Where we serve
Missionary Team
Terry and Elaine Cuthbert
Urban Church Planting
Current ministry:
In the role of Catalyzer, Terry has a burden to creatively engage the urban mission fields of the 21st century through enabling evangelism and church planting, primarily in greater Montreal, and coaching FEBInternational church planters around the world. He serves as coordinator of the Fellowship French Region’s “Expansion of the Gospel” Commission and directs its Church Planting Task Force. He will also serve as tutor of SEMBEQ’s fourth cohort of leaders in training starting the fall of 2006 in the Montreal area.
Family:
The Cuthberts were married in 1978 and have two adult children: Caroline (age 22) is finishing her teaching degree at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario and Joel (age 20) began his studies at Heritage College in Cambridge, Ontario in September 2006.
Spiritual Background:
Terry was born in Hamilton, Ontario to Mel and Dorothy Cuthbert and born again in Brazil at age 7. Terry grew up in Brazil where he was involved in his parents’ ministry as urban missionaries and church planters. From his father he learned the vital ministry principle of multiplication. Terry is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese.
Elaine was born in Quebec to Marcel and Verna Cotnoir. She grew up, was saved and baptized while attending several newly planted French Baptist churches with her parents. She was active in her youth group at church and school. She also served with “Jeunesse en Movement” for a summer. Her father Marcel became a pastor and the Director of the French Mission.
Ministry Experience:
While leading an active Bible study group on campus, Terry earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario in 1975 and subsequently served on CF-101 fighter interceptors at Bagotville, Quebec. Elaine became a Registered Nurse in 1977. As newlyweds they lived in the Chicoutimi area where they helped to plant two French-speaking churches in the region in the 1970’s before leaving for Seminary in London, Ontario in September 1980.
After his service with the Canadian military, Terry took four years of theological training (M.Div./M.Th.), while Elaine worked and studied part time, taking the equivalent of year of Bible training. Terry was called as Associate Pastor to Église Évangélique Baptiste de Québec (Chauveau), a French-speaking church in Quebec City in 1984. The church grew significantly and new churches were started. A local Bible school was founded.
In 1989, Terry became the Regional Director (Secretary) for the Fellowship French Region in a period when the movement was consolidating. In November 1992, he was appointed National President of The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada where he served until May 1, 2005. With the planting of as many churches as closed, the movement went through a period of internal renewal and change, without noticeable growth in the actual number of churches.
Terry believes that the mission field of the 21st century is in our major urban centres where most people live and where there are unique challenges to connecting these men and women with the gospel. He is also convinced that the most effective way to reach new people is by starting new churches. God has called him to give the rest of his ministry years to enabling and assisting those who are called to reach people in urban contexts.