“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47, ESV)
Toronto Bible Chapel (TBC) stands tucked away in the corner of a commercial plaza alongside numerous retail outlets including marijuana suppliers, and a Hindu temple. The vision that resulted in the formation of Toronto Bible Chapel was in accordance with Acts 13:47 which exhorts us to shine the light of salvation to the community which is lost without Jesus Christ.
It was in the year 2015, that the Lord impressed on the hearts of a young couple the burden of reaching out to the community in Toronto, in which TBC now stands. Toronto is now home to around 190 nationalities and the number of new immigrants and refugees are rising exponentially. It is as if the Lord is bringing the whole world to Toronto, and with it a field for sowing the seeds of gospel. This burden also resonated with a few other young brethren and we spent many days in prayer for the Lord’s guidance. A gospel outreach work was started in the streets of Toronto to share the gospel while the need for a community church was being submitted continually before the Lord.
When the time was right, the Lord provided a space to rent in a commercial plaza with a seating capacity of 65, with two separate washrooms, a kitchen facility, and a nursery. Chairs, pulpit, microphone, and song books were donated by supporting friends and churches and the first worship meeting of TBC was held on Sunday August 15, 2021.
The vision of TBC is “to save the lost and to perfect the saved, in Christ Jesus.” With this vision in mind, every Sunday after the family Bible Hour, the whole church goes out for a time of singing, tract distribution, and street evangelism in the surrounding areas. Other regular activities include a mid-week prayer meeting on Wednesdays with some singing, a short devotion, and a time of sharing and prayer in groups of 2-3 people. Bible Study on Fridays includes a time of singing, a 30-minute study on a book of the Bible, prayer, and fellowship dinner. On Sundays, we have the Breaking of Bread meeting followed by the Family Bible Hour. The church family of TBC consists mostly of young families, new to the faith and recent immigrants to Canada for work and studies. In the month of September, a Sunday school began with a small but enthusiastic group of children who thoroughly enjoy the Bible lessons and games.
Another way of outreach into the community is by distribution of food packages. Every month a box of groceries including vegetables, fruits, rice, and snacks are packed in boxes with a Bible or gospel literature, and distributed to needy families residing around the neighborhood of the church. It is a joyful church activity where all the members of TBC get together and pack the materials, pray over the boxes, and hand them over to the families.
A Christian Resource Center operates beside the Church which serves the community by being a source of foreign language Bibles, books, and Gospel outreach tools and Bible study materials. The Resource Center also has a reading space where one can spend time to learn from the Word.
In the past, we have read stories of well-established assemblies in North America featured in Cornerstone Magazine. We are honored and thankful to include the story of TBC in its infancy here. We request your prayers and support for the work of the Lord that we may grow not just in number but also in maturing as Christians bearing much fruit for the kingdom. The needs are many but the God we serve is faithful in completing the work that He started. All glory to Him.
To learn more about Toronto Bible Chapel, please email [email protected] or call Philipson Philip at 1-416 993-3556.