What is it that brings hundreds of church delegates from around the world to a small city in southern Manitoba on a weekend in May? This last weekend, the population of Steinbach grew by 332 people, as Southland Church hosted its 13th Church Renewal.

Ray Duerksen is Lead Pastor at Southland Church. He says the seed for Church Renewal was first planted in December 2008 when John Baergen of Willow Creek Canada approached him about launching a ministry to churches across the country. Duerksen admits they weren't interested at the time. But that all changed less than three years later. Shortly after, they started an online mentoring program with two pastors and the rest is history.

Duerksen says three times each year they host Church Renewal weekends. This is an opportunity for pastors from around the world to take in the sights and sounds of a busy weekend at Southland Church.

"They join participants from our church in what we are already doing," he says. "We'd be doing it whether anyone showed up or not."

The weekend agenda includes a Set Free Retreat, Sunday morning service, orientation, question and answer periods, Prayer Summit and session one of a Hearing God Seminar. At the end of the weekend, lead pastors are invited to sign up for weekly online mentoring.

Southland's first Church Renewal weekend attracted 24 delegates; this last weekend there were 332. Duerksen says it was almost a 50/50 split between Canadians and delegates from other countries. There were delegates from 42 church denominations, 85 lead pastors were present and 124 different churches were represented.

Duerksen says there were people from 20 countries and for seven of those it was the first time a delegate had come from that country. Those represented included places like Iceland, Ireland, England, Germany, Spain, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Macedonia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

According to Duerksen, 13 Church Renewal weekends have ministered to 2,000 delegates from 29 different countries.

"That is just a tremendous sign of the church coming together and working together and trying to help each other and not be proprietary," he says.

Duerksen says a lot of delegates are finding out about Southland and Church Renewal through Eddy and Cristina Dubon, who have done a lot of work in Latin America and also have contacts in Europe. He adds interest is also snowballing because pastors who have come out for a weekend share their experience with friends and colleagues.

According to Duerksen, pulling off a Church Renewal weekend is a gigantic task. He estimates they use between 300 and 500 volunteers. For example, they used 90 homes to billet the delegates, required the services of 30 translators and needed volunteers to shuttle, prepare food and assist with registration.

Duerksen says of the 70 new pastors that came out last weekend, 68 of them have already signed up for the online mentoring program. There are currently about 250 pastors in that program.

"We don't charge the pastors for the materials or the time of the mentoring, that's free to them," he says. "That's our way of giving back to the broader church because we're all part of the same thing."

Duerksen notes attendance at the churches he mentors range in size from about 50 to 2500. Duerksen says he has a heart for the really small Churches too, noting the first church he pastored was a church plant with eight people, six of them being members of his own family.

"They are all part of Christ's church and we love them all," he says.

Duerksen says there is hope for the Church. He notes those that have been part of this Church Renewal process for a number of years are reporting significant changes within their church.

Church Renewal is a busy weekend and with so many different elements, Duerksen says what really seals the deal is what happens Sunday night at Prayer Summit.

"When they attend the Prayer Summit and they can not believe this massive auditorium absolutely packed for prayer," he says. "And when they see how many young people are engaged in prayer and in ministry and service throughout the church, that impacts them tremendously."