Charting a new course
Unorthodox route makes man a pastor
It takes a huge leap of faith to abandon a successful professional career for the unknown path of establishing a fledging church.
Bill Hamilton had just begun making good money as a clinical psychologist after years of attending university when he became pastor at a new Christian church called Fraser Point in Fort Langley, B.C. He felt he had been called to a higher purpose than the professional world could offer him.
“We were finally making some money, buying a home and thinking about saving for retirement, but there’s got to be something else,” says Hamilton.
His motivation in recent years has been to bolster the church’s role in modern life.
“Unfortunately, the church has got some negative connotations,” he says. “Some people have been hurt by it.”
Hamilton, 48, ended up becoming pastor through an odd chain of events. He was on the search committee looking for a pastor for The Fraser Point Church. No matter how long they looked, the right person couldn’t be found. Hamilton began to consider assuming the role himself and struggled with the question for a few weeks.
He believes there were several signs from the Almighty. One time his daughter randomly wrote out a Biblical verse that talked about the benefits of serving others. Another time a “total non-Christian” friend emerged from the family’s washroom to report a vision of Hamilton as the church’s pastor.
“This fellow had no spiritual interest. He didn’t know we were praying about the decision,” says Hamilton.
“How do you think God works?” the friend said. “Go for it.”
Hamilton’s wife, Carey, stands staunchly behind her husband. “God has placed such a burden on us ... We are doing this because we would love to see lives change,” she says.
The year-old Fraser Point Church departs from the traditional worship format. The sanctuary is the Chief Sepass theatre at the Langley Fine Arts School. Every Sunday at 7 a.m., dozens of volunteers spruce up the stage with drop curtains and soft lights to make people feel welcome.
Professional musicians lay down inspirational pieces. The services are kept to just 65 minutes because people lead busy lives, says Hamilton, adding that the sanctuary should be a place that offers solace and insight on relevant issues.
“We all need to know about business, relationships and how to handle tragedy,” he says. “What do you do when things aren’t going right? If the topic isn’t applicable, and if it isn’t communicated using scenarios that we can all relate to, then we’re doing a great disservice as a church.”
About a quarter of the people in the 200-member congregation come from an “unchurched” background, says Hamilton. The trick is to keep them coming back, he says.
Hamilton borrows from the approach taken by Atlanta church North Point, which has attracted a following in the 20-to-40 age group.
“North Point showed that church could be for everybody, not just church people,” he says.
Hamilton takes pride in seeing people discover how they can contribute. He recently heard one newcomer cite a Biblical passage and use it as inspiration to do good deeds.
“Everyday life is about temporal stuff,” says Hamilton. “But as a pastor you can have an impact for eternity.”