Mission

My name is Kevin Philip and my mission is to evangelize and to equip others with the Evangelical Intelligence* they need to proclaim the Gospel.

I had a profound, personal encounter with Jesus in 1996. That was when I first Burned the Boats and decided to Proclaim the Gospel. More than 25 years later, I have been engaged in evangelization and discipleship ever since.

Through public speaking, consulting, and coaching I want to work with you to proclaim the Gospel and help you transform your community.

Why Boats on Fire?

The name Boats on Fire was inspired by the decision to quit my job (i.e. burn my boat) and say yes to sharing the charisms God has gifted me with (i.e. proclaim the Gospel). My goal is to see all the boats in the harbour set ablaze with God’s life-giving love.

Work With Me

Public Speaking

Evangelization is a cycle of empowerment, and it begins with proclaiming the Gospel.

My public speaking services range from a customized evening event or multi-day Parish Mission, to a weekend conference or a staff retreat day for your school or office.

Evangelization Consulting

Evangelization is a cycle of empowerment. After proclaiming the Gospel, we need to equip and empower others. To do this, God has already provided all the grace and dynamism we could possibly utilize.

The biggest obstacle is ... us. We overcomplicate evangelism, which leads to intimidation, which will inevitably lead us to inaction.

I have been engaged in the work of evangelization for more than 25 years. I have had the pleasure of serving with and learning from some tremendous individuals and amazing organizations.

Drawing from this experience, my goal is to empower you and your leadership team. Working together, you will discover the simple symmetry of evangelism and gain the Evangelical Intelligence* you need to Proclaim Christ to your people.

*Evangelical Intelligence is the innate or acquired skill to perceive and interpret how to effectively proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in all contexts and to all people. I am convinced that this is an integral part of a dynamic Christian ministry. My goal is to see this skill activated in your life!

Men’s Ministry Development

Collaborating with leaders in my community, in 2017 I founded Made for Greatness Men’s Ministry a growing ministry to the men in my area. It wasn’t my first attempt at starting a ministry to men. Like you I have had a few success stories, but I’ve also had my share of “not-so-successful” moments.

There are ample resources available to strengthen the men in your parish community, but the most common question I get from community leaders is ... “how do we start?” The beauty of this is that it’s not as complicated as we might assume.

Utilizing the lessons I’ve learned, I will work with you to develop a vibrant ministry to the men in your community.

Coaching for Men

Elijah and Elisha, Jan Tyranowski and Karol Wojtyla, Sts. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila: if you throw a dart on the map of history you will find pairings of men and women whose relationships transformed the world.

Mentorship and Coaching, when rooted in the Heart of God, has a transformative power that extends beyond anything we can possibly imagine.

I want to see you become a great saint and I will work with you to make that happen. Together we will tailor actionable goals that will encourage you to be transformed into the man that God wants you to be.

My Story

After a personal encounter with Jesus in 1996, my life was radically transformed by his love.

I began to do everything I could to grow closer to this God whom I knew loved me unconditionally and had a purpose for my life. One of these things was becoming a missionary.

I sought to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus wherever I could. This led to a variety of missionary teams that travelled to Mexico, Europe, all over Western Canada, and even deep into the backcountry of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.

After getting married in 2003, my mission field became our family and our local parish community. Together, my wife and I have served and developed various faith and sacramental formation programs.

Throughout it all, my heart continued to burn with a Missionary Flame: an unquenchable fire that yearns for all boats in the harbour to be set ablaze with God’s life-giving love. Sensing God asking us to evangelize and to disciple others, we decided that now was the time to Burn the Boats. At the end of 2023, I resigned from my career in the financial services sector to Proclaim the Gospel.

Podcasts + Substack

What People are Saying:

To get started, contact me:

306-527-2647 or

kevin@boatsonfire.net