Divine Appointments: Sharing the Gospel Across Canada – by Brad Wilson

At the Fellowship of Christian Farmers annual conference Brad Wilson relates that the Fellowship of Christian Farmers Canada (FCFC) has been blessed with many opportunities to share the gospel in unique ways. What began as a simple ministry of offering walking sticks at farm shows has grown into a nationwide effort that reaches thousands of people every year at fairs, festivals, street events, and community gatherings.

Walking Sticks with a Lasting Message

In our ministry, walking sticks aren’t just souvenirs—they’re gospel tools. Each one is engraved with Scripture so that even if a tag is removed, the Word of God remains. Over the years, tens of thousands of these walking sticks have been given away, sparking conversations and planting seeds of faith.

One volunteer from Share Word Global recalls: “At first, we handed out free Bibles at fairs. But when we partnered with Fellowship of Christian Farmers, the difference was dramatic. People lined up for walking sticks, and in the process, they all heard the gospel. What a joy to see God multiply the reach of His Word!”

Every Encounter Is a Divine Appointment

It’s easy to think of divine appointments as extraordinary, life-changing moments. But we’ve come to see that every single visitor who stops by our booth is a divine appointment. Whether it’s an atheist who leaves thinking, “That Christian wasn’t so bad,” or a believer encouraged to return to church, God uses each interaction.

Our goal is simple: to bring every visitor one step closer to Christ.

Reaching Canada with the Gospel

Since our beginnings in 2000, FCFC has grown to 30 local chapters across the country. We now attend farm shows, fall fairs, women’s expos, street festivals, and more. At a single street festival, volunteers may speak with over 2,000 people in one day.

In 2024 alone, the ministry reached an estimated 150,000 Canadians with the gospel. Praise God!

Partnering with ShareWord Global

A vital part of our work is distributing Scripture. Through our partnership with ShareWord Global (formerly the Gideons in Canada), we’re able to offer beautifully designed, easy-to-read resources such as the Gospel of John, Hope Magazine, and Spark for youth. Each resource includes clear gospel explanations and QR codes that link to apologetics, testimonies, and next-step resources online.

Rather than handing out Bibles indiscriminately, volunteers first explain the gospel and then offer Scripture in a meaningful way. On average, 25–30% of visitors accept these resources.

Training and Equipping Volunteers

A unique strength of FCFC is equipping everyday Christians to share their faith. Using the Five-Color Gospel, volunteers—many of them initially nervous—are trained and given opportunities to engage people in real conversations. Once they experience sharing the gospel, they gain confidence to continue in their daily lives.

In 2025, FCFC launched a new training initiative, bringing together best practices from Quebec, Ontario, and Western Canada. These include asking diagnostic questions like, “If you were to die tonight, do you think you’d go to heaven?”—a powerful way to make the gospel personal.

From Seeds to Harvest

We believe in making disciples, not just decisions. Instead of focusing on quick prayers, we emphasize long-term follow-up, partnerships with local churches, and discipleship opportunities.

One powerful story came from a woman involved in the New Age movement. She first encountered the gospel years ago when her son wanted a walking stick. At the time, she dismissed the message—but years later, the seed planted that day bore fruit, and she came to Christ.

Another story unfolded when a hearing-impaired woman stopped by a booth. She shared that she hadn’t been back to church since the pandemic. A volunteer introduced her to a believer from a local congregation that offered sign language interpretation. That connection drew her back into fellowship. A true divine appointment!

Changed Lives and Growing Churches

The ripple effects extend to local churches. In Ontario, one small congregation of about 60 members has a dozen regular attendees who first connected through the walking stick gospel. Entire families have come to faith, been baptized, and are now active in Bible studies.

One couple, Alfred and Bebe, first heard the gospel at an outreach booth. They soon began attending church, gave their lives to Christ, and were baptized. Their testimony didn’t end there—they invited their insurance broker and her friend to church, and they too came to faith.

Another powerful testimony involves Mandeep, a former Sikh who became a Christian after a long spiritual search. Through her, her friends and family were introduced to the gospel, leading to multiple salvations and baptisms.

Looking Ahead

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers Canada remains committed to marketplace evangelism—meeting people where they are, whether at a farm show, a city festival, or a local fair. With each walking stick, each Scripture shared, and each conversation, we pray that God continues to use these simple tools to bring people one step closer to Him.

Truly, every encounter is a divine appointment.