NCD Canada

10/13/2026

What keeps us going in church life?

Natural Church Development rests on more than a useful method. The foundation to any church development work is spiritual momentum: devotion to Jesus and enthusiasm for his work.

Our purpose is to worship God. When we lean into to our relationship with Jesus, our attention to church health it anchored to its true meaning.

This week’s reflection asks what is motivating our work. Read it here: https://ncdcanada.com/news-stories/spiritual-momentum

10/11/2026

Worshiping with thankful hearts at St. James in Ingersoll this Thanksgiving. From the opening hymn….

“…silent growth while we are sleeping…” —Sounds like “all-by-itself” growth!

Text by Fred Pratt Green.

May we embrace the gifts and give thanks to the giver.

10/10/2026

This Thanksgiving weekend, take a moment to notice one sign of life. It might be someone discovering a gift, a new relationship forming, someone beginning to pray, a ministry finding fresh energy, or something changing in your own relationship with God.

Give thanks for the life you see emerging. Then ask: What is helping to nurture that? Also consider what might feel stuck. What might be getting in the way? Invite someone else to ponder these questions with you and compare what you see.

10/09/2026

10/08/2026

Do you ever feel like this image? Sometimes doing more isn't the pathway to health and growth in the church.

Perhaps someone has a gift to offer but doesn’t know how to get involved. Is there newcomer who wants to belong but can’t quite find a way into existing relationships? Do you have a leader(or are you one yourself) who wants others to grow but keeps doing things personally because that seems easier in the moment?

There is already God-given life and potential in each of these situations. So, before asking “What else should we do?”, try asking: What might be making healthy growth harder than it needs to be? You don’t need to solve the issue right away. First, just notice.

10/06/2026

Can you make a church grow?

Churches spend a lot of time thinking about programmes, strategies and things we can do to grow. But Jesus gives us a different picture. In Mark 4, someone scatters seed. Night and day pass. The seed sprouts and grows—and Jesus says the person who scattered it doesn’t even know how.
There is work to do. But the life within the seed isn’t something we create.

Natural Church Development claims this as a core principle: God gives the growth. Our part is to cultivate the conditions in which that God-given life can flourish.

I explore the idea in this week’s short video, and leave you with one question: What’s getting in the way of the growth God wants to bring?

Subscribe for the Tuesday reflections: https://ncdcanada.com/subscribe

10/04/2026

Something is being renewed at NCD Canada.

In “Rethink the Goal,” I introduce this new chapter by returning to the foundation of Natural Church Development: worship of God and devotion to Jesus.

This fall, we’ll explore what that means for healthy churches and growing disciples—and how we can help one another grow in love for God. You don’t need to be a church leader or know anything about NCD.

Watch the video, subscribe for the Tuesday emails, and invite someone to join you: https://ncdcanada.com/subscribe

09/21/2026

A new chapter is beginning for Natural Church Development in Canada.

After many years of supporting churches and leaders across Canada, Bill Bickle is handing over the role of NCD National Partner for Canada to Shane Watson.

This is a transition, not a farewell. Bill will continue as NCD National Partner in the UK, and we’ll continue working together on shared NCD initiatives in Canada, the UK, and internationally.

At the heart of this transition is a shared commitment to helping churches better understand their health, recognize where God is already at work, and identify opportunities for growth and wholeness.

I’m grateful for Bill’s leadership, friendship, and continued partnership—and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead for NCD in Canada.

Read more about this new chapter:
https://ncdcanada.com/news-stories/new-chapter

And stay connected with NCD Canada for news, resources, events and training opportunities:
https://ncdcanada.com/subscribe

09/13/2025

NCD UK & Canada is partnering with NCD Norway to present a seven-week webinar series in Empowering Leadership starting October 29th. For more details, check out https://namunorge.no/course-in-empowering-leadership/. Register at fordelm.com/product/empowering-leadership-training/

In partnership with NCD Norway, NCD UK & Canada will lead an online, English, seven-week course on Empowering Leadership. Part 1: During seven Wednesdays from October 29th to December 10th at 7:00 pm CET (6:00 pm GMT / 1:00 pm EST), facilitated group discussions will cover the week’s pre-watched v...

01/25/2024

When asked why work on health, we talked about what an unhealthy church looks like. If your church is characterized by even some of these statements, you might consider assessing your health with the NCD Church Survey. https://fordelm.com/product/ncd-church-survey/