A Study of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

May 14, 2014 by

I just received the following e-mail that reinforces the opening remarks of my message for the ordination ceremony at our 2014 Convention.

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E-Mail Content

Are Canadians Done With the Bible?

This question has now been answered in a new study titled Confidence, Conversation and Community: Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the Canadian Bible Forum, a group of nine Canadian Bible agencies, have just completed a thorough analysis of Bible reading activities in Canada. The EFC’s Director of Research, Rick Hiemstra, is the lead author of the study which interviewed nearly 4,500 people across Canada, making the Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013 study the most current and comprehensive national study of its kind.

Study results revealed that:

• In general, confidence in the Bible is at an all-time low
• Many Canadians no longer believe that the Bible is the Word of God
• Some Christians question the reliability and trustworthiness of the Bible

This is practical research – valuable to people in front line ministry. At the EFC, research means relevant.

This ground-breaking study is freely available for your use. The full study, executive summary and additional resources are available at www.bibleengagementstudy.ca. Confidence, Conversation and Community: Bible Engagement in Canada, 2013 is the first of several reports based on the CBES data. Other reports will look at the translations of the Bible Canadians read, the formats of the Bible Canadians use, and Bible literacy.

Michael Parenteau
VP Development & Communications

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You can access and download details on the research at the following links:

Our members may be interested in these reports and their implication on their ministry.

We need more than programs to resolve this situation. Only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can change the hearts of Canadians. We need to pray.

For some time I was aware that even those attending church do not read the Bible regularly. For this reason, two years ago, I started a Bible Reading blog to encourage Bible reading in our church. In each post, I minister on one chapter of the Bible. Although this requires a significant time commitment from me, I am pleased with the improved Bible reading habit in our congregation.

Dr. Maurizio Mingardi

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About Maurizio Mingardi

Dr. Maurizio Mingardi, in 1972, had an encounter with God that totally changed his life. From a scientist doing research in Quantum Mechanics and an atheist, Maurizio became a believer and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Then a spiritual journey began. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and later started Mount Zion Church of the Firstborn in Ottawa, Ontario. Maurizio has been in the ministry for more than 30 years and is presently the Senior Pastor of Mount Zion Church. He has also filled a number of executive positions in public and religious organizations. In 2014 he was elected President of ECAMFC.