By Peter Biggs

FOCUS on the Family Canada is celebrating 25 years of ministry. An offshoot of the American ministry established in 1977, the Canadian organization began in 1983 in a one-room office in Richmond.

Now based in Langley, the ministry employ some 85 staff, along with regional reps.

Terence Rolston, who has been with Focus for 10 years, has been president for the past three. “The needs within families in Canada are greater than they have ever been,” he said.

According to senior vice president Derek Rogusky, growth from the beginning of the ministry has been steady. Some 70 percent of financial support comes from individuals and families; the rest is given  by foundations and wealthy donors. Their annual budget is in the $11 million range.

Rogusky believes Focus offers an essential service to Canadians. “Many families who want and need help don’t know where to begin. We are a good starting place, and can usually respond to their specific need, as well as having links to many other Christian ministries and churches.”

“Especially in the summer, we get thousands of email requests,”Rogusky added. “We take hours – in fact, every morning the staff all take 20 minutes or so to pray for every request by name. It can be heartrending – people reaching out with health crises, and sometimes brutal family breakdowns. Some people call us in great distress; it happens every day. We pray for them, and link them with practical help in their area.”

Increased scope

Indeed, within the mandate of ‘family and marriage,’ the scope of Focus’ ministry is impressive. Rogusky estimates they have more than 200,000 direct interactions with people – through the purchase of a book, a phone call, emails, et cetera. “There are a lot of people who are completely ‘unchurched,’ who come to us for help,” he said.

“Study after study has shown that family life is one of the most important issues for Canadians,” said Rogusky, who has worked in government and is a professional administrator with an MBA. He is passionate about his work.

“Many of us become parents, having had very few – or very poor – role models in our own upbringing. Just how do we instill faith and values in our children?

“Add to that the factor of society being so mobile, such that grandparents are commonly not around. Who do you turn to?”  

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On the move

Rolston, who attends Broadmoor Baptist Church in Richmond, is enthusiastic about Focus Canada’s future.

“We want to find ways to make our resources available, levering the internet – and introduce the help that is available through the media in quick and efficient ways. It’s a big task, but we’re looking at mainstream channels of media.”

While he hopes this initiative will facilitate work across Canada, he maintains that Focus is still “a national ministry with a regional presence.”

The current location of Focus in central Langley houses a bookstore and resource centre along with the range of departments. They have plans to relocate to a soon to be built facility on property they own further out in Langley.

Focus is also undergoing a period of some ‘rebranding,’ with new graphics.

Wider cooperation

Focus has built a reputation for cooperation with fellow Christian ministries. “I’ve met with Alpha Canada, who run the Alpha Marriage Course, to explore complementary ways we can help one another. We work with crisis pregnancy agencies as well. We want to come alongside them, and help families be aware of all the resources that are available.”

Asked about the perception that the ministry’s founder is aligned with the ‘political right’ in the U.S., Rolston emphasizes the positive impact James Dobson has had in bringing the issues of family and Christian values to the fore.

He characterizes the relationship with Focus U.S. as highly cooperative; but he makes some distinctions.

“We are completely independent of the U.S.,”he said. “Canadians are different, and we desire to communicate that we are a Canadian ministry responding to Canadian needs.”

Changing Focus

Focus Canada recognizes the importance of the local church, and offers a variety of special services. Aware of the incredible challenges involved in church leadership, and stress placed on the families of leaders, Focus established the Clergy Care Network, which responds to the needs of pastors and their spouses with specialized counselling and local resources.

Focus has also opened an office in Ottawa with a very specific mandate. Headed by executive director Dave Quist, the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada aims to monitor and shape government policy by conducting, compiling and presenting the latest and most accurate research to ensure that marriage- and family-friendly policy are foremost in the minds of Canada’s decision-makers. The organization’s website, imfcanada.org, has in-depth papers on many issues related to family life.                             – PB

May 2008