At Philpott Church, we seek to empower people to pursue their passions and to use their gifts for service to God and the people around us. The main job of the staff is to equip us for service.
I have served at Philpott Church since August, 1999. I grew up in a family of believers in southeast Texas; my family moved around among several small Cajun enclaves in that region. Dad worked in an oil refinery and led music in various churches in the region.
My interest in science led me to enter M.I.T. as an undergraduate. The connection with believers through Campus Crusade for Christ was a stimulus to rethink my vocational direction, so I returned to Texas and completed a degree in psychology at the University of Texas. From UT, I entered Dallas Theological Seminary and received a Th. M. in Semitics.
My wife, debi, grew up in an Episcopalian family and came to faith herself as a university student. She was convinced that she should give her life to serving Christ, possibly in missions. Following graduation, she joined the Campus Crusade for Christ staff team in Dallas, Texas, ministering to high school students. She served there for four years, the last two years as senior staff woman.
We met in Dallas through mutual friends, then married two years later, in 1976. During My fourth year in school, we responded to a request to launch a children's ministry for a new church planted in Waco, Texas, one hundred miles south of Dallas. We drove down each weekend and then moved to Waco a year later. We survived the first seven years of the 'plant,' then saw the church begin to thrive. After twenty-one years, we responded to a call to Philpott Church.
We have four children, all born in Waco, Texas: Austin (22), Evan (20), Eric (18) and Laurie (10). Austin is a student at the University of Toronto and Evan is a student at Redeemer University College.
My job description includes preaching and teaching the Word, developing leaders (pastoral staff, elders, leadership team) and modeling the life (by pursuing a vital relationship with Christ, shepherding the family, making disciples within the congregation, pursuing evangelistic opportunities outside the congregation, and involving them in the world-wide work of God).
If you're curious about the ministry at Phipott, then I'd love to hear from you.
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- Adult Ministries Pastor 905-523-7000 ext 17
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Growing up in Coldstream, Ontario, I'm from a rural community founded by Quakers over 150 years ago. Throughout my childhood and youth I loved playing sports of every kind. In high school I became more interested in politics as I volunteered for the local Member of Parliament. This curiosity prompted me to study Political Science at the University of Ottawa.
During my six years in Ottawa I committed myself to learning French and infiltrating the political system. I served as Student Federation President at the University of Ottawa and also as National Director of the Young Liberals of Canada. Both experiences were greatly enriching and rewarding.
After many years working off Parliament Hill I returned to my roots, becoming the fourth generation Brown to buy property in Coldstream and working for Coldstream Concrete, a family business started by my grandfather in 1945.
Within a year I had applied to Seminary at McMaster Divinity College. Through the Divinity College's Field Education Department I became an Intern at Philpott, working with oXyGEN, one of our Young Adult communities. After two years volunteering as an Intern I applied and was accepted as Adult Ministries Pastor.
In addition to my Bachelor of Social Science (Political Science) I have a Master of Theological Studies and am currently finishing a Master of Arts in Christian Studies (Majoring in Old Testament Narrative Ethics and Minoring in Early Christian Theology).
On 22 December 2006 my wife Angela and I were married in Brantford, Ontario. We met in Seminary and she is currently teaching History and Geography at King's Christian Collegiate Secondary School in Oakville.
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- Youth Pastor 905-523-7000 ext 16
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I was born in Montreal but didn't stay there long. In my earlier years we moved around including a period in Hamilton, when my father was the Associate Pastor at Philpott. Growing up I was heavily involved in the youth ministry at Carruthers Creek. This is where I first found the desire to pursue youth ministry. After several years of serving on the Snowflake committee I made the decision to pursue full time ministry. God directed me back to the church my father got his start in. My wife Lisa and myself, along with our two beautiful children Victoria (3), and Zac (1), we have called this home for just over two years. God has truly blessed us!
Currently we have several things on the go. We have launched a weekly youth service, which takes place Sunday nights in the auditorium. As well, a student ministry team has been started, which really influences the direction of the ministry. Our goal is to become a ministry to the students, by the students. I also continue to serve on the Snowflake Team; last year we made the leap from retreat to student conference in Niagara Falls. We reached out to over 600 students. We stand on the threshold of something very big and I look forward to seeing what God will do here among our students.
Drop me a note, send me a HEY! and I'll get back to you...
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- Visitation 905-523-7000
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I was born in Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated to Canada in 1947. I worked at Dofasco and came to know the Lord at a Youth for Christ special week of meetings held at Philpott Tabernacle.
I graduated from the London Bible Institute and Theological Seminary in 1959 with a BTh degree and later a BA degree from Waterloo Lutheran University College in 1963. I married Margaret Kenney in July 1961. Our son, Ian was born in Hamilton in 1963.
I served as "assistant to the minister" (Alex Stein) at Philpott for a year before our family left for the mission field in Johannesburg, South Africa with AEF in 1964. A second child, Pauline, was born in 1965. We developed and operated a Bible Correspondence Course Ministry in six languages that grew to over 10,000 students.
Margaret and I returned to Canada in September 1998 and retired from SIM in March 1999. As Pastor of Visitation at Philpott, part time, I visit the Home Care people of the church in their places of residence each month and any Philpott folk who are unwell in hospital. As part of this job I attend weekly staff meetings, monthly leadership and Elder's Board meeting, compile monthly statistical records of the volunteer visitors for the church Board. I help with the bi-monthly communion service at Idlewyld Manor and serve communion to any senior individual in their home who requests it. I also help with the mid-weekly prayer meeting and the monthly missionary prayer meeting.
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- Children's Ministries 905-523-7000 ext 18
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I'm in charge of Children's Ministries at Philpott. I love kids, and love the opportunity to work with them. If you also have a passion to work with kids, then I'd love to hear from you. Send me a note.
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- Church Administrator 905 515 0933
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My wife Lia and I have been married for 26 yeas and have two sons, Michael 24 and Christopher 23. Lia and I owned a music retail store and music school for 33 years, during this time my abilities ot organize and administrate were honed. I bring to the congragation of Philpott and the communities that we serve the wealth of experience that the Lord has guided me through.
- Elder Chairman
- Senior Pastor
- Adult Ministries Pastor
- Youth Pastor
- Visitation
- Children's Ministries
- Church Administrator
- Urban Ministries
- Head Secretary
- Prayer Coordinator