Transcript of Podcast by Multiply Network
Created to champion church multiplication, provide learning and inspire new disciple-
making communities across Canada
2019 – Rueben Deodhar
Paul Fraser: We are super excited to have Reuben Deodhar, who is going to be planting a church in Mississauga with his wife Dora. Welcome to Take 5.
Reuben: Hey, thanks so much, Paul. Honestly, I appreciate it. I’m glad to be here.
Q. It’s so great to connect with you and chat with you just before our recording to hear your heart for Zoe Church. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about what led you to planting a church in Mississauga?
A. Absolutely. This started all the way back in high school when God first moved on my heart to want to come and serve Him. I became a follower of Jesus Christ when I was 15 years old and my heart was always, you know, reach those who don’t know Jesus. I grew up in a public school in Brampton and so for me it was like you know I had Hindu friends, Muslim friends, atheist friends and because of what Jesus had done in my life everything changed for me. I started a Bible study in a public high school in Grade 12. Believe it or not we actually had people who would come out to that on lunch hours on Wednesdays. That’s where it started for me.
Then Bible College happened and that’s where I started to figure out who I was a little bit more. The last couple of years I’ve just been pastoring and as I’ve been pastoring God has been helping me to know and understand who I am. And the more I have understood who I am the more it has become clear to me that God has been leading me on a path to start something.
It wasn’t until January 2019 when my wife was really pregnant, you know, going to drop our baby soon and we decided to take a quick vacation so you know, just enjoy a little bit more of ‘us’ time before our little daughter Arabella came. And I remember New Year’s hit, I was out on the balcony, fireworks were going off in Mexico and I remember just feeling in my heart like uncomfortable ---
Q. Yes.
A. Not in a bad way, not in a hard way, not in like hurt or anything like that. It was more so in a sense like God is trying to call me out to something.
Q. Yes.
A. That started a whole series of things that happened throughout the year and God just kind of led me to a place of saying I feel like God is calling me out to something. And so I started testing the waters, asking around to my mentors. Around September I was having some conversations and that’s when we went to where we are today. The opportunity presented itself. The pastor of Gift of God church approached me and said I’m looking to reach our community here in Mississauga. We’re an Arabic-speaking church but we want to reach the English-speaking community and we want you to lead that initiative. My wife and I, you know ---
It wasn’t immediate but in a couple of weeks’ time we started to feel very convinced and compelled that this was something that Jesus was doing in us. We wanted to be a part of it so that’s how it started.
Q. Great. So when is the launch date?
A. The launch date is in a few weeks: October 6th. We are meeting in Mississauga on Sunday at 4 pm. We’re going to start there, a soft launch, and see how God moves a see the appetite of the people.
Q. So Zoe Church is the name. What is the vision? What is your heart for that area?
A. Yes. Zoe Church is the Greek word for life and that passage in John 10:10 we see Jesus say the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly. Right?
Q. Yes.
A. It’s that idea that we want people to experience the abundant life that only comes from Jesus. We see it. Everybody is always striving and trying to search for true life, a good life, a happy life, a joyful life. But we’re so convinced that true life can only come from Jesus. So we want people to experience that and Zoe Church is a new and fresh way that maybe they’re not able to experience in church around them. You know, they don’t feel comfortable going in. Maybe it’s just like a block: I don’t go to church. And so we want to create a new way for people to come and express and get onboard with what it means to be a part of a community where they don’t have to believe to belong and experience what it means to journey along with, as you are trying to figure out what is faith to me. I feel like a lot of people are trying to figure that out but they don’t have the spaces to kind of do that. They don’t have the spaces to ask questions, to second guess about ---
And we’re confident that Jesus will prove himself to be ---
Q. Yes.
A. So come here. Ask your questions and feel comfortable and see where God takes us.
Q. I feel like there’s a lot of people watching this video nodding their head going yeah, that sounds about right.
Hey, we have just a couple of seconds left. What can we pray for you for?
A. You know, we’re starting to launch and we really could use not only financial support but prayer support. We’re trying to grow our core team as we launch together, which is why we’re soft launching to kind of see, you know, what is the feeling there, what the appetite is like for people in Mississauga. The prayer, honestly, is that God would send people our way, specific people who not only see our vision but identify with our vision and want to be part of what we’re doing. And then along with that, you know, if there are individual churches or individuals who are like hey listen, this is something I want to get onboard with and want to financially support us as well, that would be more than appreciated.
Q. Great. Thanks so much for jumping on today. We really appreciate it and praying with you, cheering you on. Keep going, man.
A. Awesome. Thank you, Paul
--- End of Recording
