Ed's Note: The 1980's found me living in Vancouver, BC, getting in some amazing skiing, flying Twin Otter aircraft both on wheels and floats and attending Broadway Tabernacle, a vibrant community of believers some 1,200 strong & mentored by Pastor Allon Hornby. If you weren't very sharp and came to church late, you'd likely be standing in the halls near the entrance for lack of space. Even the "nose-bleed section" would be full of people. It was a 'happening place' like few other churches and 'the place to be!' (specifically I mean Sunday morning or the Sunday night evangelistic service).
I have nothing but fond memories of my friendship with him and how he impacted my life at just the time the rubber was starting to hit the road in my formidable years. You know that time in your life....when you just needed a bit of help in your thinking...just needed to bounce a few ideas off of someone....know what I mean? ...and he knew exactly how to 'say it just right', ....simply and to the point with maximum effectiveness. I remember how the "prayer-room" (many of you don't have a clue of what I mean by the "prayer-room") was full on Sunday evenings with scores of young people seeking God for their lives and I remember Pastor Hornby many times coming over to pray with me as a young man as I sought God's direction for my life. As well I enjoyed his fellowship when he invited me into his home for a family meal, saying "...bring a date if you'd like to"....and I did. A genuinely warm minister of the gospel.
Long after I'd left Canada...perhaps a year since gone and working for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Ethiopia (East Africa) as a missions pilot, I received a 5 or 6 page personal hand-written letter from this spiritual-giant-gentleman. This was a time in our history when email and the internet was unheard of, when faxes hadn't been invented quite yet and snail-mail was the "in-thing". What a big deal it was to receive a letter when far from home. I remember sitting in that far off country and reading and re-reading each line and page. It struck me then what an unusual warm friend he made himself to me. What a treat it was to get that letter (I still have it), and I couldn't help but marvel how he'd even remembered me (me?) and had found the time to write me all the while being the busy senior pastor of a 1,200 member church in a busy west coast city.
In his book, "People in the Presence of God: Models and Directions for Worship (Pg 76)- (see Link)(Zondervan/Amazon.ca) author Barry Wayne Liesch writes about a worship service model developed by Pastor Hornby at Broadway Tabernacle. This was a unique feature of Pastor Hornby's church and the prayer teams he had organized.
Liesch writes...
"The dynamics of maximum participation can also be incorporated into larger worship assemblies of several hundred people. Some churches are achieving this through a segment in their morning worship called "ministry time". During the period of congregational praise, an announcement invites anyone with a need - mental, emotional, physical, financial, or spiritual - to come forward. People may also come to intercede for someone else they know is hurting. There is no great emotional appeal, no coaxing, pleading, or hype of any kind. When the announcement is completed, the ministry team goes to the front and faces the pulpit. As the congregation continues its worship in song, people from the congregation are free to come forward, stand with the team, and then share their need with a team member. Everyone is prayed for. After several minutes, a time of general congregational prayer takes place, followed by more praise, during which those who have come forward can take their seats. Pastor Allon Hornby of Broadway Tabernacle in Vancouver, British Columbia adopted the ministry-time concept in his worship service. He strongly endorses the idea."
In this above-mentioned book, he quotes Pastor Hornby as follows:
"Apart from the sermon, it is the single most significant thing that happens in our morning worship service. We have seen people saved and God answer prayer! People have been healed. Ministry time is different fron an "altar-call". There is a process that goes on.
There is a sharing of the need - a finding out of the need, before the praying and laying on of hands by the team member(s). The ministry team becomes involved. There are other benefits to our service from "ministry-time."
On the pastor's side, it breaks down the "Thou-I" distinction between the pulpit and the people. It allows for a body-feeling in the service. On the people's side it allows an opportunity for a one-on-one encounter. Most importantly, it has strengthened the faith of our entire congregation as our people have seen God work in answer to prayer." ~Pastor Allon Hornby
After Pastor Hornby had been on staff for probably 15 years, he decided on his own to hold a vote of confidence in his leadership role as Senior pastor as he personally mapped out his senior working years. He was wanting to find out whether the church wanted him to "stay-on" or should he take an available opportunity to teach in a bible school. Well when the vote came in, few people were surprised....it was nearly 100% in his favour (my February 1987 journal entry says it was 99% ~ 365 members for and only 4 against) of this large congregation who didn't want him to slip away. So he stayed as pastor until his death. He was a gifted communicator, teacher and highly relational....and my friend! Well ...that was Allon Hornby....one of the people who have impacted my life deeply.
Ed's Note: To enlarge the following pages to large print:
- Right Click on the page and select "Open Image in a new tab")
Thank you for your tribute. It resonates with my own memories.
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