Video
Why Am I Discouraged?
Sometimes the greatest ministry impact happens in the smallest places.
At Sagehills Evangelical Free Church about fifty people gather each Sunday—they represent cultures from around the world. Families from various backgrounds, including Filipino, Nigerian, Venezuelan, Malaysian and Polish, worship together as one church family.
For Pastor Paul Ford, who has served as pastor for the past decade, this multicultural congregation is more than unique—it is the answer to a prayer. For him, it is a beautiful picture of the body of Christ in Ashcroft, B.C., a community of fewer than 2,000 people about four and a half hours north of Vancouver.
Over the years, Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada has become an important part of the church’s life. At first, copies of the Our Daily Bread devotional simply sat on a table at the back of the church. Pastor Paul noticed that very few people were taking them. That’s when he had an idea.
“I decided to hand them out personally,” he explains. “Once I started doing that, people began using them every day. Now they come to me asking when the next issue will be available so they can make sure they get their copy.”
Another resource that has quietly served the congregation is the Discovery Series Display located in the church foyer. While Pastor Paul doesn’t see people browsing it every week, he notices it being used often—especially when someone is going through a difficult season.
“They’re looking for first steps or guidance to help them through a problem,” he says. “It’s pretty useful and a non-invasive way of getting help and growing in Christ.”
Recently, Pastor Paul introduced another resource to his congregation: The Journey, an evangelical book that answers the tough questions unbelievers or new believers often have by walking readers through the Gospel of John. He ordered ten copies and offered them from the pulpit one Sunday morning. By the end of the service, every copy had been taken.
He was especially encouraged to see who picked them up. One brand-new believer took a copy and began growing deeper in her faith. A teenager grabbed one, possibly to share with a friend or to learn how to share her faith more confidently. Another copy went to a man who had just started attending the church and was sincerely seeking the Lord.
“It really helped them,” Pastor Paul said.
Pastor Paul himself has also been personally impacted by resources from the ministry. A few years ago, he worked through The Good Shepherd by Tim Laniak, published by Our Daily Bread Publishing. The study deeply challenged him as a pastor.
“It caused me to refocus my own life and reminded me how to shepherd my congregation better,” he reflected.
Today, he continues to engage with the ministry by reading the Our Daily Bread devotional online each day. One feature he particularly enjoys is the ability to switch between different Bible translations on the Our Daily Bread app.
“I enjoy reading different translations, and the app makes that easy,” he says.
When asked what he would share with other pastors or readers of Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada, Pastor Paul offered a simple but powerful insight:
“When we make the resources personally available, they are more readily received. All the materials I’ve used from the ministry are very helpful, but I’ve learned that what was missing before was the personal connection from me to the church.”
Pastor Paul also serves as a Ministry Ambassador with Our Daily Bread Ministries Canada. Through this partnership, he stays informed about new resources and maintains a personal connection with the ministry. For him, that relationship helps ensure he can continue equipping his congregation with tools that encourage faith, growth, and hope.
