Helen Burns on the Tension Between Production & Authenticity, the Crisis of Pastoral Belonging, and Why Gen Z is Looking For Presence Over Information

Canadian Church Leaders Podcast

38 years into ministry, Helen Burns speaks of the Church with love in her voice and delight in the work God is doing among His people today.

Joining us on the podcast for a second time, Helen is a voice of encouragement as she reflects on what she has learned along the way. From planting Relate Church with her husband John in 1986, to the process of succession as their daughter Angela and her husband Rod stepped into the lead pastor role in 2018 - the significance of mentorship and intergenerational relationships underpin our conversation.

Helen reflects back on past ministry with humility, letting us into moments where she felt the heart was right but the emphasis was off. Helen humbly models what it looks like to stay soft to the way God is pruning and growing His people, leading us into deeper purity as we walk with Him.

As we consider the need for spaces of belonging, we hope you’ll find inspiration for how you can set the table for pastors to gather in your community, making room for God to break through the isolation many experience in ministry.

Helen Burns is a passionate lover of Jesus and committed to building His Church. She and her husband John pioneered Relate Church, a thriving family church in the Vancouver area, in 1986 where they served as lead pastors for 35 years. Today, they continue to teach and serve there while travelling and speaking internationally. Helen shares with depth and insight on marriage, family and relationships, and is the author of several books.

John and Helen have been married for over 50 years and they have three awesome daughters and she is the blessed Oma of eight grandchildren.

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Partners:

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Show Notes:

• Relate Church
• The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson
• CCLN Emerging Leaders Lab
• CCLN Pastors Retreat
• Barna Statistics
• See, Hear, Love Youtube/Podcast

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