Changing Faith in the North
Seeing God’s Hand in the Yukon’s Shift
Over the past decade, I’ve watched the Yukon change. Whitehorse, especially, has transformed into a vibrant mix of cultures. People are moving here from all over the world, chasing opportunity and a simpler pace of life. Even with long winters, the blend of small-town feel and big-city potential keeps drawing new families north.
According to the 2021 Census, the territory’s foreign-born (immigrant) population was 13.6 % of the total, 5,380 people in the Yukon (yukon.ca). Nationally, that figure was 23.0 %. In Whitehorse, immigrants made up 15.1 % of the population (StatCan).
From where I stand as a pastor, it’s a beautiful thing. But it’s also brought new challenges in how we reach and disciple people who don’t yet know Jesus.
Reaching Two Kinds of Unchurched People
In our city, I see two main groups of people who are unchurched making up a diverse mission field.
The first group grew up in Canada and leans toward Atheist or Agnostic beliefs. They’re thoughtful, often skeptical, and shaped by liberal ideals. With this group in mind, the outreach strategy focused on apologetics: reasoning with questions about truth, science, and faith to help them see Jesus as more than a myth.
Then came a shift. Newcomers began arriving from Asia, Africa, and Latin America: immigrants bringing not just new languages and foods, but new faith perspectives. These new friends to the North aren’t anti-faith at all. In fact, quite the opposite! They’re just unfamiliar with Jesus.
Many are Muslims, Buddhists, or Sikhs. They might even be cultural (or ritualistic) Catholics who know who Jesus is, but haven’t yet experienced the Gospel. These folks come with spiritual hunger, moral conviction, and strong family values.
And that has drastically changed the potential conversations with unchurched people in our city.
A New Season for Evangelism
Today, I’m learning to preach and lead in a way that reaches both the spiritual and the skeptical. It’s not easy. How do you communicate the Gospel to people who think faith is foolish and to others who are full of faith, but not in Christ?
Nationally, the proportion of Canadians without religious affiliation has jumped from 16.5 % in 2001 to 34.6 % in 2021 (Centre for Inquiry Canada). The number of Canadians attending a group religious activity at least once a month dropped from 43 % in 1985 to just 23 % by 2019 (Statistics Canada).
So while immigration has increased Canada’s overall religious diversity, it hasn’t led to a rise in faith practice. In fact, participation in organized religion continues to decline even as spiritual diversity expands.
With this in mind, I’ve realized the only way forward is to pay attention to culture while listening carefully to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Every week, I need to discern who might in the room on that coming Sunday. I need to picture myself as a first-time attender, who may be a skeptic who needs truth or a seeker who needs grace.
Learning Together in Mission
As pastors and church leaders, we can’t assume everyone walks through the doors with the same story or worldview. The apostle Paul demonstrated the oath forward:
“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
That’s the calling here, in the Yukon, and nationally in Canada. The Gospel hasn’t changed, but the landscape has. And I’m still figuring out how to bridge these worlds without losing clarity or conviction. But I believe God’s placed us in this moment for a reason.
Lord willing, the diversity in our city will be an opportunity for the Church to reflect heaven’s beauty: every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping Jesus (Revelation 7:9).
Let’s keep learning from one another. Let’s share stories, strategies, and struggles as we navigate this changing spiritual landscape together. The mission hasn’t changed, even though the methods might need to.
Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts
- How can we reach both skeptics and seekers in one community?
- What helps you connect with people from different faith backgrounds?
- How can churches build bridges across cultural and spiritual divides?
