Welcome to the website of Daniel Zopoula. Daniel is an archbishop of the Miz City Church in Lethbridge, Alberta, businessman and an academic who has dedicated his life to teaching those he meets in the ways of the religious life, marriage and charity.
Archbishop
Daniel is a member of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC).
As a member of the CEEC, Daniel shares and teaches the CEEC values and affirms the Great Tradition (as expressed, for example, in the ancient rule of faith and the Nicene creed), as well as the apostolic teachings, ministries, spiritualities, and practises that have shaped and continue to shape it, particularly those entrusted to us through the beliefs and practises of the broader Anglican movement.
We endeavour to engage the Tradition in ways that allow Christians from all corners of the faith to feel at home while worshipping, studying, and/or working with us, in keeping with that trust and our call to be a convergence movement.
Our theology, we believe, is represented in our worship, particularly in the regular Eucharistic celebration and the Book of Common Prayer’s orders, collections, and offices. This ancient adage, Lex Orandi, lex credendi, reminds us that our beliefs are inextricably linked to our activities, particularly prayer. This isn’t to say that our particular acts of worship are only valuable if we execute them with sincerity. Imagining the Christian life in such individualistic terms would be a grave error. Instead, this motto reminds us that our grasp of the faith we’ve been given is inextricably linked to the church’s call to pray with Christ for the world.
We seek to deepen our understanding of the truth, strengthen our capacity for living truly human lives, and widen our shared communion with one another and with God through regular shared prayerful study of the Scriptures in conversation with the wisdom of the saints who have gone before us, so that we can make room in our lives for what God means for us and for others, now and in the future purposed for all God’s children.
The evangelical emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a holy living, and evangelism and outreach is likewise embraced by the CEEC.
Why Daniel Is a Pastor
A pastor requires various skills to be successful. Daniel displays all of these skills in abundance which led him into the religious life and to that of an educator in the religions field.
A Deep Faith
Churches are looking for a pastor that is a devout disciple of Jesus. They are searching for people that have a true faith that has been grown through the highs and lows of life, rather than perfection. Congregations desire to follow a pastor who has faced spiritual uncertainty, fear, and failure while remaining faithful to God. A genuine faith can empathise with members of the congregation and bring them to a deeper faith.
A pastor with a lively faith is also recognised for engaging in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, worship, fasting, and other practises that help them grow in their relationship with Christ. This kind of faith spreads and inspires individuals who attend church.
Personality Skills
Personality skills are somewhat natural and partly learned. Warmth, friendliness, sympathetic, good listener, problem solver, energetic, kind, persistent, ethical, and trustworthy are some of the personal qualities that most churches look for in a pastor. The majority of these personal talents are related to interacting with individuals and groups of people.
Churches require applicants who already possess the necessary personal qualities. Church leaders, for example, don’t want to try to teach a newly recruited pastor how to be “excited” until that talent is required for the position. They prefer a pastor who already possesses this personal competence.
A Passion to Teach Religious Beliefs
A strong faith comes with a strong desire to spread the faith and encourage others into following the religious life. A strong ability to teach and communicate are ideal traits for spreading religious beliefs. Combined with public speaking skills, Daniel has dedicated his life to the teaching of the religious life based on his knowledge of faith and how to spread those teachings with a deep understanding.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills will enable the pastor to not only share visions and goals with the congregation, but also to influence and motivate them to carry out that vision individually and as a body of Christ. Through the Holy Spirit, the biblically focused pastor will be able to communicate God’s truths into people’s lives, giving them encouragement to persevere in their callings, peace in the midst of earthly challenges, and joy in the knowledge of sin forgiveness.
Religious Leadership
As part of a strategic plan for accomplishing those goals and ambitions, a visionary servant leader pastor ensures that the church’s vision is translated into clear goals. The pastor must equip, empower, and encourage each member to act on their own and as a part of the body of Christ.
It’s also crucial to realise that the pastor isn’t the only one who can help the church achieve its goals. The preacher will not know everything. Pastors must be humble and acknowledge that they lack the vision required to satisfy needs both inside and outside the church as servant leaders. Other churchmembers may be also assist in focusing the church on accomplishing its mission.
Daniel has dedicated his life to religious leadership through public speaking, Church administration, plus community activism and outreach. Collaborating with others, Daniel created the Miz City Church in 2008 to facilitate leadership in religious faith.
Helping Families with Bridges of Hope
Daniel Zopoula, the founder and president of Bridges of Hope, feels that poverty, inequality, and injustice have become three of the world’s most pressing challenges today. With almost three billion people living on less than $2.50 per day and 80 percent of humanity surviving on less than $10 per day, people and society as a whole are being hampered. Every day, with Bridges of Hope, an international organisation he created in the late 1990s, Zopoula makes it his duty to help families escape poverty and misery.
Daniel Zopoula has helped thousands of children and families in impoverished communities overcome economic challenges through the Bridges of Hope International Network. The Canada-based nonprofit has been bringing together the work of numerous relief, development, and advocacy organisations with the primary purpose of alleviating poverty for more than 20 years. To far, they have worked to battle illiteracy and a lack of sufficient health care, as well as promote long-term economic development and address major global issues. More organisations can expand their reach through various partnerships, allowing them to be more effective change agents in the future.
According to The Valcort Group, a prominent business strategy firm, one of the key reasons why charities and non-profits fail is a lack of effective relationships. Many organisations place a strong emphasis on engaging with contributors while overlooking the need of building a support network with other like-minded organisations. Daniel Zopoula has created a space for organisations that have a shared vision and aim to connect and collaborate through Bridges of Hope. As a result, his network is able to assist more people than they could otherwise. Bridges of Hope’s partners have a total of 30,000 beneficiaries, deliver three million meals per year, and have helped educate over 10,000 children around the world.
Organizations such as Haiti Village Health, a non-profit that provides health care and training to one of Haiti’s most underserved communities, and Youth One, a Canadian group that provides a safe environment for young people to engage in a healthier lifestyle, must do more. “The charities and organisations we work with are able to lower their administrative and overhead costs, which means that more donor donations go toward achieving goals rather than trying to support a specific agency,” Zopoula explains.
Bridges of Hope is effectively collaborating with other organisations, ministries, governments, funders, and individuals to achieve the goal of “promoting poverty relief and community empowerment amongst the poorest nations of the globe” under the guiding principles of dignity and respect. His perseverance is a tribute to Zopoula, who is displaying the power of the concept of oneness.
Daniel Zopoula was born in a disadvantaged town in West Africa and later migrated to Canada to pursue his doctorate. He was the driving force behind the beginnings of Bridges of Hope after years of sending money back to his community in Burkina Faso and motivated by a deep desire to do more. He has been directly responsible for aiding thousands of youngsters every year as the organization’s network increased. For his contributions to world development, he was awarded the Orders of Burkina Faso. Zopoula is the Canadian archbishop of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, a senior consultant for Life Direction Training and Consulting, an entrepreneur and public speaker, and the author of the 2008 book More Than Nothing.
Guidance In The Bible
Here is a story to explain our faith in the guidance provided with the bible:
My husband was out in the field on his tractor when he accidently ran over a partridge. She was killed, but a nest containing her eggs was left behind. He brought the nest back to the business because he believed the kids would appreciate viewing it. He was bringing the nest home to show the kids a few days later, after having forgotten about it for a while, when an egg fell and cracked open. He was astounded to find a live girl inside! There was still life despite the lack of heat and the absence of a mother on the nest. As a result, he decided to toss the nest and eggs under a store lamp. The eggs were in less than ideal conditions since they would receive heat from the bulb at times and then be forgotten while the lamp was utilised for something else. However, after a while, another egg was opened to see if it was still alive. Another chick was still growing and fighting for survival on the inside.
The nest eventually found its way into our back entry, where it was placed under a heat lamp and a little home was built around it in the hopes of attracting some baby partridges. As the infants began to make their way into the world, we recorded a video. It was thrilling to witness this transit, and we were overjoyed when two little infants survived, peeping and bobbing around. We had food prepared and fed them with a little dropper every three hours. I learnt how to hold their little heads and apply exactly the right amount of pressure in just the perfect spot to have their tiny beaks pop open. Then I’d place the food into their mouth in small droplets. It only took a few drips to fill their little stomachs!
It was a lot of pleasure learning about them. We learnt how to build them a habitat, what to feed them, and when the time came, how to release them into the wild. I was exhausted from feeding them even in the middle of the night, and it was a huge duty to be there every three hours to ensure they were well fed. However, I adored them. They were fascinating, robust, and yet vulnerable, reliant little beings. I felt extremely important in my job of keeping them alive, despite the fact that their lives were a wonderful gift from God. Unless God has created it thus, they would not be breathing. The following step was to teach them how to eat alone. It was suggested that I purchase some baby chickens so that the partridge may learn how to peck his own food from the chicks. It was also time to make the transition from “baby formula” to a seed. Unfortunately, one of them perished. He had problems from the beginning and was unable to survive. We did, however, have one left, and it was time for him to learn to eat.
We took five baby chicks inside our back door and set the feed on the floor. The partridge was then placed among the chicks. The ladies were already engrossed in their food, almost fully consumed by it. When we put the partridge among them, he ran over to one of the chicks and nuzzled in close. He kept pushing, squirming, and nuzzling until he was under the chick’s wing. In comparison to our young partridge, the small chick appeared to be fairly large. The girl didn’t seem to mind or notice, and continued to eat. The small partridge calmly kept walking and nestled himself under the wing. It was priceless! I realised that, despite providing warmth, safety, shelter, and food, I had failed to provide this much-needed contact, this much-needed wing. It was like watching our little partridge find its way home as it nuzzled under the wing. It discovered what it had been searching for. I recognised how lonely his life had been since his mother’s death. He quickly learnt to peck and eat. He got fairly good at it. We didn’t have to feed it anymore, and he was happy settling with his new family of chicks.
I’m grateful to God for this image. We are safe under the wing of the Almighty, according to the Bible. But I don’t think I appreciated that photo until I saw the small partridge bury himself there. But after that, I realised how much we all yearn for this place, this home, this mommy bird, this touch, this comfort, this belonging. We can have food, housing, and basic needs, yet we are so vulnerable, fragile, and lacking until we find our home, snuggled under His wing. But once we locate it, we’ll nuzzle in, wiggle, and keep walking, overjoyed to have found such a wonderful place to be. All of your other requirements are secondary. I think of this photo now and then when I’m terrified or depressed. I imagine my Father lifting His wing and extending His comfort, protection, love, and Himself to me. I think about how I’m invited to snuggle up to Him and enjoy His company.
I also consider how similar so many of our lives are to that of this partridge. We are designed to thrive in a specific environment. Our narrative of our little survivor astounded a man who worked in a partridge hatchery. He claimed that partridges are extremely difficult to hatch. They require precisely the correct amount of heat at at the proper times, as well as rotation of the eggs. Partridges are difficult to hatch, even with all of the scientific tactics working in their favour. I imagine how we’re supposed to be in our nests with our mothers nearby, guarding, feeding, and putting us under her wing. There are so many stages and elements that must be perfect in order for us to survive. We are supposed to live in these ideal circumstances, but I believe most of us end up like our partridge. Detours and disturbances occur, and we are tossed around. Even if we survive everything and have our fundamental requirements met, such as food and shelter, we will remain fearful tiny birds until we discover our wings. I also consider how much we enjoy discovering that wing, and how we are given time to cultivate that hunger and profound yearning for the Wing. Some of us have had the wing, but have decided to try life without it. Perhaps it comes across as a little intrusive. Alternatively, we may feel a little too safe. But, more often than not, we learn that life lived outside of His wing is not a pleasant place to be.
I believe what I’ve discovered is that I take that location for granted. I realised that I had forgotten how wonderful it is, and how much I needed to be nuzzled close to my Heavenly Father. I got to see a wonderful representation of how significant that location is… and I adore the fact that my Heavenly Father extends His wing and provides me a spot right alongside Him. Unlike the girl who wasn’t interested, the Heavenly Father is interested in demonstrating our need for that location and then providing us with that location’s shelter.
Our faith guides us in life and we are safe living under his guidance.
Religion As A Community
Daniel Zopoula has delivered a powerful message about the importance of unity. He argues that modern society should embrace this concept since it can assist suffering communities survive and thrive in the future. His impoverished childhood in Burkina Faso taught him significant lessons about the need of tenacity in the face of adversity. Zopoula preaches this message to his congregation at his southern Alberta church on a regular basis, and he also spreads it through his other work as a counsellor, writer, speaker, and consultant.
Daniel Zopoula has learnt a lot about the reality of suffering through his Bridges of Hope International Network organisation, which he founded in the 1990s, in addition to his own personal experiences. One common element he’s noticed is that communities with a strong sense of unity have more strength and possibility for improvement.
Communities that support one another may get through the toughest circumstances, according to Zopoula. Those who fail to do so are frequently on the verge of calamity or catastrophic collapse.
He reminds us that the Bible continually encourages people to live in harmony: I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, that there be no divisions among you, but that you all be united in the same mind and judgement. Finally, you have all demonstrated mental oneness, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Zopoula recounts his discoveries of the various ways communities can unite and their relevance as he follows the counsel of the Good Book. The greatest threat to any community, according to Zopoula, is hopelessness. Individuals or groups with compassion, such as his charity, NGOs, and others, can do their best to help promote hope, but the community itself must be the source of that vital feeling.
Regular gatherings in which hope and solidarity are emphasised can assist these principles become ingrained in the community’s core, and then repeated in daily interactions. The sense of togetherness radiates throughout numerous central regions as a result of this foundation. When confronted by external forces seeking to exploit or harm them, a united society can swiftly detect the threat and unite to defend itself.
Though the benefits of each of these scenarios are obvious, Zopoula explains that unity is more important than the sum of its components.
A struggling village soon finds that by banding together, they have a much better chance of surviving and progressing. Working toward improvement, as is frequently noticed, becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, bringing greater attention and help to the community. I encourage courageous communities fighting for better conditions, as well as those who aid them, to include ultimate unity in their goals, Zopoula concluded.
Daniel Supporting Women In The Ministry
Women in ministry, particularly as senior pastors and elders, are a source of heated debate.
Traditionalists argue that their position is founded on a sound interpretation of the Bible. They claim that specific sections in the Bible forbid it, and that women serving as senior pastors weaken men’s authority. Egalitarians protest, claiming that faulty exegesis of the ‘corrective’ Scriptures, rather than solid exegesis, was employed to support the exclusion.
Because they talk from such opposed points of view, the discourse between opposing parties can sometimes come to a halt. Families, church groups, and evangelical Christians, in especially, are divided on the topic. Is there any biblical reason for keeping women out of the pulpit? Is it possible to show that women were used in positions of responsibility in the early church? Also, based on fair interpretations of scripture, can we appropriately address the “prohibitions” against women in ministry? Evangelicals, who are the ones who need to hear this message, only look to the Bible for authority, so that’s where we need to meet them.
The term “evangelical” comes from the Greek word “evangelion,” which means “good news” for those who have been marginalised by so-called “insiders.” Today, the term “evangelical” is used to describe a primarily American voting group that is anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-science, anti-immigrant, advocates for restrictive policies, and engages in dirty politics.
The political appropriation of the term “evangelical” as exclusive to this distinct and hotly debated point of view is incorrect. The Early Christians argued that the good news of God’s love is for everyone. They were particularly adamant (even in the face of a mostly patriarchal cultural milieu) that the priesthood of all Christians showed good news for all people, including women and men. It’s not good news for anyone if it’s not good news for women. All believers, Gentiles and Jews, women and men, are priests in the eyes of “good news Christians.”
Patriarchy, according to the Apostles, was not God’s original order. As a result, they refused to glorify the current patriarchal order by referring to it as “good”! “Your desire will be for your spouse, and he will lord it over you,” the first curse on Eve says. To put it another way, people’s desire for control over one another is a result of the fall. Both male and female crave dominion over one another as a result of their sinfulness. True love between equal parts of the whole dissolved into a desire to enslave all of a sudden.
All church organisations and social ties were tainted by this desire. The influence of sin on human relationships is dramatised in patriarchy. The only way ahead is for both men and women to repent of their relationship’s power paradigm.
Paul skillfully engaged patriarchal culture in his apostolic letters. Although Paul understood where the people should be, he began where they were. He used the established male leadership systems to his advantage. He tightened the reins on the head of the family, limiting his power and how he interacted with his wife, children, and slaves. They, too, are individuals made in God’s image. People are not commodities. Everyone is created equal. There is no “male or female,” “Jew or Gentile,” “slave or free” in Christ.
Gender is no longer a factor in submission. All social orders are subordinated to mutual submission. The Holy Spirit’s gifts and graces, not gender or ethnicity, are what determine the church’s leadership structures. God doesn’t care who you are or what gender you are. In his letter to the Romans, Paul praises a lady named Junia as an exceptional apostle. The evidence used to justify the exclusion turns out to be unreasonable. Women and men are created equal in God’s eyes, both in dignity and human being. They are functionally subordinate to and complement one other.
The pastoral letters are addressed to us rather than to us. As a result, Paul’s “correctives” urging silence must be interpreted in light of the prevailing culture. Women had an important role in temples and worship ceremonies during the Greco-Roman festivals. Priestesses, prophetesses, instructors, healers, custodians of the eternal flames, and other roles were assigned to them. When these high-profile women became Christians, they anticipated to be able to continue their arts in Christian congregations. They were met with opposition from seasoned Christians who wanted obsessive catechism: A person who has not been adequately educated (male or female) is easily fooled. Before educating others, novices were properly trained and learned through catechism.
Finally, churches were equated to Old Testament temples, and ministers to its priests, under Constantine. The church barred women from serving as priests since only men were allowed to do so. The patriarchal family system reigned supreme. It promoted the idea of gender roles being assigned. There is no scriptural prohibition against all women preaching or teaching that applies to all times, places, or circumstances.
There isn’t a shortage of strong and gifted women in the church. Most churches would have closed if it weren’t for women. For far too long, society has unfairly excluded women and shattered human ties due to discrimination.
The Good News Any barring of women from pulpit preaching must be universally rejected by Christians. Giftedness, not rights or equality with others, is what sets the parameters for persons to hold official ministerial responsibilities in Christ. God desires that his gifted people be fulfilled rather than frustrated. Allow all gifted women to preach the Gospel for the sake of the Gospel!
My motivation to lead a righteous life & lead people to Salvation
Romans 3:23 is the first verse in the Romans Road to Salvation.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all done things that God doesn’t approve of. There is no such thing as an innocent person. Romans 3:10-18 paints a vivid picture of how sin manifests itself in our lives. Romans 6:23, the second Scripture in the Romans Road to Salvation, instructs us on the consequences of sin:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
For our transgressions, we have deserved death as a penalty. Death isn’t just physical; it’s also everlasting! Where Romans 6:23 left off, the third verse on the Romans Road to Salvation picks up.
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
Romans Road Verse 3
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Jesus Christ gave his life for us! Our sins were paid for through Jesus’ death. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead indicates that God accepted Jesus’ death as payment for our sins. Romans 10:9 is the fourth station on the Romans Road to Salvation:
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved
Romans 10:9
All we have to do now is believe in Jesus and trust in His death as payment for our sins, and we shall be saved! It’s stated again in Romans 10:13.
for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Romans 10:13
Jesus died to redeem us from eternal death by paying the punishment for our sins. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can receive salvation, or remission of sins.
The results of salvation are the ultimate part of the Romans’ Road to Salvation. This excellent lesson can be found in Romans 5:1.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1
We can have a peaceful connection with God via Jesus Christ. According to Romans 8:1:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
We shall never be condemned for our sins because of Jesus’ death on our behalf. Finally, from Romans 8:38-39, we get this priceless assurance from God:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38
Daniel Zopoula and the Benefits of The Religious Life
Numerous dimensions of human flourishing, such as happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and strong social relationships, are linked to religious membership. Rigid longitudinal study designs with extensive confounding control now provide evidence for the impacts of religious communities on these flourishing outcomes. Compared to spiritual-religious identity or private practices, collective religious participation has far stronger correlations with flourishing. Even though social support plays a key role in the relationship between religion and health, this only accounts for a tiny percentage of the correlations. Many additional systems also seem to be in operation. Religious groups may have such strong influences on so many facets of human happiness due to the convergence of religious principles and practices, supported by social relationships and conventions.
Physical And Mental Health in the Religious Community
Although there are variation in statistics across gender, race and religious groups, weekly attendance at a religious service is associated with a 25-35% reduction in mortality over the 10 to 15 year period.
Throughout a lifetime, these numbers can make sense when you consider the results of other studies showing religious attendance associated with a reduction in unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption and drug use.
In addition to physical health benefits, there are also results showing a benefit to mental health. Longterm religious attendance showed a 20-30% lower rate in the occurrence of depression resulting in significantly lower rates of suicide.
Social Relationships in the Religious Community
Research into relationships within long term members of the religious community has shown a reduction in the rate of divorce with statistics showing a reduction of 30-50%. Other studies showed improved chances of building friendships, getting married and support from the community.
Life Happiness in the Religious Community
Again supporting the studies showing lesser occurrences of depression, studies have also suggested satisfaction with life is higher within the religious community when compared to those in non-religious communities. In addition, religious community members are more likely to volunteer for charity work, donate to charities and are less likely to be involved in crime than their nonreligious counterparts.
Why does religious attendance have so many benefits?
Although research is mostly observational and subject to criticism of statistics and bias, the research also tries to explain the reduction in risk of physical and mental health in addition to the benefits for social relationships. Of course, many of the health benefits could be explained by the previously mentioned factors; lesser smoking, lesser alcohol, lesser occurrences of depression, a more optimistic outlook on life, improved satisfaction with life and improved social support in the community. As demonstrated by the increased likelihood to volunteer and donate, another explanation could be the belief of a higher purpose in life. Other factors could also explain reductions in suicide such as the moral belief of it being wrong or a large community of people to talk with. The same reasons could explain the reduced rates of divorce and lesser occurrences of involvement in crime. Religious teaching supports families, explains sacrifice and discusses teachings about love and life. Even these simple lessons could help people learn useful tools to help them deal with difficult times when compared to others not in the religious community who are not exposed to these teachings.
Mental health among the religious community could be explained by various factors highly associated with religious studies. Religious groups teach forgiveness which is vital in restoring relationships and improving mental health. Belief in the afterlife and rejoining loved ones can help people deal with grief. Support networks for addiction often exist in, or have links to religious communities providing awareness and convenient access for those in need of their services.