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Interview: Michael Collins
Original Publication - JAC #24, April 2003 - May 2003
Michael Collins, Associate Leader of The Cariboo Hill Temple
in Vancouver.
JAC: Michael, tell us about your role at Cariboo Hill.
MC: In a summary statement, my role at Cariboo Hill is to
train and equip people for evangelism and discipleship. A few
of the ways this manifests, but not exclusively are giving
leadership to various ministries that are evangelistic in
nature, and help produce fully devoted followers of Christ.
These ministries include Alpha, small group ministry, outreach
at a local university (Simon Fraser University) through a
college based small group called "Talks Cheap", development of
a radio show at the university, street outreach to the lost in
Canada's poorest postal code - we call this ministry "Bread of
Life", and training and equiping a group of athletes to
evangelize a local rugby club.
JAC: Can you thumbnail sketch your spiritual history to date
(conversion and so on), please?
MC:
I was born in Quebec where all schooling was based on
your religion. Culturally my family was Catholic, but we did
not practice the faith.
I did however, learn about Jesus in school,
unfortunately the same people teaching me about Jesus
regularly beat me with a strap.
When we
moved to British Columbia at the age of 9 I left Jesus far
behind. In
thought and deed I very much became an anti-Christ.
I wasn't neutral towards Christians, but actively
pursued and persecuted them like Saul.
Some of the Christians I argued with had a few good
points. One of
the questions that always stuck with me was,
was Jesus who He said He was or was He a liar?
I determined that one day I would actually read His
words and figure it out.
When I was
25, I was working with a Jehovah's witness and started to hang
around with him during lunch breaks because no one liked him.
I asked him a lot of questions and he had more biblical
answers than any Christian I had ever talked to.
I told him one day I wanted to read what Jesus said to
be able to prove why it was all wrong.
We started a lunch hour bible study. The lies and
propaganda of their literature, became more obvious as I
became consumed with reading the Bible he gave me.
Quite frankly, the words of Jesus and the power of the
Holy Spirit transformed my life.
I was led in my prayer to accept Jesus Christ by a
Jehovah's Witness.
It was a truly supernatural event!
I was immediately filled with the Holy Spirit, could
see the trees singing and audibly heard, "all creation sings
His praise"! Every fibre of my being was aware I had just
passed over from death to life. I began to jump up and down,
singing His praises. I could audibly hear Him say, "I will
never leave you or forsake you" over and over again.
Needless to say the J.W. was a little freaked out!
We were finished with each other two days later.
Everything
in my life changed.
Delivered from alcohol and drugs. Called to a new job
that cut my wage in half. Began tithing. And testify, testify,
TESTIFY! Anyone I
came near heard about the saving power of Jesus and what He
did in my life.
When I couldn't find enough people to listen, I began to
preach on street corners.
The Lord led me to a small Salvation Army church and an
80 year old street evangelist, Bob Bennett, took me under his
wing.
Within a
year and a half, I was called on a mission to Russia and
Ukraine where God allowed me to preach His word.
I was later called to the Muslim country of Bangladesh,
where I have now visited four times. Meanwhile, I preached in
the streets, alleyways and where ever I was invited.
The invitations started to flow in from all over.
I began to
attend Cariboo Hill Temple, Salvation Army about six years
later, where they eventually asked to me to be the chairman of
their evangelism committee, and two years ago they hired me as
their Associate Pastor.
Zero formal training.
JAC: You
hit the ground running, spiritually.
Can you explain how that happened, and what factors
played a part in that reality?
MC:
God's Word and obedience to it. I just did everything
the Bible said - Love - Pray - Consume the Word - Serve -
Witness - Walk in His power. It wasn't until later that
Christians more and more tried to convince me that we were
only supposed to do some parts.
The comfortable ones. Fortunately, there was always a
few "fire starters" placed in my life by God, who encouraged
me to lean not on my own understanding.
JAC: What is the best thing happening on your front right now?
MC: God's
Holy Spirit moving at Cariboo Hill and the mobilization of the
body there. The
partnership with 61:4.
JAC:
You've established a reputation for aggressive Christianity.
How do you make this a real life thing, and not some
hyped-up, dreamed-up front?
MC:
Realize that this is life and death.
Realize people are dying and going to hell, children
are suffering, the world is full of lost and hurting people
who don't know Jesus. (If this doesn't motivate you to fight,
you don't know Jesus).
Read the Word and do what it says!
Ignore the nay-sayers.
Forget about being popular. Live to please my King and
Saviour, and only Him.
JAC:
Who influences you (M- talk about flesh and blood
people, dead people, books, CDs, whatever- and include the
hows and whys)?
MC:
This is the toughest question because you say make it
someone flesh and blood.
The true answer is the Living God, but in flesh I would
have to say my wife Niveria, my children, my friends at
Cariboo Hill and other places who pray for me, and the
modelling of my friends in the persecuted Bangladesh Chrisitan
Church, specifically Pastor Chuni Mundal.
JAC:
What is your mission in life?
MC:
Live for the Glory of God.
Magnify the Lord through my being.
Tell of His great Love.
Serve and equip the church.
Invite people to enter and receive His Kingdom.
JAC:
What dreams and burdens is God laying on you in these
days?
MC:
The dream of the full mobilization of Cariboo Hill, the
Salvation Army
and the church in Western world.
The burden of prayer for the persecuted church, and
lazy apathetic Christians and the lost and dying.
JAC: How do you see the Army changing to face the new
realities of the third millennium war?
MC:
A return to primitive Salvationism.
By this I don't mean any of our old strategies, only a
return to holiness, and full reliance on the soul cleansing
blood of the Lamb and the fire of the Holy Spirit.
We need to move to more context specific ministry as He
guides us.
JAC: Given an international platform to address comrade
Salvationists, what exhortation have you for them?
MC:
"...throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that
so easily entagles and let us run with perseverance, the race
marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of our faith."
Hebrews
12:1,2
You are a
beautiful bride. Your
groom is coming...soon.
Let us prepare.
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