Our DNA

The mission of GMC is to Come Alive to God and
His Kingdom; to be a life-giving community.

Word and Power

Something that we are passionate about seeing at GMC is the harmony of the Word of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit. As a church, we aim to be rooted and grounded in the word of God. We have a desire to see the Holy Spirit empower believers to live a life pleasing to God, and equip us with supernatural gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Worship

We are on this earth to glorify & praise God. One way we love to do that is through worshipping together. We worship at almost every event at GMC because there is nothing like joining heaven’s song and glorifying God while experiencing His presence together as a family. In our worship, we desire to give God the praise He desires and bless the Lord!

Authenticity

No one is perfect. No church is perfect. At GMC we want to be a church that is real about life and its hardships. We hope that from our sermons to Life Groups, you will find GMC to be a transparent community of people being real and open with each other as we journey to healing and freedom together.

Building His Kingdom and Being a Life-Giving Community

Our church is called Gospel Mission for a reason, it is our mandate to bring the good news of the gospel to all, locally in the Pembina Valley, Province-wide in Manitoba, Nation-wide in Canada, and to the ends of the earth. We desire to be an outward-focused church; taking God’s love outside the wall of our building.

Prayer

Prayer is our lifeline; our connection to God; the way we communicate with God. We believe prayer involves us speaking to God and God speaking to us. At GMC we long to be a church where prayer is a priority, this is why we call our monthly Prayer Summit gathering the most important gathering we have.

Community

People were not meant to do life alone, but to support, uplift, care, pray for and walk with each other. At GMC we have a place for you to join a smaller community so you can do life with others. We believe no one should walk alone!

Equipping Believers For Life & Ministry

God has put leaders in the church to equip believers for ministry (Ephesian 4:11-12). Because of this we are passionate to see all who come to GMC not just attend but be equipped to minister and build God’s Kingdom. That is why at GMC we offer many courses focused on growing in our personal relationship with Christ, finding inner freedom, discovering your gifts and equipping you to build God’s Kingdom.

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Our Beliefs

God

We believe in one God manifested as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

(Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19)

We believe that God is eternal and self-existing.

(Gen. 21:33; Ex. 3:14; Isa. 40:28; 1 Tim. 1:17)

We believe that God is the creator of all things

(Gen. 1 & 2)

Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was God incarnate.

(1 Tim. 3:16; John 1:1-14; Col. 1:15-19)

We believe that Jesus Christ has two natures: He was both fully human and fully divine

(Matt. 1:18-2:12; 1 John 5:20; Col. 2:9)

We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin, Mary.

(Matt. 1:18-2:12; Luke 1:30-39)

We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world.

(Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(1 Cor. 15:3-4; Luke 24:36-43; Acts 2:24; 1 Cor. 6:14; 1 Peter 1:21)

We believe that Jesus ascended into heaven as our High Priest.

(Heb. 9:24-26; Rom. 8:34)

We believe in the personal, imminent return of Jesus Christ.

(1 Cor. 15; Matt. 16, 27; John 14:3; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 22:12-20; Matt. 25:31-46)

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit, third Person of the Trinity, convicts the world of sin and draws people to Christ. He also indwells all believers. He is available to empower them to lead Christ-like lives, to understand spiritual truth, and to give them guidance in their daily lives. He gives all believers spiritual gifts with which to serve the church and reach out to a lost world.

(2 Cor. 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14:16 & 17, Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 2:12, 3:16, Eph. 1:13, Gal 5:25, Eph. 5:18)

Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God.

(Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1; 1 Cor. 11:7)

We believe that the human race has fallen in the sin of Adam.

(Gen. 3:1-8; Rom. 5; 12-19; 1 Cor. 15:22)

We believe that man is a living soul.

(Gen. 2:7; 1 Thes. 5:23; Heb. 4:12)

We believe that since the bodies of regenerate man are the temple of the Holy Spirit, believers should glorify God with their bodies.

(1 Cor. 6:19-20)

Satan

We believe that evil originated with the fall of some angels in heaven.

(Jude 1:6; 2 Peter 2:4; Isa. 14:12)

We believe evil, satanic and spiritual forces try to lead man astray.

(Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14-15)

We believe that Satan is a personal being who is the archenemy of God and seeks eternal destruction of man.

(Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 6:12-16; Rev. 20:1-3)

We believe that Satan was judged and defeated at the cross, and reserved for him is eternity in a lake of fire, which is his full and final judgment.

(Col. 2:14-15; Rev. 20:10)

Sin

We believe that original sin is conveyed from our first parents (Adam and Eve) onto the posterity by natural generation so that all who proceed from them in that way are conceived and born in sin.

(Rom. 3:10; Rom. 5:12; 17-19)

We believe that sin is any act or attitude by which man estranges himself from God.

(Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 14:23)

We believe that all have sinned and are in need of God’s forgiveness.

(Ecc. 7:20; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 1 John 1:8-10)

Salvation

We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ, His resurrection and His ascension constitute the only basis of salvation.

(1 Peter 1:18-19; Heb. 9:22-28; Rom. 6:4-5; Rom. 5:9-10; Rom. 4:25)

We believe that genuine faith in Jesus Christ (which includes repentance) is the only means of salvation and that it is a gift of God.

(Rom. 10:9; 6:23; Acts 2:21; Eph. 2:8; Acts 11:18)

We believe that mankind deserved death, but due to the mercy and grace of God, He has provided a means by which we may be justified.

(Titus 3:4-7; Rom. 3:24)

We believe that through faith in Jesus Christ, God justifies us, which means He delcares us righteous – innocent, perfect and pure.

(Rom. 5:1, 9; 4:25)

We believe in positional sanctification. The Scriptures teach that the moment a person believes in Christ, he is sanctified.

(1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10)

We believe in progressive sanctification. The Scriptures speak of a progressive sanctification of the believer which refers to the walk of the Christian and continues through life.

(John 17:17; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 5:25-27; 1 John 1:1-9)

We believe in the assurance of salvation. The Scriptures teach that the believer may have the assurance of possessing eternal life in Christ by faith (1 John 5:13) and that the believer is kept by the power of God through abiding faith.

(1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:13; Rom. 8:16; Jude 24-25; Gal. 3:11; 1 Peter 1:5)

Church

We believe that the church is the body of Jesus Christ composed of all those who have been born of the Spirit of God.

(John 1:13; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Col. 1:18-24; Eph. 1:22)

We believe that the Church has been organized into local congregations.

(Acts 8:1; 11:22; 13:1)

Discipleship

We believe discipleship is an essential ingredient for the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ. Christians are to be “disciples” of Christ. This includes:

Following

The example of Christ in all aspects of life – whether personal, professional or social

(1 Peter 2:21; Eph. 5:1-2; Luke 9:23)

Growing

Is maturity and Christ-likeness through personal devotions and study as well as through the edification ministry of the local church which involves teaching, worship and fellowship.

(2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 1:2-11; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 John 3:17-18)

Sharing

the truth of the Gospel with the unsaved (evangelism), making disciples who in turn follow, grow and share.

(Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41-47; 2 Tim. 2:2)

The Bible

We believe in the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible as the Word of God and that it is the only reliable standard for our faith and life.

(2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Rev. 22:18-19)

Marriage

We believe that marriage is instituted by God and therefore is a sacred bond in which both one born male and one born female partner seek to live together in Christian harmony.

(Eph. 5:21-31; 1 Cor. 7:1-5; 1 Peter 3:1-7)

Our Team

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Claude & Micheline Lainey

Lead Pastor & Children's Pastor

Claude and Micheline moved to Winkler from Northern Ontario in 2005 to pastor Gospel Mission Church. Growing up in French Canadian environments, the Winkler area was totally different but they quickly fell in love with the people here. Claude and Micheline have a desire to see GMC and the people of the Pembina Valley experience God in a real and personal way. Claude is the Lead Pastor at GMC and Micheline is the Pastor of Grow Kids Ministry.

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John Friesen

Executive pastor
john@gmchurch.ca
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Susanne Loewen

Ministry assistant & Facilities Host
susanne@gmchurch.ca
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Brenton Friesen

Associate Pastor
brenton@gmchurch.ca
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Brad Driedger

Morden campus pastor
brad@gmchurch.ca
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Josué Lainey

Senior Youth & Young Adults Pastor
josue@gmchurch.ca
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Gloria Unrau

Junior youth pastor
gloria@gmchurch.ca
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Derek Lehman

Pastoral Care
derek@gmchurch.ca
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Mary Wiebe

Grow ministry assistant & Childcare
grow@gmchurch.ca
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Jonathon Wiebe

Worship pastor
jonathon@gmchurch.ca
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Angie Friesen

Reception & Creative Arts
info@gmchurch.ca
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Chuck VanDaele

Lifegroup Pastor
chuck@gmchurch.ca
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David Martens

Community Outreach
david@gmchurch.ca
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Lena Friesen

Prayer ministry
lena@gmchurch.ca
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Tobi Fehr

Bookkeeper
give@gmchurch.ca
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Len Sawatzky

Custodian
len@gmchurch.ca
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Bryan Neisteter

GMDS Director
info@gmdschool.ca
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Helen Unrau

Women's Ministry Coordinator
helen@gmchurch.ca

Elders

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Claude & Micheline Lainey

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John & Verna Krahn

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John & Nettie Friesen

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Bill & Helen Unrau

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Dan Blatz

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Adolf & Tina Loewen