"It's as special as it gets."

After 22 years as Lead Pastor at Southland Church in Steinbach, Ray Duerksen used those six words to describe last weekend. Over the course of four services and in front of more than 5,100 witnesses, Duerksen officially passed the baton to his son Kris, who will now take over.

Ray recalls when he became Lead Pastor more than two decades ago, Southland was very small. It had about 150 people attending regularly and had come through a number of issues over the previous four years. Ray came in, but it wasn't until 2001 that he committed to the Church that he would be there long term.

In 2011, Ray approached the Church board, letting them know it was time to be thinking about succession.

"I think it's important for all leaders to be thinking succession," he says. "If you pour your life into something, you don't want to just pass it on and then it just crumbles and dies, because then all you've done is gone."

Little did his son know that back in 2011 already, Ray mentioned to the board that it should be Kris to one day fill his shoes.

For Kris, he got his initiation as a preacher at Southland back in 2001. He clearly remembers his Dad asking him one day if he would consider taking the pulpit in three weeks time.

"I was so shocked, it wasn't even in the realm," he says. "Too shocked even to say no."

But, the next morning, while in class at university, suddenly three points jumped out at him and he started penning his sermon. Then, the night before he was supposed to preach, with a movie playing in the background, he put the finishing touches on his Sunday sermon. He ended up preaching both services the next day. But, it wasn't until a trip to Korea a little later in life that he really felt a strong call by God to go into ministry. He says after that, preaching seemed to come natural and he has now been on staff at Southland for 15 years.

Kris says the idea that he would one day take over at Southland has been there for many years. But, he admits he never thought it would happen so quickly. Though he was being groomed to take on more responsibilities within the Church, Kris says he just assumed his Dad would continue to lead another 10 years.

He says what happened last weekend feels big.

"Not in a bad way, it's big," he says. "Now I'm looking at the road ahead, it's a big deal but I feel called to it, I know I'm supposed to do it."

For Ray, he says words can not express what last weekend was like for him.

"If you are going to transition, nothing better than transitioning to a son," he says. "And not just a son, but somebody that you feel confident has been called of the Lord and is capable."

He says the theme of their transition has been Isaiah 26:12, "All we have accomplished, you have done for us."

Kris says learning from his father has been the best thing ever, noting there is so much trust between the two of them. As for what lies ahead, Kris says Southland is always changing and even if his father was still Lead Pastor, there would be continual changes. But he says the change in leadership does not mean a radical new vision is coming.

Though Kris is now leading Southland, his father won't be far away. In fact, his office will stay the same, down the hallway. But, instead of leading a Church, Ray is leading Church leaders. He heads a program, run through Southland called Church Renewal, which mentors pastors from around the world. The idea was first presented to him in 2008 and over the next three years would become more obvious that this was his calling. Church Renewal launched in 2011 and today mentors hundreds of pastors.

"It's going to be one of the most intense seasons yet for me, what's coming," he acknowledges.

According to Ray, the last 22 years have generated a flood of memories. He says two things that really stand out are the way they were gifted Bird River Bible Camp from the Baptist General Conference. This last summer they ministered to more than 1,300 campers. Ray says another highlight has been their work in Africa through Tupendane. Southland has sent several large shipping containers to Africa over the years filled with modern farm equipment in order to help feed hundreds of orphans.