrative role and she has been on staff since then. Cindy now oversees the communication and events as well as being the executive assistant to the network director.
Clay Bitner
English Assessment Director
Clay and his wife, Kim, live in Warman, SK with their six children. Having been on the leadership team for Grace Fellowship in Saskatoon since they launched in 2011, Clay was then sent out to plant Grace Warman along with Mark Janzen in 2015. Clay continues to pastor in Warman and currently serves as Executive Director for Grace Fellowship’s Network of Churches as well as English Assessment Director for Acts 29 Canada.
Harrison Kwok
Area Lead: West
Harrison was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon. His parents immigrated from Hong Kong about 50 years ago. He has three daughters and is married to Kaitlyn. He pastors the Northern Collective Church. And he just started his doctorate of ministry.
Andrew Fulford
Training
Andrew and his wife, Jenny, live in Montreal. He has studied formally and published on the subjects of systematic theology, ethics, and church history. He and his wife enjoy serving at Church 21, gardening, hosting, and appreciating nature.
Trenton Walker
French Assessments
Trenton is a lead pastor of Church 21 South Shore and helps with overseeing assessments for French Canada.
Brian Stegner
Strategy and Finance
Brian Stegner lives in Quebec with his wife Severine and their three teenage kids. Originally from Oregon, Brian moved to Severine's hometown of Montreal in 2010 to be involved in church planting. Today he serves as the Executive Pastor at Church 21 and is the author of One Thousand Churches: A Movement to Saturate Quebec with the Gospel of Jesus. He enjoys reading, writing, working, and movies.
Stephen Bray
Church in Hard Places Coordinator
Steve is the Lead Elder of Calvary Baptist Church and the Executive Director of Mile One Mission dedicated to planting Churches and seeing indigenous Newfoundlanders raised up to reach Canada’s most easterly province. Their goal and vision is to see 10 Churches planted by 2030. Steve is the blessed husband of Debbie, his childhood sweetheart and proud father of 3 beautiful children, Brandon, Jordan and Abigail. You can find Steve’s Church at calvarybaptistnl.ca or reach him personally at steve@calvarybaptistnl.ca