Your day at the Okanagan Missions Conference
Get ready for a transformative day at the Okanagan Missions Conference! Join us on Saturday, 9:00am–4:30pm, as we explore God’s global mission from the Okanagan to the nations. This comprehensive schedule is designed to equip, inspire, and connect you with fellow believers and mission-focused organizations. Discover biblical foundations, practical strategies, and opportunities to engage locally and globally. We're excited for you to be a part of this journey.
An unhurried start to a meaningful day
Your journey begins from 8:30 am to 9:00 am. Arrive, register, and settle in with a complimentary coffee. This is a special time for warm, relational connections. Explore various missions booths featuring both local and global initiatives, and feel free to connect with our prayer volunteers. Worship music and engaging missions visuals will set a welcoming tone. We emphasize hospitality—a warm, relational, unhurried start.
God's global calling: The biblical foundation
From 9:00 am to 9:20 am, join us for a heartfelt welcome from our host pastor, followed by a scripture reading focusing on the Great Commission and God’s heart for all nations. We will dedicate the day in prayer. Immediately after, from 9:20 am to 10:15 am, immerse yourself in Session 1: 'God’s Mission & Our Calling'. Our keynote speaker—a senior pastor, missionary, or respected BC leader — will delve into the biblical foundations of missions, emphasizing that mission starts here in the Okanagan but extends to the entire world, empowering ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. This session aims to strengthen your understanding of biblical foundations for mission and the Great Commission.
Discerning your calling: Breakout workshops
Following a brief 15-minute break at 10:15 am for coffee and intentional conversations with othe like-minded people, choose one of our dynamic breakout workshops from 10:30 am to 11:45 am. Options include: Local Mission (Indigenous reconciliation & ministry in BC, urban poverty, addiction recovery, refugee support), Global Mission (church planting & evangelism, compassion & development work, short-term vs. long-term missions), or Personal Calling (discerning God’s call, missions for families, marketplace & tent-making missions). These sessions are designed to foster cross-cultural ministry awareness, humility, and practical insights.
Connection and conversation over lunch
From 11:45 am to 12:30 pm, enjoy a relaxed lunch on site. This essential component of the conference provides ample opportunity for connection and conversation. Engage in table discussion prompts like “Where do you see God at work locally?” or “What stirred you this morning?”. We value these moments for networking and building relationships between churches and trusted mission agencies, helping cultivate a collaborative regional missions culture. Keep lunch relaxed—people value connection and conversation.
Inspiring stories from the field
From 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm, be inspired by compelling missionary testimonies. We'll hear from 2-3 individuals, each sharing for 8-10 minutes, representing a mix of local BC ministry, international missions, and a young adult/next-gen perspective. These powerful stories will highlight what God is already doing through local congregations and organizations, offering real-world examples of healthy and effective missions practices and cross-cultural ministry awareness.
Partnering for sustainable global impact
After a short break from 2:00pm to 2:15pm, join us for Session 2: 'The Church Sent Together' from 2:15 pm to 3:00 pm. This panel or teaching session will feature pastors from multiple Kelowna/Okanagan churches, a mission agency representative, and a missionary (live or video). Topics will include why churches partner together, how to support missionaries effectively, and strategies for sustainable mission. This session focuses on long-term partnership models with global missions organizations and church-based missions strategy, care, and accountability.
Responding to the call: Next steps & commissioning
From 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm, we will wrap up and commission all participants in their future programs and plans.
An ongoing platform for missions
Stay for informal fellowship and final visits to the missions booths from 4:15pm to 4:30pm. This is another chance for final conversations, resource pickup, and prayer with leaders. The Fall 2026 conference is envisioned as the foundation for an ongoing regional platform that supports churches beyond a single event. Over time, the Okanagan Missions Conference seeks to become a trusted space where churches return regularly for training, encouragement, relationship-building, and shared discernment regarding missions and outreach. By convening churches from across the Okanagan, the conference aims to help cultivate a collaborative regional missions culture—one in which churches learn from one another, share resources, and pursue God’s global purposes with greater unity and effectiveness. Rather than duplicating efforts, the conference seeks to amplify what God is already doing through local congregations and organizations in the region.