Fall 2015
C o l u m b i a C o n ta c t Co n n e c t i n g t h e Co l u m b i a B i b l e Co l l e g e Co m m u n i t y | c o l u m b i a b c . e d u
T h e Cal l i n g of T oday By alumna Brittani Gifford
T wi sts & Turns
En route to discovering your calling
W h o Do You wa n t to B e ? Helping young people discern their calling
“This is the way; walk in it.” On Exploring our calling over a lifetime
Columbia Contact | Fall ‘15 Columbia Bible College seeks to equip people for a life of discipleship, ministry, and leadership in service to the church and community.
P re si de n t ’s D es k
Explore Y(our) Calling
By Brya n Bo r n
Co l u m bia Con tact Pu rp ose Statement The purpose of the Columbia Contact is to encourage and provide updates about news, events and related college business to students, alumni and friends of the college. Columbia Bible College provides faith formation and professional ministry preparation for Christians of all ages and supports the churches of the region in the fulfillment of their mission. Columbia is evangelical Anabaptist and is operated by two regional Mennonite conferences, British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and Mennonite Church British Columbia. Columbia Bible College 2940 Clearbrook Road Abbotsford, BC V2T 2Z8
Edi tor in Ch ief Stephanie Jantzen
Layou t & Desig n Grant Bielefeld Stephanie Jantzen
Co v e r Ph oto Prixel Creative
Co ntri butin g Photogra phe rs Stephanie Jantzen Nina Chan
Why is the idea of “calling” important? Because there is a great deal of concern today about the need for education to lead to well-paying jobs. At Columbia, we take this discussion very seriously. We are listening to students and their parents, and seeking to respond to the very real concern about future employment. But there are important questions that need to be answered: “What is God calling each of us to do? How has he shaped our personalities and equipped us to serve? What really is of greatest interest to us, and of ultimate value?” According to the results of a 2012 survey conducted by psychologists Tamara Hagmaier and Amanda Abele, the number one reason people stay at a job is not because of pay, benefits, or even the chance for a promotion. They found that the top reason people stay at a job is because they enjoy their work. Those who are especially passionate about what they do for a living can be said to have a “calling” rather than just a job that’s a good fit.
Co ntri buters Bryan Born Gareth Brandt Ron Friesen Brittani Gifford Jason Warkentin
c O NTAC T Tel. (604) 853-3358 Toll Free. 1-800-283-0881 info@columbiabc.edu Fax. (604) 853-3063
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or a few years now, Columbia has been employing the tagline, “Explore Your Calling.” Sometimes I have wanted to change it to “Explore Our Calling,” not in reference to Columbia’s specific calling, but rather to our collective call to follow Jesus as Lord. All of us are called to respond to Jesus’ invitation to experience new life in him, and then engage in his mission to redeem, reconcile and transform the world. That said, each of us has a unique part to play in that grand plan, and we need to discern God’s direction for our lives.
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Hagmaier and Abele argue that a job qualifies as a calling if a person feels like there is a good “fit” between their skills and interests and the requirements of the job, they gain a sense of meaning and altruism in their work, and they discern an affirming transcendent guiding force. Even these social scientists recognize the importance of “an affirming transcendent guiding force” – the one we refer to as the Triune God. At Columbia, we want to see our students discover their unique interests and aptitudes. We rejoice when graduates find meaningful employment that allows them opportunity to best exercise their Godgiven skills and talents. When our alumni faithfully serve with excellence in whatever vocation God has called and equipped them for, we sense that we are fulfilling our calling as a Bible College. Please pray for us that we will be found faithful to God’s call. “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it" (I Thessalonians 5:2324, NIV).
Brya n Bo r n, President
CONTENTS Departments 01
P r es id en t 's D es k
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Explore Y(our) Calling: Our collective call to follow Jesus as Lord.
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N ew s & U p dat es
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Staff & faculty changes, new student funding, and a new era of CBC food.
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07
Twists & Turn s
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15
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So Much Lar ger T ha n W e T hi nk
A lu m n i U p dat es
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Andy Steiger: 2015 Alumnus of the Year.
MDS S e rvi ce Bursa ry: M att Ja n zen 's Sto ry New student Matt Janzen was the first recipient of the MDS Service Bursary.
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A lu m n i Feat u r e
The Calling of Today: Our calling at the intersection of our God-given passions and the needs of the world.
Features 04
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Solid advice, insights, and bits of wisdom on the topic of calling.
by Ste ph a n ie J a n tz e n
Navigating the bumps and detours en route to discovering your calling.
S O UL FO O D
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B ea r c at Ath let ic s
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by Ga r e th B r a nd t
What might happen if we all viewed the activities of our lives as vocation, as high callings from God?
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Who d o you want to b e ?
A n i n te rv ie w w ith R o n Fr ie s e n
How to help young people discern their calling.
The Calling to be a Bearcat: an interview with Jason Warkentin, men's head volleyball coach.
02
Ne w s & Updates
Col umbia T ra ns it io ns car ey Pe nne r Columbia wishes to bless and thank Carey Penner for eighteen years of dedicated service to the college as a faculty member and program director for Caregiving & Counselling. Carey is moving on to new challenges within the counselling field. All the best, Carey: we will miss you!
M ela n ie O lf er t
We're also pleased to welcome alumna and sessional instructor Elise Hartin (BA 2006) as half-time faculty for the Caregiving and Counselling Program. With an MA in Counseling Psychology from TWU, Elise has been involved in private practice and will continue her role as a Stopping the Violence counsellor.
laura Ab ra ha m is Columbia's new Financial Aid Advisor. Laura has a BA in Caregiving & Counselling (2007), and an MA in Counselling Psychology from TWU.
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177 New Students 206 Continuing 23 Re-entry 406 Total Students
Fa ll 2014 En r ol l me n t: 172 212 21 405
L es lie M iller Also joining the team as an Admissions Advisor is Leslie Miller, recent graduate of the Outdoor Leadership BA program. Leslie is responsible for recruiting students from the province of BC (excluding the Fraser Valley).
New Students Continuing Re-entry Total Students
P r o g r a ms: 54 % 15 % 27 % 4 %
J u s t in Pau ls en Last year's StuCo President and Caregiving & Counselling grad Justin Paulsen is also a new Admissions Advisor, responsible for recruiting students across Canada and the US.
BA Diploma Certificate Undeclared
Po p u lat ion : 52 % 48 % p h o t o c r e d i t: N i n a C h a n
Elise Har t i n
Fa ll 2015 En r ol l me n t:
It's a joy to welcome Melanie Olfert back as Director of Admissions. Melanie is reprising her role as leader of Columbia's Admissions team after earning her MA in Leadership from TWU and holding a variety of leadership roles within TWU's Admissions department.
Darr in D e rkse n Columbia is delighted to welcome alumnus Darrin Derksen (BA 2002) as Program Director of Columbia’s Caregiving & Counselling Program. Darrin brings with him an MA in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, extensive experience in private counselling practice, and a longtime affection for Columbia.
Enrollment I s Ste a dy
Women Men
C a m p u s l i fe : 48 % 48 % 4 %
Residents Commuters On Internships
A NEW ERA After 33 years of leading his team in providing delicious food to the Columbia community and beyond, Executive Chef Gerald Thiessen retired this spring. He passed the baton to Executive Chef Jordan Rempel, who is excited to carry on Gerald's legacy of quality, fresh meals and to introduce new recipes that students and staff will love.
AGE : 22 17 72
Average student age Youngest student Oldest student
U p dat e s N ew Fun ding for s t uden t s
H
elping students f und their C olumbia education i s a top pr ior ity for our D e velopment team. The y have prayer f ully connec ted w ith generou s members of our community and are delighted that the follow ing ne w s cholarships and burs ar ies are now available to students.
MDS Se r vice B ursary
LEAD Bur s a ry
Funded by a generous donor with a passion for practical discipleship, these bursaries are available to Columbia students who spend four to eight weeks of their summer volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service. The bursary covers 75% of tuition costs, the most generous financial award available to Columbia students. New student Matt Janzen was the first recipient of the MDS Service Bursary. Read his story below!
The LEAD program bursary is available to a ful-time student in the LEAD program, and varies from $1000 to 5000 depending on financial need.
Inte rnation al B ursa ri e s
If you have any interest in funding a scholarship or bursary for Columbia students, please contact:
One student from each of Asia, Europe, Africa and South/Central America is eligible for these new bursaries, designed with Columbia's vision to be 'WorldImpacting' in mind. Awards range from $1000 to $5000, depending on need.
T
From installing floors to dry-walling ceilings and from laying sod to laying tile, working with MDS included many new experiences and meeting many new people. Over the summer, I began to understand the struggles that MDS’
To the praise of His Glory and Grace, Memoirs of a Mennonite Brethren Pastor Bible teacher in Canada, by former Columbia instructor, Leonard N. Doerksen and featuring a chapter on his time at the college.
S p e c i al G u es t o n C a mp us
J.B. T o e ws H is tor ic a l Co m m is s io n Co l l e ge S c h o la r s h ip In honour of historical scholar J.B. Toews this $1000 award is intended for a Columbia student with a demonstrated interest in Anabaptist history & theology.
Kurtis Kube kurtis.kube@columbiabc.edu 604.853.3567 x344
Join us on campus as we host associate professor Mark Buchanan, author of Your God is Too Safe and The Rest of God. Public Lecture: “Don’t Just Do Something: Stand There” A look at why Sabbath-keeping may be in our culture the most neglected but most subversive practice among Christians. March 16 | 7:00 PM
MDS: M att Ja n z e n ' s Sto ry his summer, I had the opportunity to spend eight weeks volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) in High River, Alberta. High River was hit by flood waters on June 20, 2013. This flood, which is currently considered the costliest Canadian disaster in history, caused immense damage to a large portion of High River homes. Two years later, the town continues to work towards rebuilding and restoring. Slowly, the number of displaced residents waiting to move back into their homes is diminishing.
N e w ly P u b l i s h e d
clients had faced during the actual flood and evacuation process and the continuing struggles that result in the aftermath of a devastating and costly disaster like that. As we worked, I was greatly encouraged by how MDS emphasized that while we were there to rebuild homes, developing relationships with the clients was in fact more important. As quite a task-oriented person, having this reminder that we were there for the homeowners’ benefit was valuable. I hope that by both helping in the physical rebuilding process and also by engaging in conversation and providing listening ears when needed, we were able to provide a multifaceted testimony to Christ’s love. I pray that those whose houses MDS has worked on will continue to understand that our kindness towards them is merely a reflection of God’s desires for both their physical and emotional wellbeing and I pray that MDS’ motto of “Rebuilding Hope” will be fulfilled. ■
Pastors & Church Leaders Conference: Leadership Lessons from the Life of David “A Man After God’s Own Heart” | An exploration of David’s unique and surprising relationship with God "David & Wilderness" | An exploration of the role of suffering in a leader’s life. "David & Kingship" | An exploration of the opportunities and perils of power in a leader’s life. March 17 | 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM Visit columbiabc.edu/ConEd for Details & Registration
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So Much Larger Than We Think Ex p l o r i n g t h e r e l at i o n sh i p b e t we e n Ca l l ing a nd Ca re e r b y Ga reth Brandt
It
is not uncommon to hear people talk about having a calling to work in ministry. But I believe that all Christians have a calling—a vocation. Our word "vocation” comes from the Latin VOCATIO which is best translated as “calling.” Are only those in ministry called? Are the rest of us merely support staff who donate money and try to squeeze in a few words about Jesus at coffee break? James Fowler says that “vocation is the response a person makes with her or his total self to the calling of God for partnership in God’s purposes.” To find a vocation means finding a purpose for your life that is part of the bigger purposes of God. Skye Jethani, in his book, Futureville, which I use as a text at Columbia, suggests that too often the primary question for Christians has been, “Where will you end up? But maybe we need to think of a new guiding question. What are God’s purposes? What is my calling within that?” What are God’s purposes? If we restrict God’s purposes to going to heaven after we die this leaves us wondering about the meaningfulness and purpose of our earthly life. Are we just here in this life in order to prepare for the next? Does human life have any meaning? Our director of the biblical
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studies department, Ken Esau, teaches that the theme of the Hebrew Bible is God’s SHALOM: the harmonious flourishing of all humanity and creation; to be in right relationship with God, self, other, and all creation. Indeed, I would extend this theme to the entire biblical narrative. In Jesus Christ, God’s purposes are being fulfilled. “For God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things [to bring SHALOM to all creation], whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace [SHALOM] through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:19-20). Our calling is to participate with God in the work which Christ fulfilled and will yet complete. Os Guinness, in The Call, his classic book on the subject of vocation, differentiates between the primary calling to follow Christ and the secondary calling which is how we live that out in our daily lives. Secondary callings matter, but only because the primary calling matters most. They must be held together and they must be in the right order. We are called to participate with Christ in the work of bringing SHALOM to all creation. Each of us has a unique calling within this primary vocation. Our specific calling is not our job, work, occupation, profession,
or career. Our vocation may include those things and our careers are a way to express our vocation but they are not the same thing. Vocation is much larger. Living out our calling also involves our play, relationships, stewardship of possessions, and our private life — it involves everything with which we serve God and our neighbour for God’s purposes. At the same time, we do spend a good deal of our waking hours working in some way, shape or form; thus, work is an important part of our vocation. A key biblical text in developing a theology of our specific vocation is Colossians 3:17 and 23. “Whatever you do: do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God… work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” It makes basically two points about work. First of all, we do all our work in the name of Jesus, as if we are working for God. Secondly, we do it with all of our hearts, with inner motivation and thanksgiving. When we do something “in the name of Jesus” or “as unto the Lord” then we do it consciously, realizing that whatever we do, we are representing the name of the one we call Lord. Whether you work for a Christian organization or for a construction company, it is a calling from God. “Whatever” your work is, it has value
in and of itself. Obviously, there are some types of work that would not give glory to God. For example, any work that degrades people or destroys God’s creatures or creation might be suspect. But there is no such thing as secular work because all work is sacred for the person who is aware of participating in the purposes of God.
out our calling “ Lival sing o involves our play, relationships , ste ward ship of poss essions, and our pr ivate life —it involves e ve r y thing. . .
“
In one of our former churches we had the practice of featuring a “missionary of the month” in the bulletin so we could remember to pray for them. My friend who owned and operated a window and door business insisted that he be featured one month instead of the usual fare of so-called
“full-time missionaries.” He had it right. Being a missionary at work is not so much about mentioning Jesus in conversation but about fulfilling the vocation or calling that God has given us. The beauty and warmth of my friend’s products bring SHALOM to the world. “Working with all your heart” does not mean dying of a heart attack as a result of overwork! The so-called Protestant work ethic sometimes seems to imply that the harder you work the more holy you are. This distortion of vocation runs almost opposite to the secular/sacred divide we examined above. Retired people wonder whether their activities have meaning or make a contribution. Parents sometimes say to their young adult children, “Why don’t you get a real job, you can’t make a good living playing guitar and painting pictures.” This implies that anything outside of established traditional occupations or that has unsteady or no income is not part of vocation and not worthy of investing time and energy. Writing a poem, visiting a friend, playing a game, praying for people, posting a creative photograph online—all these also contribute to God’s SHALOM in the world.
becomes our worship. Whatever we do all day, whether it is words or deeds, speaking and writing or hammering and lifting, scheduled or free spirited, paid or unpaid, at home or on the road, at school or in the factory, it is to be done in a spirit of gratitude and joy rather than a spirit of toil and compulsion. What might happen if we all viewed the activities of our lives as vocation, as high callings from God? ■
G a r et h B r an d t teaches practical theology courses at Columbia and is the author of Spirituality With Clothes On: Examining What Makes Us Who We Are [Wipf & Stock, 2015]. He is part of Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Abbotsford and this summer became a grandfather for the first time!
To do something with “all our heart” and with “thanksgiving” means that our activity
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Twists
&
Turns
E n Ro u t e to D i s c o v e r i n g Yo u r C a l l i n g - by Stephanie Jantzen -
“ So
you’re laying me off?” I sat across the table from my boss, heart racing. It was the last week of my maternity leave. This meeting was supposed to be a time to reconnect and line everything up for my return to my role as a non-profit communications specialist. It wasn’t supposed to be an “I’m sorry, but your position has become redundant” meeting. Only it was. Some people have a career path akin to Highway 1 crossing the Prairies: a short, straight route from Point A to B. If you’re like me, you’re not one of those people. For some of us, the road is full of hairpin curves and bumps and long detours. It’s
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easy to wonder, “Did I make a wrong turn somewhere? Shouldn’t I be farther ahead by now? Do I even have a calling?” My own twists and turns have been many. First, I trained to be a scientist. After four years pursuing an Honours BSc in Biochemistry, I graduated and landed a great job in Montreal’s pharmaceutical industry. But by then, I knew I didn’t love the lab — not the way a true scientist does. Next, I became a pastor. Into my Corolla I piled all my belongings and drove across Canada to enroll at ACTS Seminaries in Langley, BC. A wonderful little church in White Rock took me in as an intern, and cheered me on as I preached my first sermons and learned Greek and theology and leadership principles. When I finished
my Master of Divinity, that same church asked me to stay on as an associate. The one catch? They could only afford to pay me a half-time salary. So I became a half-time travelling scientist. Yes, you read that right. To make ends meet, I got a second job travelling to elementary schools teaching hands-on science workshops. This was equal parts fun and exhausting: picture teaching thirty little kids how to make silly putty from white glue, borax, and food colouring. For the next five years, I juggled my two roles as best I could. Then came a major bend in the road. At 31, I married Michael, and became a stepmom to his two young boys. Two years into our marriage, it became clear we needed to live
closer to his kids. With my resignation handed in, we moved from White Rock to Abbotsford and started over: new community, new church, and me with a new job in communications. At least, until I got laid off three years later. It’s been twenty years since I started college. That’s two decades of twists and turns. If I had been like Jonah — running the opposite direction when God called — all the zigs and zags would be understandable. But every move — from chemist to seminary student, from intern to half-time pastor, from single to married, from White Rock to Abbotsford, was a decision I surrendered to God. Every choice was a careful process involving all the things you’re ‘supposed to do’: soul-searching, prayer, conversations with respected mentors, spiritual direction, logically weighing pros and cons, sifting through priorities, passions, and giftedness, considering circumstances. And still I experienced twenty years of twists and turns. Two conclusions are possible: either I didn’t hear God right (despite my best efforts) or I did hear God right and the windy road was actually all His idea. Two pieces of Scripture have been my touchstone. One is the story of Joseph, arguably the Bible’s Grand Prize Winner for Most Zigs and Zags. Joseph went from favourite son to aspiring leader to the bottom of a pit to slave to trusted household manager to falsely-accused rapist to prisoner to Pharoah’s CEO! What’s most comforting about the Joseph story is hearing him say to his brothers at the end of it all, “Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done; the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:19-20 NIV). Joseph came to a point where he could look back and see how the detours and delays were nothing of the kind: they were God leading Joseph into his calling to save thousands of people from famine. What’s most challenging about the Joseph
story is remembering that what takes us only minutes to read took Joseph years to live through. For thirteen years, Joseph was a slave in Egypt. For at least two of those years, he sat in prison. Even though he had no guarantee his happy “it-all-makessense-now” ending was coming, Joseph chose to make the most of every situation. He got to work. He was faithful. He used his gifts and skills to the best of his abilities. And he continued to listen for God’s voice.
conclu sion s “ Two are possible: either I didn’t hear G od r ight (despite my best ef for ts) or I did hear G od r ight and the w indy road was ac tually all Hi s idea.
“
Like Joseph, I look back and I begin to see. Today, I am the Marketing & Communications Manager at Columbia. Never once did I think I would be in a role like this, and never did I imagine I would love it the way I do. Sometimes I catch myself wishing I had enrolled in a BA in Communications at the get-go. Wouldn’t I be so much farther ahead? But I can see how the twists and turns were actually a crucial part of the journey. My science training gave me problem-solving and analytical skills I need to do this job. My theological studies ordered my priorities and grounded me in God’s reality. My time as a pastor taught me how to listen, tell stories, empathize, communicate creatively. And getting laid off led me here, to Columbia Bible College. Every day, I help young adults find their way to this community, where Jesus transforms them into men and
women who will impact the world. I’m not in the league of Joseph, saving thousands of people from starvation. But the work I am doing is Kingdom-work: it’s bigger than my career path. The truth is that the smoothness of my career path is not God’s main priority. My second touchstone Scripture has been Romans 8:28-29. We love to focus on how “in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” But the real point is how Paul defines “the good.” We have been “called according to his purpose… to be conformed to the image of his Son.” It’s God’s purpose, not mine, that matters most. And His goal is that I’ll learn to talk and think and act and serve and sacrifice like Jesus. When I look back at the twists and turns, I see how God was leading me here. But more than that, I see how God was forming me. Through the zigs and zags, I wrestled and struggled. They showed my selfishness, my lack of faith, my “you-scratch-my-backGod-and-I’ll-scratch-yours” mentality. I learned patience and surrender, obedience and faithfulness, humility and worship. I learned to seek God and to know that the true reward is not finding the perfect job, but finding Him. That’s worth a detour or two. ■
Stephanie JantzeN
is Columbia's Marketing & Communications Manager. She is still exploring her calling and perfectly okay with that. She's married to Michael and has two sons - Isaac (5) and Matthew (2) - and two stepsons - Caleb (12) and Ben (10).
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So u l F ood
Solid advice, insights, & bits of wisdom on the topic of CALLING “The only Christian work is good
Circumstance doesn’t
“My Lord God, I have no idea
work well done. Let the Church see
determine faithfulness. The
where I am going. I do not see the
to it that the workers are Christian
Bible and history are full
road ahead of me. I cannot know
people and do their work well, as
of examples where circumstances
for certain where it will end. Nor
to God: then all the work will be
were confusing, difficult, or
do I really know myself, and the
Christian work, whether it is church
contrary to public opinion on
fact that I think that I am following
embroidery, or sewage farming.”
the “good life.” So, ask yourself
your will does not mean that I am
this question: can you love God
actually doing so. But I believe that
and love others in your current
the desire to please you does in
situation?
fact please you. And I hope I have
Do ro th y L. Sayers, in Letters to a Diminished Church
that desire in all that I am doing. I
D avid Wa rk e n t i n , D i re ct o r o f PRAXIS
hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know
Be ready to take some risks.
that if I do this you will lead me by
It’s easy to get caught in a
the right road though I may know
rut – keep listening to God, and step out in faith.
Bry a n Born, President
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned
nothing about it. Therefore will I
out on religion? Come to me. Get
trust you always though I may seem
away with me and you’ll recover
to be lost and in the shadow of
your life. I’ll show you how to take
death. I will not fear, for you are
a real rest. Walk with me and work
ever with me, and you will never
with me—watch how I do it. Learn
leave me to face my perils alone.”
the unforced rhythms of grace. I "Teach me, my God and King,
won’t lay anything heavy or ill-
In all things thee to see,
fitting on you. Keep company with
And what I do in anything,
me and you’ll learn to live freely
To do it as for thee."
and lightly."
T h o ma s M e r t o n , i n Thoughts in Solitude
Don’t doubt in the dark
Jes us, in M a t t h e w 11: 28- 30 ( T he M es sa g e )
Ge o rg e Herbert (1593-163 3 . Poet & prie s t )
what God has shown you in the light.
D o u g B e rg , A ca d e mi c D e a n
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RES O URCES I would encourage those
No time is wasted. We may
in their twenties to invest
feel like we’re spinning our
in solitude and learning
wheels. We may feel we
to pay attention to their deepest
are destined for greater things that
desires and the nudging of the
are simply not unfolding according
Holy Spirit. Taking time to reflect, to
to plan. God calls us, quite simply,
develop an ear for God’s voice, is
to put one foot in front of the other
essential to discovering our calling.
in faithfulness. When I look back
I would also encourage them to
on some of my darkest moments
keep moving, making choices,
(moments when I felt every calling
and doing their best to discern
and dream God had given me
direction without fear. God has the
had died), I now see that what I
most incredible capacity to use us
perceived as desert space in my
as His creation towards his plan,
life—barren, lifeless, wasted—was,
even if we think we have messed
in fact, thick with growth and life.
it all up. Hindsight will soon reveal
God does not waste time.
God at work if we are willing to pay attention to our story. This hindsight will allow us to more clearly discern
Th r ee E x c e l l e n t boo k s o n C all i n g :
L et Yo u r L ife Spe ak by Parker Palmer
T h e Cal l by Os Guinness
S t ac ey G l e d d i e smi t h , D irec t or o f Wo rsh i p A r t s
the future having experienced God’s guidance over time.
Je re m y Walker, QUEST A s s oc iat e
As a new retiree I would say that I'm learning to not allow tasks to fill the new openness of my schedule without
"Only in daily work do we have
deciding to do (or not do) the
a perfect opportunity to observe
tasks. These decisions under God
ourselves; it is then indeed that
are an expression of a new maturity
we discover the good and evil in
during my current time of life.
Co u r ag e a n d Cal l i n g by Gordon Smith
ourselves, and see our merits and faults."
R on Vot h , Fa cu l t y E me ri t u s
Ca rd in a l Wyszynski, in All Who Labour
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Wh o Do You want to be
?
H o w We C a n H e l p Yo u n g People Discern their Calling
A n Inte rvie w with R o n Fr ie s e n
R
on Friesen is no stranger to the “What am I going to do with my life?” question.
For
over thirty years, he has mentored teens and young adults as a youth pastor and as the program director of Columbia Bible College’s Youth Work program. In this interview, he shares insights for how we can come alongside the young people we care about and help them figure out their next steps.
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Put us in the shoes of a young person today, trying to make decisions about life, career, education. How are they feeling? The pressure that is on our students today to succeed, to have a vocation is incredible. The question of calling is amped up. When I was young, you could experiment with a lot of things. You could stop and go do something else and that wasn’t catastrophic. In today’s world, students have this sense, “What if I miss this opportunity? What if I do all this education and I don’t want to pursue this in the end?” Education is costly and there’s potential for huge student debt. And we live in this information world. You have so many more options – so many that it’s tough to make a decision.
Ho w d o yo u a p p r o ac h t h e qu e sti on of c a llin g w it h a yo u n g p er son ? The question that we ask our high school grads has always been the same, even if we go back a number of decades: “What are you going to do?” In the church context, we have probably asked the wrong question. We place a lot of emphasis on the “what” and not the “who.” It’s not what I do, it’s who I am. My desire is to communicate what’s primary and what’s secondary. What has God called us to do? I like John Piper’s quote: “He is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” We are most satisfied when we are glorifying God, when we want to
please God in everything we do. And then once the primary is in place, the secondary is going to follow. So you deal with the “who” first. You go back to Jesus’s words in Mark 12 about the most important command: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
A young person is also going to be asking, “So what college program do I enroll in? What trade do I apprentice with?” How do we help students on a practical level too? Becoming someone who loves God first – that’s the who. But how do we do it? That is a deep design question. “All your heart, soul, mind, strength…” Those four things mean something. They encompass the whole person. Each of us has a unique identity. How do we flesh that out? First, I usually ask students, “Tell me what you’re passionate about. What keeps you awake at night? If you could do anything and be guaranteed success, what would you do? It gets them thinking, gets them dreaming. Second, I always encourage selfanalysis. I encourage them to attend job fairs, go through personal inventories. What am I good at? What’s my gift set? Number three, there’s got to be community. I encourage students to include family, include friends. There need to be ways to see what we can do and have people confirm it. Young people need to test the waters, to have that sense of confirmation leading to clarification. Often there’s some patience involved; it doesn’t happen overnight. This is why internships are such a great idea. A great thing for a church to do is to put on their own career fair. We’re
living in a disconnected society, and even in our churches, we don’t really get a chance to see the intergeneration aspect of life. I want to expose students to godly professionals — everyone from pastors to truck drivers to entrepreneurs to doctors — and given them the chance to ask, “How did you get there? How do you know this is where God wants you?” That helps students figure out life. That sparks interest, opens up a vault of opportunities.
W hat a r e s o m e m is ta k es w e c a n m a k e a s w e wa lk w it h s t u d en t s ? We get the cart before the horse sometime because we live in a society that says “What do you do?” This is where parents need to be wise and discerning. Being successful and being called may not be the same thing. Being successful and being where you’re passionate and gifted may not be the same thing. So that’s where I want parents and those who are significantly influencing that age bracket to say, “Make sure you’ve got the primary down and the rest is going to fall into place.” And then, are we modelling that? If we’re telling kids that the primary relationship is with God, let’s pray for our kids and their vocation. One mistake is to be narrow. Parents want what’s best for their kids, and it’s hard for them to let their kids go a different path. But things change. I like to remind parents, “How did you do this with your mom and dad? Was there pushing and shoving? What did you learn from that?” Make sure you’re communicating, not manipulating. You know how much influence you have. But make sure that influence doesn’t trump relationship. Look at all the possibilities. Make sure to listen. Don’t remove God from the equation. ■
W h o are t he h i g h school s t u d ent s i n yo u r l i f e ? 69%
of ou r stu d e n ts c h oose Col u mbi a b e cau se a fami ly m em b er , m en tor , or fr i e n d en c o u r ag ed t h em to con si d e r atten d in g. You c o u ld m a k e a si g n i fi can t im pac t in a s t u de n t’ s l i fe an d h elp Co lu m b ia g r ow an d th r i ve .
It ’ s n ot d i ff i c ult: P r ay for Go d ’s d i r e cti on. Sta r t a c o n v er s ati on w it h a yo u n g a d u lt. E x p lo r e t h eir in te r e sts. S h a r e yo u r s tory. A s k t h e q u es t io n, “Wh at abo u t Co lu m b ia B ib le Col l e g e ?” E n c o u r ag e t h em to vi si t c o lu m b ia b c. ed u O r em a il u s at a d m is s io n s @ c ol u mbi abc. e d u s o w e c a n s en d you an i n fo pac k ag e to g iv e to a stu d e n t.
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Al u m ni Feature
The Calling of Today b y Bri tta ni G i ffo rd
C
alling is something Christians love to talk about and have a tendency to obsess over. I distinctly remember conversations with friends during my time at CBC about calling — questions like “what if I miss my calling? Is this possible?” From a young age I too felt “called”... specifically to overseas missions. Looking back, I sometimes wonder if this “call” became mixed up in my desire for travel and adventure. But I had a passionate love for Jesus and a desire for justice so all these things seemed to go together. I met my husband while at Columbia and for our first few lengthy conversations, we
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talked of nothing but God and missions. Our callings seemed to fit together and this provided a strong base for our relationship to grow. My first “plan” was to go to India after graduating from the ICS program at Columbia but after meeting my husband, we decided to wait a couple years (he would finish his degree) and then we would go together. Seemed like a great plan! Then we became pregnant. Still we thought we could go, but the organization encouraged us to wait a year. After some prayer and discernment we felt like rather than spending a year “waiting” we
would pour ourselves into ministry here: learn to be parents and learn how to do ministry in our own context. Now here we are four years and three children later and we’re wondering again when might be the time to go. Thankfully however, my view of calling has evolved and I’m no longer waiting to “start my calling." I currently work as a part-time pastor and part-time stay-at-home parent, and if you have any experience in either of these roles, you know that neither is actually part-time. My husband and I equally share the Associate Pastor position at our church as well as the home and parenting
“ O ur calling i s to be ope n to how G od might want to u s e u s in that moment. “ duties. There are obvious pros and cons to this arrangement but we are so blessed with an amazing church family that helps us make it work. I have taken short maternity leaves during our time here and God has been teaching me a lot about how I view my work both in and out of the home.
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O ur g race - f illed G od ha s declared each one of u s wor thy to f ulf ill our calling whe re ve r he ha s placed u s for thi s s ea s on.
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I have a tendency to view my church work as my ministry and sometimes feel as though my role as a pastor and my role as a mom are in competition. I’m still very much in the trenches of this motherhood business and I don’t have it all worked out, but there are a few truths God has made clear to me that I hold on to when things are getting murky. The first is that our calling can be found at the intersection of our God-given passions, gifts and the needs of the world. Knowing my gifts and knowing my passions creates my calling… not a specific vocation that has a definite job description. God has given me a love for people and
seeing them come into relationship with Him. This kind of calling can happen just as easily at the park with my kids as it can when I’m teaching at church. Secondly, God has been teaching me so much about being present in the moment. It is the best way to survive three sons aged three and under. I love how God is pumped to meet us where we are! Jen Hatmaker writes in her book For the Love, “Our calling is for today.” Our calling is to be open to how God might want to use us in that moment. As Paul writes in 2 Thess. 1:11 “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.” God has made us worthy and our calling is for that love to spill out onto those around us. Our grace-filled God has declared each one of us worthy to fulfill our calling wherever he has placed us for this season.
Viewing calling through this lens also makes space for children to live out their calling at the age that they currently are, rather than waiting until they’ve reached a certain point. Teaching kids from a young age that God can use their gifts and passions for His glory will reinforce the idea that calling is not a job description but a pronouncement of love from God. Parents today are faced with so many different options for activities for their kids. I think this is the biggest obstacle for living out our calling in our everyday lives. We idolize our kids when we place their wants and needs ahead of this calling that we as Christians have, which is to spread the love of Christ. As parents, I pray that we will encourage our kids in their own callings and teach them the way of the Kingdom by living a life that is centered on Christ and his purposes for the world around us. ■
B r itta n i & J on Gi ffo r d are associate pastors at Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond, and both are alumni of Columbia Bible College. Their three sons are Kingston (4), Atticus (2), and Ezekiel (7 months).
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Al u m ni Update
ALUMNI UPDATEs Studies & Praxis Associate. They attend Christian Life Community Church and enjoy volunteering at the Sunday morning coffee bar time there. ▄ Sam & Donna’s most transformative class? "Their internships!"
N i c h o l as Pop e
J o n a n d Angela T h i essen
and their three kids Jack (7), Shiloh (4), and Luke (3) are currently living in Walnut Grove, Langley. Jon graduated from CBC in 2004 with a BA is Biblical Studies and is currently the Lead Pastor at Johnston Heights Church in Surrey. His wife Angela is an elementary school teacher at Halls Prairie in South Surrey and at JHC she serves in children’s ministry, teaches precepts classes for women, and co-leads a young adults' life group with Jon. ▄ Jon’s most transformative Columbia class? "Synoptic Gospels with Michael Szuk."
S am AND Do nna ( Mayer) Zaengle celebrated their marriage on June 7, 2015 and now live in Abbotsford. Sam (BA Outdoor Leadership 2012) is working at Letterlock in Sumas, WA while his permanent residency application is processed. Donna continues in her role at Columbia as Intercultural
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Dan an d E m i ly C ar n ah an live in Walnut Grove, BC with their two kids, Sophia Grace (5) and Mikaela Jayne (2). Baby 3 is coming Feb 2016! Emily graduated in 2006 with her BA in Youth work. She has worked with youth for the past 14-15 years in a range of roles: volunteer, assistant and director. She’s currently starting up the new Fusion program for students in Grades 4-7, all at Johnston Heights Church. Dan is a carpenter working in renovations and serves as a church elder and worship leader. ▄ Emily’s most transformative Columbia class? "Old Testament Survey with Ken Esau and the 13 stages. Changed my perspective on the Bible and opened up my eyes to the Old Testament and the Bible that I had never experienced before. I experienced God in a whole new light and fell in love with the Bible and am continuing to learn and fall in love with God more."
(BA Biblical Studies 2012) graduated from the University of Calgary’s law school this spring, receiving the Dean Michael Wiley Social Responsibility Award. This award is presented to a graduating law student who has made a contribution to the understanding or resolution of social or human rights issues. Nicholas just began an 11-month SALT term with MCC: “MCC has placed me with one of their partner organizations, the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem. I work in their advocacy department as an Advocacy & Human Rights Communications Assistant. One of my main duties is to research international law and write reports on issues affecting Palestinians in East Jerusalem such as forced displacement, housing demolitions, discriminatory zoning policies, revocation of residency rights, excessive use of force, and limitations on freedom of religion. The organization also does a number of other things including providing domestic legal assistance to Palestinians, educating Palestinians about their rights, and making submissions to UN human rights mechanisms.” ▄ Nicholas’ most transformative class at Columbia? "Conflict Management with Janet Boldt."
2015 Alumnus Of the year A n dy St ei g e r
M i k e AND Ferin Wi llms welcomed a baby girl, Amaya Raven, into their family in August. Ferin is currently on maternity leave from her role as an Admissions Advisor at Columbia. She and Mike live in North Surrey, where they do urban mission work with Youth Unlimited, reaching out to at-risk-youth and their families, predominantly with the skateboarding community. This year Ferin will also be volunteering with Surrey Youth Unlimited's young families ministry, participating in "Muffin Morning" with other moms. Ferin graduated with a BA in Biblical Studies (2013), minoring in Community Development. ▄ Ferin’s most transformative class? "'Urban Mission' was a transformative class for me because I was able to take what I was learning and put it into practice at home. I would come home from class and be able to see my city through a new lens and have the skills to engage my community more effectively not only through "intentional" ministry but in my daily life as an urban dweller and neighbour. Alongside my Biblical Studies classes, it was exciting to see how God's plan for restoration and redemption was taking place in Surrey and that my husband & I were called to be a part of it.”
Dana Pet k e r just moved to Leeds, UK to enrol in a MA in Gender Studies Program at Leeds University. She graduated from Columbia in 2004 with a Diploma in Biblical Studies. From 2010 to 2015, she served as Columbia’s Director of Financial Aid, and she’s the proud auntie of six kids. ▄ Dana’s most transformative Columbia experience? "Being immersed in a community that was supportive and caring is a professional gift that not everyone gets. I was also really blessed to be mentored, professionally and personally, by amazing people at Columbia who cared about my development and who pushed me to push myself."
A
ndy Steiger grew up in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon. At the age of 18 he moved to Canada to attend Northwest Baptist College and later transferred to Columbia Bible College. He fell in love with British Columbia, and after graduating in 2001, he married Nancy and began working as a youth pastor: first at Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship in Coquitlam and later at Immanuel Fellowship Baptist Church in Abbotsford. After serving in youth and college ministry for over ten years, Andy and Nancy moved to Los Angeles, where Andy completed a Masters in Apologetics from Biola University. Apologetics is a Greek word meaning ‘to give an answer, reason or defense,’ specifically in Christianity, for the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Burdened to reach young adults, Andy and Nancy moved back to Canada and founded Apologetics Canada, a ministry dedicated to helping churches in Canada engage people with the Gospel. Currently, Andy is the Director of Apologetics Canada, the Young Adults Pastor at Northview Community Church, and a sessional instructor at Columbia, where he teaches apologetics. Andy is also the author of: Thinking? Answering Life’s Five Biggest Questions and the creator and host of the Thinking Series DVD. Andy and Nancy have been married for thirteen years and have two boys: Tristan (7 years old) and William (5 years old). Andy and Nancy love God, people and adventure. They have traveled and served in over thirty-five countries around the world... and counting. ■
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be arc at athletics
the
calling to be a bearcat W e ta lk ed wi th Jason Warke ntin, Head Vo lleyball Co ach, about how hi s n ew r o le b r i n g s toge the r hi s passi ons for faith, sport, and mentorship.
H
ow did you end up at Columbia? How did your time here help you discover Your calling?
from Isaiah 30:21, “And whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘this is the way, walk in it.’” This verse was something I repeatedly came back to throughout the year.
Obviously, there was a different plan in the works: God’s plan. At the start of the year, I had received a grad verse from my parents
I ended up having an excellent high school season, winning a number of tournaments as well as provincials, while being named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Shortly after, I began receiving offers from schools regarding playing postsecondary volleyball. At that time, I was convinced of two things: first, I did not want to play within a secular environment as I was in the process of strengthening my personal faith; second, I was not at the point where I wanted to move away from
As I entered my last year of high school, I had the initial impression that it would be my last year playing organized volleyball. My experiences through the previous years had demoralized me as an athlete and I was going through a time of spiritual discernment in my life which led me to question how well being on a sports team and being a Christian could fit together.
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home. The result of these two convictions was that CBC became the best fit. My original intention was to attend Columbia for one year and then pursue a career path elsewhere, yet it did not take long for me to recognize that CBC was a place that would be very beneficial for me long term. Coming in, I had two main passions: faith and sports. At CBC I was introduced to a third passion: mentorship. As a firstyear student, I had number of older players on the team take me under their wing and model what it meant to be a student-athlete who uses his talents to glorify God. It was one of the first opportunities for me to see the combination of faith and sport working together.
As I neared the end of my time at CBC, the concept of ‘calling’ was one that was definitely near the top of my thoughts as the natural direction is to head from school into a career. It was through experiences on my Intercultural Studies internship in Germany, as well as periods of intentional reflection, that I was able to clearly identify the passions of sport, faith and mentorship in my life. With graduation ahead, it looked like I would be leaving the context in which I was able to practice these passions, yet I knew that this is a path I needed to pursue. Through God’s sovereign direction, I have had the opportunity to continue at the college in the position of Head Coach of the Men’s volleyball team as well as work part-time with Athletes in Action volleyball ministry.
What does it mean to you to be called to be an athlete?
The purpose of the Intercultural Studies program is to gain tools for understanding cultures as well as for seeing how the truth of the Bible and the person of Jesus can fit into these cultures. I learned that sports represent a certain type of culture and the tools I gained in my degree program quickly became applicable to my role as an athlete and now as a coach. I believe God gifts each individual with unique passions and talents. A clear way of acknowledging this is to use them in a way which glorifies and honours God. As an athlete, there were two songs which continually reminded me about my role on the court. The first was, “Not to Us,” and the second was, “Glory to God.” These songs helped remind me that win or lose, my role as an athlete and coach is much bigger than the outcome of one game. My role is to
make the maximum contribution possible to affecting the people involved in the game whether that be teammates, opponents, coaches, referees or fans. Those involved with sports have a large opportunity to influence others through the way they carry themselves and through the way they react to success and failure. The beauty of sport is that it is a universal language and has the ability to break down barriers. One of my goals both as an athlete and coach is to strive for excellence because the athletic world respects those programs that do well. My experience at Columbia as a player revealed that an excellent program brings about respect within the league, which in turn provides an opportunity for relationships to be formed. As a coach, my goal is to continue striving for this program to be known for its excellence both in how we physically perform as well as how we personally live our lives as students, Christians and athletes.
What are you excited about for this upcoming season?
I am excited to step into this new coaching role and more specifically, to be doing so at the school which has poured so much into me. There are few places in life where you have the opportunity to spend such a concentrated amount of time with a group of guys who are willing to learn and grow together. I am looking forward to seeing the athletic improvement of each individual as well as the growth in all aspects of their lives. My goal is that our program creates excellent, responsible athletes who have made improvements physically, athletically, academically, relationally and spiritually. ■
Jason Warkentin
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■ 4 time PACWEST Conference All-star ■ 2 time PACWEST Provincial Tournament All-star ■ 2 time CCAA Academic All Canadian ■ Bearcats Men’s Volleyball Most Valuable Player (2009/10)
Matthew Boulto n, Head Coach of Men’s Basketball. Matthew brings with him a wealth
■ Bearcats Men’s Volleyball Christian Leadership Award (2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14)
Sarah Rempel, Athletic & Recreation Coordinator. Sarah has a BA in Pastoral Leadership
■ Bearcats President’s Leadership Award (2013/14)
Also joining the Bearcats this season: of basketball knowledge and experience having served as an assistant coach at Trinity Western University for 6 seasons (2009-2015), at UVIC (2006/07), and at UBC (2004/05).
from Pacific Life Bible College, and has worked in church & children’s ministry. Sarah is passionate about her faith in Jesus, health & wellness, fitness, administration, and systems.
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