New Song Community Church had only met for one Sunday in a community center in Langley, British Columbia, before the pandemic shut everything down. But what God did next still amazes church planting missionaries Christian and Laura Rowland.
A year and a half later, the church plant of 15 people emerged from the pandemic as a group of 30 who had witnessed people come to faith while they were meeting online. Christian said it was clear evidence of God’s faithfulness. “He blessed small steps of obedience, even when we didn’t know how everything would turn out.”
A Community of Open Hearts
By census, the largest religious group in the City of Langley, are the “nones” – people who do not identify with any faith. Despite this, God is doing something unique in this area of metro Vancouver.
“Many young families are moving out of the city for affordability reasons and with that they bring an openness to the gospel,” Christian said.
As the Rowlands have sought opportunities to share the gospel in their daily lives, they’ve met people at parks and on university campuses that are open to gospel conversations.
They met Sheena, a university student from Chennai, India, who lost her father at a young age and as a result, separated herself from God. But when the Rowlands invited her into their home and lives and shared the gospel, Sheena gave her life to Christ.
Then they met Vanessa, a mother who was stuck in a legalistic cult but was open to having a gospel conversation while at the playground with her kids. Since then, she’s put her faith in Christ and has been experiencing the joy and freedom of walking with Him.
Both Sheena and Vanessa were baptized at New Song’s first baptism service and are two of five people who have come to Christ since the start of New Song Community Church.
A New Song for the Nations
Langley is a city full of young, multiethnic families, so New Song is a church full of young, multiethnic people, too. Their group of 50 represents nearly ten nationalities —Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Korean and Brazilian — to name a few.
The name “New Song” comes from Revelation 5:9 which says, “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you… for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” The church’s passion is to see this new song multiplied as they reach out to their community.
The Ribbon of Faithfulness
The story of New Song Community Church is interwoven with God’s faithfulness. From the early days when the church was meeting in a basement and God provided a house, to most recently, when New Song outgrew the small meeting space of a hotel and God provided a public school where they could meet – the ribbon of God’s faithfulness has tied everything together.
“We now have a permanent base we can minister out of and can impact our community on a bigger scale,” Christian said.
As New Song Community Church prepares for a new season of ministry, they know one thing without question: God will stay faithful like He always has been – all they need to do is stay obedient.
Published July 10, 2023