The Bridge, Fall 2015

Vol. 56, No. 2 - Fall 2015

learning together published by Taylor College and Seminary

“I was a stranger, and you .”

Welcoming Refugees Being the Church, pg. 3-13 COVER PHOTO: “Operazione Mare Nostrum” Refugees cross the Mediterranean seeking safety in Europe.

Photo Credit: © 2014 Massimo Sestini. Used with Permission.

75th Celebration Story and Photos, pg. 18-19

Alumni Profile John Binder (’49), pg. 20 “I was a stranger, and you invited Me in...” Matt. 25:35b (NASB)

A Note from the President I remember as an undergraduate being challenged by the faith and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His book The Cost of Discipleship was assigned reading in one of my theology classes. Bonhoeffer was writing in some of the darkest days of the 20th century, in the midst of what we now know as the Nazi Holocaust, and I was deeply touched by the courage I saw in his call to the Church for greater faithfulness to Christ.

Bonhoeffer was a hero to many of us in those days, in part, because of his willingness to stand for the faith in the face of such demonic forces. He saw the claims of Christ so clearly and saw through the darkness so profoundly---a darkness that was overwhelming his beloved Germany and blinding the Church he was called to serve. I confess that many of our conversations reflected a self-righteous dismay that the Church in Germany could have been so blind, so seduced, so overwhelmed by the Nazi ideology that they did not oppose it---and even justified the regime.

We were dumbstruck that the church could have been silent in the face of such evil. Now, 35 years later, I have a better awareness of what was going on in Bonhoeffer's day. I pray that my words and actions reflect the best of his example (without my youthful indignation).

I am not suggesting an equivalence to the Nazi era but we most certainly face the same enemy. Paul tells us that “…our struggle is not against enemies of blood

and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

This issue of The Bridge is one small attempt to do battle with that enemy. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that in the final judgement when the nations are called before the throne to be judged, what distinguishes those who enter (or don't enter) the kingdom prepared from the foundations of the world will be: feeding those who were hungry, giving drink to those who were thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting those who were sick or in prison, and inviting in the stranger. This magazine bears witness to a way of responding to the poor, the thirsty, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned that is not conformed to the fear, self-interest, and inhospitality that characterizes our world. We want to bear witness to a way of responding that has been transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Here are testimonies of the light coming from the One who so loved the world that He sent His Son as the light of this world. We hope that you are inspired, comforted and challenged by the stories you read in this edition of The Bridge. We hope that what is heard is a call to be faithful followers of Jesus for a world that so desperately needs us to be that witness.

Shalom!

David Williams, Ph.D.

Over the past year or so, Taylor has been working towards our vision of a new and expanded The Bridge. We want to continue to share news and photos about our alumni and students and about the school we all love, but we also seek to be more educational.

It seems fitting that our main printed publication would embody our mission statement, to develop Christ-minded leaders who make a difference in the world. To that end, we are moving to a longer format with more insight and reflection on various topics.

The subject of discussion in this issue seemed obvious, as world events have dominated discussion on television, in classrooms, churches, small groups and living rooms. One of the (unlikely) prophetic voices was late night TV talk show host Stephen Colbert, whose reference to Matthew 25 inspired our title for this issue on the cover.

Your feedback and suggestions for future articles would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support for Taylor – we are in your debt.

Tim Willson Editor, The Bridge P.S. We continue to solicit contributions of written entries for our upcoming devotional compilation. At the time of this writing, 169 have been received, so there is some distance to go. Find out how you can help by visiting www.Taylor-Edu.ca/75/devo – Thanks!

Vol. 56, No. 2, Fall 2015 Published by Taylor College and Seminary to communicate with students, alumni, friends and supporters, as part of our mission to develop Christ-minded leaders who make a difference in the world.

Editor: Tim Willson TheBridge@Taylor-Edu.ca Taylor College and Seminary 11525 - 23 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T6J 4T3 Cover: Tim Willson

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Alumni, Churches Prepare for Refugees Justice, Hospitality and Compassion Driving out Fear

by Tim Willson

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astor Eric Brooks pauses often, choosing each word carefully – clearly feeling a measure of anguish and exasperation.

“I have been deeply dismayed to read some of the comments made on social media in recent days about refugees – comments (by people that I know!) that have reflected a lot of fear and half-truth,” he says. “There is not a lot of compassion and mercy in those comments.”

Eric, who graduated from Taylor (Edmonton Baptist Seminary) in 1996, is Interim Pastor at Strathcona Baptist Church in Edmonton, AB. His church recently hosted a meeting about ways to serve Syrian refugees; a crowd of about 120 people filled the sanctuary.

“What has delighted me as a pastor is that the overwhelming response to this issue in our church has come from the pews,” he says. “It’s delightful – it's a pastor's dream.”

we MUST resist that urge! Hate will destroy us from the inside out.”

Taylor Seminary student Janene Pedatella, who is a fairly new Christian, also found the tone of the discussion disquieting.

“I know even from my small circle that fear has come up that ‘the refugees are going to be suicide bombers and they are going to kill Canadians.’ And I thought to myself, ‘Even if that’s true – when did we become so afraid to die? When did we think of ourselves before we thought of the fleeing family that’s being bombed in Syria that’s trying to escape? When did we think that our safety was more important than the little boy who drowned and washed ashore?’

“Like, when did that happen?”

Janene says that we cannot be convinced by what she calls a fear politic that says, ‘Your life is in danger! Your comfortableness is in danger!’

“We need people to start saying, ‘Actually, in Matthew 25 Jesus says that we ought to welcome in Not every church is so unified Pastor Eric Brooks (’96) greets the packed sanctuary of the stranger, we ought to feed on the issue, and many in Strathcona Baptist Church (Edmonton, AB) at a meeting them and clothe them.’ And we western society have been to discuss ways to help Syrian refugees. ought to do that, not just to bring witnessing heated debate in us back to what the Bible says but to bring us back to response to the mass movement of refugees who Jesus is and what the Christian life is about.” displaced by war in Syria and neighbouring countries.

Of course, many Christians are in the middle of the Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on November relief effort, serving at great personal cost. And 13, 2015 in which 130 people were killed, talk shows thousands of believers are stepping forward to and social media erupted with anger, fear and volunteer with refugee organizations. hostility. It wasn’t hard to find even Christians arguing Many Christian leaders are rejecting the “fear politic” that refugees should be turned away in the interest – but not all. In sermons and online postings, some of security. have yielded to the temptation to preserve the status Some of those comments were seen in Cameroon by quo at the cost of welcoming refugees. It’s not hard to NAB Missionary Kristi ten Clay. Horrified by some of find a line of reasoning that goes something like: what she read, Kristi poured her heart out on her personal blog.

“I have seen so much anger and hatred in the past week that my heart is breaking ,” she wrote. “Are we/they justified in being angry? Most certainly!

Would it be ‘just’ to hate? Maybe. However, as Christians, and even simply as members of humanity, Come and learn with us!

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-The church can be a good neighbour to people who move here; -People can move here only if it is safe for us, and it’s the government's job to keep us safe; -Since we can't be sure it's safe for us if they move here, they can't move here.

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Intercultural Studies Professor Dr. Allan Effa calls that argument “a rather weak attempt to narrow the role of government and the mission of the church for the sake of preserving the status quo and failing to challenge the culture of fear.”

Taylor President Dr. David Williams agrees that we need to be careful that we don't fall into the trap of using Scripture to underwrite a culture of fear when we need to bear witness against it.

“Jesus’ call to ‘Fear not’ is based in confidence in the presence of God’s kingdom, not the state’s protection,” David says.

Harvey Hiller (’71), an executive member of the Taylor Alumni Association and part of the Leadership

Team at the E P Wahl Centre, has found aspects of the refugee discussion troublesome. He and his wife Sheila (’67) attend First Baptist Church in Edmonton and are part of a group actively working to sponsor Syrian refugees. Sheila was previously involved in helping Vietnamese refugees settle in Canada in the 1970’s and was eager to help again. FBC is strongly supportive, he says, but others in their extended circle of friends and family are less so.

Harvey says refugees and other immigrants are a major part of the story of German Baptists in Canada.

“I am a first-generation Canadian, the son of parents who fled the horrible conditions that emerged from the Russian Civil/Revolutionary War. The English

Two Weeks in the Summer of 2015 Encouraged by Taylor devotional book, the Muntings Head to Greece

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emember the Taylor book with everyday meditations that you gave to us?” the email began.

Dr. Carol Potratz, Director of Supervised Ministry at Taylor Seminary, had visited her friends, the Muntings, over the summer and given them a copy of Strength for Today, a 75th Anniversary devotional booklet from Taylor. The email from her friends was an encouragement and a surprise.

Dr. Wim Munting and his wife Marleen (a nurse) are well-known in NAB circles, having served as NAB missionaries in Nigeria for a number of years.

Their email to Carol in early December told how the devotional she had contributed to the book (Day 24, In Celebration of Creativity) had influenced their summer plans.

“In your contribution you wrote that we should be creative in ways how we can serve the Lord. That stimulated Marleen and me to decide to go with a missions team to Lesbos (Greece) for 2 weeks to help out with the refugees there, coming from Turkey over the Aegean Sea. We worked in a camp. We will never forget what we experienced in these two weeks.

“The decision to do this out-of- comfort-zone-thing was so much encouraged by your thoughts. Thank you!!”

The Muntings served with Euro Relief, which is a Greek evangelical organization working with Greater European Mission. Although unable to speak their languages, Dr. Munting says the team was able to show the refugees respect, love and compassion.

“We helped in a camp and sometimes on the shoreline of the Aegean Sea to receive refugees fleeing from Turkey to Greece. They came from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Syria, fleeing from war zones. We gave out dry clothes, medicines, food items like bananas and water, dry shoes while they were waiting for buses to be brought to the registration camp near the capital city.”

Asked how he suggests that other readers of The Bridge can be involved, Dr. Munting urges us to pray, be welcoming to refugees in our own areas, and to consider serving as volunteers in Greece, Macedonia or other areas. TB

Strength for Today is a devotional book by alumni, faculty students and friends of Taylor. It is sent free to anyone interested. (Contributing writers are still needed for the full-length version.)

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Baptists and the North American Baptist Immigration and Colonization Society were important facilitators for our migration to Minitonas, Manitoba. The English Baptists, now the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada (CBWC), overcame their fears and suspicions of “The Enemy” (i.e., the Germans and German-speakers) and were generous to strangers fleeing 50 years of unspeakable horror.

“E.P. Wahl realized that these German Baptists needed to build churches and needed to integrate with Canadian and North American society. The Christian Training Institute was established, at least in part, for this very reason.”

Harvey sees a parallel between those who ministered to German refugees in the 20th Century and the ministry opportunity before us today.

“To many of us, these strangers are even stranger than the Germans were to the English Baptists of the 1920’s,” he says. “Can we find the will and the resources to welcome the Syrian (mostly Muslim) strangers who are fleeing their own war? Will we be able to overcome our fears of the ‘other’ and the worries for our own security, to see them as God in the form of the stranger to be invited in (Matt. 25)?”

In his book They Came from East and West, Dr. William Sturhahn outlined the history of the NAB’s immigration and refugee ministries (in which E.P. Wahl was a key figure). It began after WWI, became dormant through the Great Depression, then became active again after WWII. Dr. Sturhahn records that 6,335 immigrants arrived with the help of Canadian NAB churches between 1951 and 1973. He details many refugee stories, including those of well-known members of the Taylor community such as Dr. Bernard Schalm, Dr. Benno Przybylski and Dr. Werner Waitkus (who “lost two years on the refugee trail between 1943 and 1946”).

Sturhahn quotes his own Baptist Herald article from 1951, one that bears repeating: “The well-known story of ‘The Good Samaritan” was Jesus’ vision of the millions of people who have since gone down from Jerusalem to Jericho. In our generation, they went the long road from Russia to Germany. ...We have long been haunted by the faces of children who stared into nothing, too weak and hungry to cry. We must... carry them to safety and opportunity.”

Back at Strathcona Baptist, Pastor Eric Brooks was asked about what fear does to obedience.

“Love, Mercy, Compassion, Justice are simply not trumped by fear, half-truths or even reality. The Kingdom is never trumped by those things.”

Western society is witnessing a major moment, a

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culture-wide debate about whether to welcome refugees. Eric says our contribution to this conversation reveals the location of our treasure.

“What are we more sold out to: the Kingdom, or to our comfortable lives? To Canada? Affluence?

Financial security?

He continues: “I understand the fear. I actually have quite a bit of empathy for those living with fear, especially in places like Paris – it's very real. But Christ's call is clearly a point of contrast – Are we of this world, or are we focused on another Kingdom?”

Refugee resettlement may prove to be challenging – just like aspects of ministry in the neighborhood around Strathcona Baptist.

“We have a number of homeless people who consider this their church home. They sometimes come to service inebriated and comment on my sermon – while I'm in the middle of preaching it! It's disruptive, but… it’s minor! We sometimes have to clean up a mess in the parking lot when someone has decided to use it as a bathroom. But – it’s minor!

“There are often times issues to be dealt with when we are serving people and there will be a cost for reaching out to refugees, but… it’s minor!”

Eric is clearly excited by the opportunity for ministry, but says it’s important to be clear about what is being done through this effort.

“If ‘evangelism’ is winning converts to Christianity, then serving refugees may be a poor method of evangelism,” he says. “But if by ‘evangelism’ we mean ‘spreading the Good News of the Kingdom’ then this is evangelism in its purest form.”

The voices of fear may simply represent a vocal minority. Below the surface, a small army of people is quietly working for compassion. At Central Baptist Church in Edmonton, Pastor Cory Siebel reports that thirty-two families have come together under the name ‘Genesis’ to help with refugee resettlement, working with the Mennonite Central Committee.

“The congregation has demonstrated an eagerness to help raise the funds necessary to sponsor a family,” Pastor Cory says. “In addition, people have expressed a desire to give of their time and expertise to help a refugee family adjust to life in Canada.”

Over at Terwillegar Community Church in Edmonton, another group is hoping to sponsor a refugee family.

In Onoway, AB, Pastor Rick Foster (’10) is leading a community-wide sponsorship initiative in conjunction with other churches. And so it goes: the Kingdom comes, and death is swallowed up in victory as we love God and love our neighbour as ourselves. TB

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Fear and the Christian: An Antidote A Pastor Offers A Thought Experiment to Challenge Our Braying Fears

by Dr. David Wick

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N A.D. 376, Roman Emperor Valens learned that Goths swarmed at the Danube, the Empire’s eastern border. The Goths were ferocious fighters but the gathering at the Danube was not an invading army, it was a mass of refugees: men, women and children, carrying their possessions, clamoring for admission into the empire. The fierce Goths fled from the even fiercer depredations of horsemen from central Asia, the Huns. Rome did not have enough legions to hold back the tide of refugees and they were permitted to flood the Empire. Over the next seventy-five years, Romans did not fare well in interactions with swelling numbers. Visigoths under Alaric sacked Rome itself in A.D. 410; Carthage fell to the Vandals under Gaiseric in A.D. 439. Not even the defeat of the Hun's greatest leader, Attila, by a coalition of Visigoths under Theodoric and Roman legions under Flavius Aetius at Chalons in A.D. 451 could stop the inevitable, and the last Emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in A.D. 476, marking the end of the western Roman empire and the beginning of the Dark Ages.

If we take the preceding account and substitute “Syrians/Iraqis/Afghans” for “Goths”, “ISIS” for “Huns”, “Europe/North America” for “Rome” and change the dates from the fifth century to the twenty-first century, the implications might seem troublesome. One might well conclude that, unless we take immediate, draconian measures, the end of western civilization is near. One response to this perceived threat is to challenge the assumption that contemporary circumstances are similar to the circumstances of the fifth century. After all, we're dealing with widows and orphans today, aren't we?

And unlike those ancient days, every refugee will be carefully vetted, won’t they? Perhaps. Then we don’t have a problem.

For the sake of discussion, let’s assume a worstcase scenario, namely that the current throngs of refugees are the equivalent of fifth-century Gothic hordes, and potentially as dangerous to the host countries to which they flee as the Hunnic hordes from which they were fleeing. What should my response—as a Bible-believing Christian—be to this current refugee crisis?

Scriptures instruct me to respond with love and compassion to the alien and sojourner (e.g. Leviticus 19:34, Ezekiel 22:9). If the aliens and sojourners are

few in number, and weak, and needy, these Scriptures are easy to apply. But what if the aliens are numerous, strong, and hostile? Then there are Scriptures that direct me to the proper mind-set in the face of danger. In response to Peter's confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus replied “. . .upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). One biblical picture of the church is as a fortress besieged (Psalm 46:1). I understand Matthew 16:18 as presenting another picture of the church, in which Jesus turns the analogy around from the church besieged to the church besieging. Not even the gates of Hell itself can withstand the onslaught of the church on its mission when it proceeds in the strength of the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. So what then, if the refugee hordes are not widows and orphans and carefully vetted men, but instead potentially hostile intruders? The mission of the church of Jesus Christ will prevail—even if western civilization falls.

Whoever said my mission as a Christian was to preserve western civilization? It’s my mission to go and make disciples!

Granted, making disciples of hostile hordes is fraught with danger. When Paul was returning to Jerusalem with a relief offering for the saints he was warned of the bondage that awaited him. His response: “I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 21:13). As the church carries out its mission of proclaiming the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, there will be casualties. If I witness for Christ to those who regard me as an infidel, I may be bound over to prison or torture; I may be killed. What kind of follower of Christ am I, if I am not willing to live and to die for Him who died for me? Isaac Watts framed the question this way: Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb?

And do I fear to own His cause, Or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease?

While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas? TB Dr. David Wick, recently retired, was a long-serving NAB pastor at various churches, including in Forest Park, IL, and St. Paul, MN.

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Allan Effa on Welcoming Muslims Thoughts on Building Bridges and Loving Your (Immigrant) Neighbour

by Allan Effa, PhD

T

he quote you see here from Martin Luther King, Jr. is at the top of my syllabus for the course on Intercultural Communication that I teach at Taylor Seminary. King was speaking about the problem of racism in America in the 1960s, but his observations apply to a myriad of contexts in our world today. Because we often find ourselves separated from people who are different and we do not share life with them on any kind of meaningful level, or engage in real heart-to-heart communication, we live in a culture susceptible to fear that sometimes even degenerates into hatred.

People who have the harshest attitudes toward illegal immigrants, sexual minorities, the homeless, or followers of other religions, are seldom able to name anyone in their circle of friends who belongs to such categories. Stereotypes and mis-attributions are the fodder of fear and keep us from moving out of our comfortable ghettos into other people's domains.

heard they carry if I answered him inappropriately or that his poor command of English would make the conversation awkward. A few minutes into conversation and my pitiful stereotypes were destroyed. He had served in Her Majesty's Royal Air Force, spoke lovely British-Indian accented English, and had lived a fascinating life. Communication transformed fear and unknowing into warmth and potential friendship.

While the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Canada was concluding its hearings, an aboriginal member of our church was invited to share her story on a Sunday morning. For fifteen minutes she relayed what it was like for her as a five year old to be - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taken away from her mother, placed in a residential school where the agenda was to make her think and act like a white girl, and then to be shuttled to several foster homes as a teen.

Suddenly, the historical atrocities wore a human face and, when she was finished, the congregation stood and erupted into spontaneous applause that went on for a very long time. It was a time of healing and new understanding.

“Men hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they do not know each other; they do not know each other because they do not communicate; they do not communicate because they are separate.�

I have taught a course on Understanding Islam numerous times here at Taylor (Christa Ohlmann will be the instructor this year). Two of the experiential assignments are to take a class trip to observe a prayer service at a mosque and for each student to spend at least one hour interviewing a Muslim about their practice and faith. That personal conversation, usually over a Tim Hortons coffee, is often the most transformational part of the course.

We, in our divided world, need to spend time sharing life and conversation in order to dispel fear and hatred.

I remember the first time I had a conversation with a Sikh man. Sikhs had always intimidated me with their full beards, turbans and pajama-type clothing.

So when the elderly Punjabi asked me a question at the bus stop I froze momentarily. Perhaps I feared he would bring out the little ceremonial dagger I Come and learn with us!

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As we consider welcoming Syrian refugees or immigrants from other countries with cultures that are quite different from ours, there are a number of practical ways we can break down barriers and move from fear to understanding.

1. Be suspicious of your assumptions. Despite the poverty of their current situation, many refugees come with skills and education and at one time enjoyed a comfortable life in their homeland.

Women who wear a hijab are not necessarily being oppressed by their husbands or made to feel like

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second rate citizens. They may be doing so out of respect and love for God. 2. Share hospitality by offering baked goods, gift cards but even better, by inviting them into your home to share a meal. Assure them beforehand that you will not be serving pork products or alcohol if they are Muslims.

3. Introduce them to common, everyday activities of North American life. Invite them to a high school basketball game, to visit a greenhouse, or just go for a walk in the ravine. If they are new to winter sports, taking them skating or cross-country skiing can be a delightful time to laugh and play together.

4. Share practical tips on how to navigate life in their new land. My next door neighbours are from the Philippines and, during their first winter I saw them outside trying to chop thick ice on their sidewalk with a hammer and a plastic shovel. Much to their delight, I introduced them to my long handled ice chopper. It was a simple act, but it opened the door to conversation and sharing.

5. Be sensitive about inviting them to church.

Newcomers may be eager to explore their new country and how Canadians or Americans worship, but beware of giving them a negative impression of Christianity before they have come to fully understand the culture. Remember that Muslims do not even use music in worship, so if your church worship is led by a rock-and-roll band and people pray to God in casual ways that would be highly disrespectful in other contexts, you might want to

invite them to worship with you in a more traditional Christian service.

When Karen and I were missionaries in Nigeria, a Somali couple moved into a town a few kilometers away from our village. Abdi was working for an agricultural agency and came to meet us, confiding that his wife, Dr. Allan Effa, Taylor Seminary Asha, was struggling with loneliness and looking for companionship. Abdi and Asha soon became dear friends of ours. We shared meals, picnics, outings and many heart-to-heart conversations. They were practising Muslims, yet Abdi had done postgraduate studies in Wyoming and Asha had studied fashion design in Italy.

We discovered that we had many things in common, despite our differences in faith and culture. Much to our surprise, we found greater joy in our visits with them than we did with some of our fellow missionaries. The oft-repeated saying is true, “There are no strangers, only friends you have not yet met” (W. B. Yeats). TB Dr. Allan Effa is the Ray and Edith DeNeui Professor of Intercultural Studies at Taylor Seminary, and a former pastor and missionary.

The Where Are You? Project Our cover photo, Mare Nostrum, was provided by the photographer, Massimo Sestini at no charge and in turn, we agreed to share his follow-up project.

The photo was taken in June 2014 during “Operation Mare Nostrum” which was the Italian government's response to the drowning deaths of hundreds of migrants the previous year. During the year it ran, OMN saved more than 150,000 lives and brought 350 smugglers to justice.

Taken from a helicopter off the coast of Libya, this photo won the 2015 World Press Photo Award and was named one of TIME's Top 10 photos of 2014.

In the months that followed, Massimo wondered about the 500 people on the boat: What happened to them? Where were they? How were they doing?

After someone in Switzerland recognized a relative

in the photo and told him that they had settled into a new life in Europe, Massimo got the idea for a website to collect the stories from everyone on that boat, following the refugee journey further.

The website launched on October 4, 2015. One week later, the first message arrived. “Hello Mr. Sestini, How are you? I was in that boat and twentyfive others, we are all living together in Napoli.”

Massimo calls this a project against the irrational fear that has spread in Europe, an attempt to give a face to those who are sometimes seen as being “an undifferentiated herd.”

Given that our readers live and travel all over the world, we agreed to help spread the word about the Where Are You? project. Find out more at: http://www.massimosestini.it/wru.html

The Scene on the Ground in Turkey Two Edmonton pastors make visits to Syrian refugees

by Tim Willson

P

astor Kevin Schular of Edmonton just returned from Turkey and it is clear that he was startled by the situation among refugees there.

“In Adana alone, there are 300,000 refugees”, he says. “It would be as if every park in Edmonton – Emily Murphy, Hawrelak Park, all of them – were filled with people basically squatting on the land. They aren't even really in tents – mostly just tarps.

There is a great likelihood that many people will migrate back home if and when the hostilities cease, while others are seeking to start a new life. For now, many of them are just trying to survive.

“Right now in Adana the oranges are being harvested, so a lot of people have been able to make some money helping with that. But a month from now the harvest will end and it will be more difficult.

Some are working in car washes, and prostitution is another source of income; the choices that these refugees face are not great, and there are a lot of ways to minister to them.”

“I saw a one-bedroom apartment with ten people living there. They just pile together to survive until they can get their interview for refugee status.”

The need is so great that it seems to be impossible to know how to meet it. His own time serving in Turkey was a drop in the ocean, but he says that doing nothing is not an option.

Dr. Schular returned to Edmonton on December 3, 2015 after spending two weeks in Turkey with ASSIST, an organization that he serves as a board member. As pastor of West Meadows Baptist Church in Edmonton, he also took with him the support and benevolent gifts of his congregation.

Turkey is presently “home” to one-million refugees; 800,000 are in Germany, and huge numbers are in other countries.

He calls the situation “a huge, huge issue” – not just because of the numbers, but because these are people dealing with significant loss and trauma.

“In our lives, we only accomplish a fraction of what God calls us to: there is no statement that is complete, no prayer that is enough, no action that fulfills our mission.

Yet we need to press in to what God has called us to. The work is never done, never enough, but we still need to do what we can: doing nothing is not an answer.”

TOP: Dr. Kevin Schular of West Meadows Baptist Church meets with refugees in Turkey and helped deliver food.

BOTTOM: Pastor Kevin (right), with members of a house church where he preached in November 2015.

Pastor Kevin knows that people, even Christians, are wrestling with their fears, some even saying that we can't risk opening our borders and our communities to refugees.

“It's heartbreaking,” he says. “We were delivering food to people, trying to serve in an orderly way. But of course, people who are hungry and desperate see you, and although you tell them ‘I will come to your home, your area of the park’ they start crowding around, anxious to get food and to get help. And then, after two weeks, I come home to Edmonton to my nice middle-class life...”

Clearly, the resettlement process is a major challenge but also a tremendous opportunity.

His voice trailed off, clearly still making the adjustment from one world to the next.

“It's a huge amount of work – an enormous undertaking to get them jobs and to help them learn

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“My response is to ask, ‘How would you want to be treated if that was your story?’ Not everyone is a terrorist! These are everyday people displaced by war, and now they have an opportunity to come to North America or to other parts of the world.”

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the culture in their new home,” he says. “The people I met in the camps in Turkey were largely illiterate, so there is lots of work to be done in helping them reach a place so they can meaningfully contribute to our society.

“But this is also a huge opportunity to do what needs to be done. We need to find ways not just to greet them and welcome them and feed them here, but what can we do as an association—as the Alberta Baptist Association—there, in Turkey?”

Kevin told the story of a woman he met – we’ll use her first initial, “C”. In Syria, she was a law student until her father and brother were killed in a car bomb attack in Aleppo. She and her mother fled to Turkey where a few months later her mother became ill. Heartbroken, traumatized and now caring for a sick parent, C is working in a jewelry kiosk to keep a roof over their heads.

“I bought some items from her,” Kevin said, “some earrings for my wife, daughters and daughter-in-law, and I prayed for her. C came from a nominal Christian home and has been attending a house church in Izmir, and I left some money with the pastor of that house church to help provide for some of C's needs.

“There are no magic words to say for someone who has experienced her life being uprooted like that – death, sickness, studies disrupted and total upheaval. She told me that she is trying not to be bitter and is trying to trust God, but it is still early in the process of grieving.

“C attended the night I spoke at the little house church, 40 people packed into a small space: Iranian and Syrian refugees and some Turks. I would preach one sentence, then someone would translate into Turkish, then the same sentence would be translated into Farsi, then I would continue. I spoke from Romans 5 about our relationship with Christ as the most basic thing, and encouraged them not to be afraid.”

Pastor Kevin was given the opportunity to preach again during a Sunday service at a Baptist church.

“There were about 105 people jammed into a little apartment, including five Kurds,” he said. “My message was translated into Farsi, and five people responded to an altar call at the end. God is doing some amazing things among Iranian refugees in Turkey, and there are also quite a number of secret believers from Iran who travel to Turkey to learn and be discipled.”

Pastor J, another NAB pastor from an Edmonton

Photo: Syrian refugee “C” (name withheld) stands in a jewelry kiosk in Adana. Her father and brother were killed a few months ago in Aleppo and now her mother has become ill. She says she is trying not to be bitter and to trust God.

church (who asked that we withhold his name) also spent time in Turkey recently.

“Over the past three years God has led us in an amazing way to focus on the needs of the persecuted church,” he says.

Pastor J’s church includes numerous members from Pakistan and they have been meeting needs in that region for years. Following a bomb attack in Peshawar in 2013, the church found a way to “adopt” five families, meeting their needs for a year and a half.

“One family consisted of five orphans – both parents were killed in the attack,” he says. “Another lady lost her entire family.”

In the fall of 2015, the church sensed that God wanted them to do more work in Turkey, but after praying for 2-3 weeks they still had no local contact there. Then, during the Northern Alberta Missions Conference, he met someone who was the ideal primary contact who put them in touch with a newly-formed alliance (association) of Baptist churches. This man encouraged them with these words: “You must come.”

Pastor J is reluctant to talk publicly about their work, but he is willing to be featured in The Bridge as a way to encourage other churches to be involved.

Over the years, he has worked often with people in poverty and crisis. The situation in Turkey was not

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new to him, but it was the first time he saw large numbers of displaced people outside of their own homeland. He found that to be a distressing element of this situation.

“There are invisible wounds,” he says. “Knowing the history of violence that these people have endured, knowing that they are away from their homeland, they can’t work—it takes away their dignity.”

Pastor J was also struck by the large numbers of children and young people displaced by the war in Syria.

“Statistical evidence shows that once refugees are displaced like this they often spend an average of 17 years away from home. This is a whole generation of children growing up without a proper education.

“This, to my mind, is a heartwrenching tragedy and a colossal waste of human potential.”

TOP: A refugee sits with new baby on the ground under a tarp in a park in the city of Pastor J says that most Adana, Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are living in such circumstances in refugees want to return home. the city, representing some of the millions of people displaced by war and violence in Most don’t want to emigrate the Middle East, especially Syria. Photo © 2015, name withheld. to places like Canada or the United States, and those that Additional resources that may be helpful: do resettle to North America represent a drop in the ocean of those who need Canadian Government – Private Sponsorship help. His church is focused on meeting needs on the www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/list-sponsors.asp ground where the refugees live.

Canadian Government – 3 Ways to Help “Local churches in Turkey are trying to minister to www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/help.asp refugees, and we need to come alongside them and US Government – Department of State help them do their work,” he says.

Pastor J also expressed his dismay over the hostility he has witnessed against refugees, especially against Muslims.

“So much of what we see on social media is onesided and it fosters un-Christian attitudes,” he says.

“It impairs our capacity to share the Gospel. Once we caricature-ize, we stop seeing them as people that we need to love and serve.” TB

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www.state.gov/j/prm/

National Refugee Sunday (includes helpful resources) http://site.nationalrefugeesunday.com/

We Welcome Refugees http://wewelcomerefugees.com/ (supported by European Evangelical Alliance, National Assn of Evangelicals, World Evangelical Alliance, World Vision and others.)

National Association of Evangelicals http://nae.net/tag/refugees/

12 Photo: A young refugee stands among the tarps that serve as houses for herself and many others in Adana, Turkey. This photo was taken by an NAB pastor in November 2015 as he spent time in the refugee camps – partly to serve, but also to discern the best ways for his church to be more actively involved in serving those caught in this crisis by supporting those who are already there.

“...a whole generation of children [is] growing up without a proper education. This, to my mind, is a heart-wrenching tragedy and a colossal waste of human potential.” -Pastor J (Edmonton, AB) Photos: All photos on pages 11-13 were taken by an NAB pastor who wishes to go unnamed. These pictures were taken in November 2015 at refugee camps in Adana, Turkey where 300,000 people have turned the city’s parks into temporary homes. Photos © 2015.

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Retirement Celebration for Dr. Muller One of Taylor’s best-known alumni takes a final bow

by Tim Willson

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e was 85 when he volunteered to help fill in with Taylor’s Field Education program in 2010 – 85! The students loved him, of course, as had earlier generations of Taylor students; but it couldn’t last forever and this fall Dr. Willy Muller wrapped up his most-recent stint on the Taylor faculty and took his final bow.

A celebration of Dr. Muller’s long association with Taylor took place in September. Friends, family, former students and colleagues came together for an evening of remembrance, celebration and gratitude.

Dr. Muller arrived at the school in 1943, a tall Saskatchewan farmboy from a Mennonite Brethren family. Years later, he is a Distinguished Alumni of both Taylor and our sister seminary in Sioux Falls, and is known and loved around the world as a pastor, professor, missionary and mentor.

Taylor President Dr. David Williams made two announcements at Dr. Muller’s farewell. The first was that his official retirement gift would be the publishing of a small run of hardbound copies of an unpublished autobiography of Willy and his wife Marie (who passed away in 2009). One copy of the book will remain in the Taylor library.

The second announcement was that Taylor Seminary will confer an honorary doctorate at the Spring Commencement Ceremony in honour of his distinguished service.

In his remarks, Dr. Muller thanked God for the privilege of being one of His servants. He also thanked his colleagues, including the staff.

“You might not know this,” he said, “but we as faculty could never run this place. If it wasn’t for our staff here, we would be hopelessly lost. I want to thank the faculty, together with the administration, for having the courage to invite me back as an old man – and there’s no kidding about that! – to work with the young people in Field Education.

“I have enjoyed immensely my contact with the young people. They are fresh of ideas; they think outside the box. and there’s nothing healthier than to share time and energy with them. It’s been a tremendous privilege for me to have worked with them – It’s like icing on the cake.”

Dr. Muller retired the first time from Taylor in 1990 at age 65, but says he wasn’t ready for it then. Now aged 90, he says “It’s time.”

That was the evening of September 19, 2015. The next day was a Sunday, and the new retiree was back in the pulpit preaching at a local church. TB PHOTOS: Guests at Dr. Willy Muller’s Retirement Celebration included former colleagues Ken and Eileen Priebe (’67 & ‘68), Dr. David Priestly, Ray Seutter (’65), and many others.

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ABOVE: Dr. Joyce Bellous addresses the Fall Meetings of the Taylor Board of Trustees, reporting on the DACUM that is currently underway, one that will significantly shift the Master of Divinity program to prepare students for the present and future demands of ministry .

MDiv Curriculum Review Underway DACUM asks pastors to help review the way Taylor prepares leaders

by Tim Willson

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significant shift is happening in theological education at Taylor. Along with continued refinement of course delivery models (such as online, modular and block classes), the education itself is being re-imagined.

advisor – the educational projects that align with their ministry interests and objectives. Some courses are still required, of course, but the freedom to pursue areas of research and study that align with God’s call was clearly of interest, demonstrated by an immediate uptick in MTS program enrolment.

Our own Professor of Christian Faith Education, Dr. Joyce Bellous—who has invaluable educational experience, is leading a process known as a DACUM (Developing a Curriculum), re-designing the Master of Divinity program from the ground up. One of the first steps was a two-day session with a dozen pastors from a variety of churches to help explore the changing roles and demands of ministry.

The changes being imagined for the MDiv program also embrace the cutting edge of educational philosophy. Instead of prescribing inputs, the new model is outcome based. That is, someone demonstrates their competence for a degree not by taking a class, but by showing that they have the skills and abilities needed to do the work.

A recent review of the curriculum for the Master of Theological Studies degree resulted in a substantial change that put students into a more creative role in designing their education. Rather than prescribing all courses, the new MTS program gives students significant flexibility in crafting – along with a faculty

The new MDiv program could be announced by mid2016. Students who are interested in hearing about the new program can be in touch by phone or email, and details will be provided as soon as they are available. You can email Admissions Counselor Rick Heavenor at Rick.Heavenor@Taylor-Edu.ca TB

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in pictures | Fall 2015 1.

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PHOTOS: 1. At the close of a chapel service, a Taylor student stands at a ‘wailing wall’ (created at earlier events) on which victims of violence had recorded their abuse. | 2. Canadian singer/songwriter Steve Bell leads a song from the Psalms during the 2015 onWORD Conference. | 3. A well-used guitar case, held by a delegate at the Worship Equipping Event organized by a number of Taylor alumni in conjunction with the E P Wahl Centre. | 4. Delegates at the worship conference stand together at Greenfield Community Church, where it was held. | 5. Pastor and Military Chaplain Tony Pasolli ('09) and two colleagues, speaking in chapel about their ministry among Canadian military personnel. | 6. Carolyn Murdock (’77) and Edna (Sturhahn) Grenz (’70) at a 75th Anniversary Dessert Reception in Richmond, BC. Similar receptions were also held in Winnipeg and Swan River, MB. | 7. Dr Allan Effa’s class on Evangelism and Church Planting met on the lawn – on October 1, 2015!! (That doesn’t happen every year...)

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News and Notes In Sympathy Pastor Dave Henkelman ('82) passed away in November after medical complications.

(He was a heart transplant recipient in 2003.) Widely known and respected as a pastor and denominational leader, Dave had a special gift for relationships and will be greatly missed. Dave was an NABC student when he met his wife Heidi and later earned his MDiv. Dr. John Binder (’49) passed away in November in Florida. Please see our Alumni Profile on Pg. 20.

50 Years since Graduation!

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Scott. He was born on April 30 , a little brother for Alexa.

Doralynne Manu (nee Block) ('94) and her husband Eric welcomed their firstborn: Nana-Arthur Ajare Amissah Manu, born on March 18, 2015. The first name that he received upon birth was Kweku, meaning Wednesday-born. His full name is Nana (a traditional Ghanaian name meaning chief), Arthur (name after Dorrie's dad), Ajare (named after Eric's uncle from whom he inherited the chiefdom of his tribe), and Amissah (the family name of tribal lineage).

James (’09) and Chelsea (’06) Ohlmannwelcomed Kent Daniel into their home on September 8th – a little earlier than expected, but he is growing quickly and doing well.

Current student Stephen Epp and his wife Kirstin welcomed daughter, Kaitlyn, born on November 9th.

Tim (’03) and Lindsay (’00) Batke (nee Gust) have welcomed son Luke into their family.

Tamara (’96) and Kendall (’98) Priebe (nee Batke) had a baby girl, and they named her Selah. That made Tristan a big brother.

Alumni News Just months after graduating with his MDiv from Taylor Seminary, Pastor Keith Boschman (’15) has accepted the role of Outreach and Evangelism Pastor at First Baptist Church in Vancouver, BC. Keith and his wife Lisa and their five kids move to the Lower Mainland from Peace River, AB, where Keith had been serving as lead pastor at First Baptist Church.

Eberhard Hees ('65) (left) recently celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his graduation from the Theological Department of Christian Training Institute (the forerunner of Taylor Seminary). With the help of their wives, fellow alumni Rev. Siegfried Hoppe (’65) (centre) and Werner Waitkus (’64) (right) helped Eberhard and Evelyn celebrate.

Werner writes: “Eberhard is the only surviving member of that class of five after the homegoing of Gerhard Poschwatta. For one afternoon we rehearsed stories of Papa Felberg and his boys.”

Births Pastor Nick Thiessen ('12) and his wife Amy have welcomed a second daughter into their family.

Adaline Ingrid Ann was born on June 24th in Edmonton.

Lauren (Wright) Carleton ('06) and her husband Kevin have welcomed their second child, Parker

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Marriage Congratulations to current student Nathanael Trinh, who was married to Gloria on July 17th.

Campus News Taylor Seminary has unveiled preliminary designs for the renewal of Stencel Hall. As announced at the 2015 NAB Triennial, long-overdue renovations and technology upgrades are planned. A capital campaign—supporting this and other projects—will be launched as part of a unified campaign with other NAB ministries before work begins.

Alumni Updates We invite you to share your news with us -marriages, moves, babies, careers... we want to note these important events! Please stay in touch by email: alumni@Taylor-Edu.ca. Telephone: 780-431-5200

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PHOTOS: 1. The 75th Anniversary Banquet, October 24th in the old Taylor Gym, now the home of Imagining Church. | 2. Wally Wahl of Edmonton, the son of founder Dr. E.P. Wahl, brought greetings from the family and offered his personal remembrances from the founding of the school in 1940. | 3. Sara Bender (’96), along with her husband Kevin, spoke about the student experience – including the not infrequent occurrence of meeting a future spouse at the school! | 4. Dr. Willy Muller (’46) presented Taylor President Dr. David Williams with a gift from his family in appreciation for the impact that Taylor has had in their lives. | 5. Norm Poehlke (’83) brought greetings on behalf of the NAB International Office, and expressed his pride in being an alumnus of Taylor. | 6. Natasha Korner (’13) and Stephanie Fehr (’12) led a time of singing, along with Natasha’s mom, Kathy Korner (’83) (not pictured). All three are second-generation or third-generation alumni.

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CTI | NABC | NABDS/ EBS | TAYLOR

Former New Testament Prof Dr. Benno Przybylski, who now lives in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, returned as our keynote speaker at the 75th Anniversary Banquet.

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hroughout 2015, the Taylor community celebrated 75 years of faithfulness.

Classes began in 1940 at the Christian Training Institute, which later became NABC, NABDS/ Edmonton Baptist Seminary, and is now Taylor. We celebrated with services of remembrance, a birthday party, dessert receptions, even a Rook Tournament!

The biggest event took place at the end of October at the 75th Anniversary Banquet, held in the old gymnasium of the Student Union Building. The space is now used exclusively by Imagining Church, and Pastor Colin Green and his staff went out of their way to be hospitable to Taylor for this event.

Approximately 280 people attended, with a number of alumni coming from other provinces and from the USA. There were students from every decade of Taylor’s existence and from every era, including from the high school, the Bible school, the Theology Department and the University College.

Long-time New Testament Prof Dr. Benno Przybylski was the keynote speaker. Witty and winsome as ever, he regaled the audience with stories and memories, but also reminded them of the importance of Come and learn with us!

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theological study and ministry preparation.

President Dr. David Williams also spoke, sharing some of the ways that Taylor is reimagining theological education for the changing needs of the Church in our context.

President Dr. David Williams

The evening ended with a performance of the 75th Anniversary virtual choir singing Great is Thy Faithfulness, then everyone joined in to sing together.

One attendee commented on the special atmosphere of the evening, “My heart is so full right now I think it could burst!”

Thank you for celebrating with us, and for looking forward with confidence to the future to which God is calling us. TB

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Alumni Profile - John Binder Student: Arrived at the Christian Training Institute in 1948 Hometown: Swan River, MB Recent Hometown: Venice, FL

Under the caption “First Year Students” in the 1950 CTI Promoter:

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ohn Binder wrote a letter to Taylor in October in response to an invitation to join us for our 75th Anniversary Banquet. John passed away just a few weeks after writing this letter. In an email to tell us about his death, his wife Barbara wrote: “John passed peacefully to be with his Lord on Nov. 20, 2015. It was a shock for us to hear at the Venice, FL Hospital ER that he had cancer of the esophagus, liver, lung, chest cavity, and GI tract. All summer he was active doing yard work and constructing or fixing things. The last three weeks of his life before we came to Venice on Nov. 11, he had scraped and painted three sides of a garage and restored a rocking chair for our daughter-in-law.”

university or seminary training.’”

John returned home to Swan River and finished his high school education by correspondence, then enrolled at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD, then entered Sioux Falls Seminary (NABS).

After graduating from seminary, John accepted the pastorate of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Morris, MB, and in 1960 moved to Chicago to serve at the International Office of the North American Baptist Conference. He served the NAB for 34 years, including 15 as the Executive Director (1979-1994).

Barbara reminded us of the story John told in his letter about the pivotal role that Taylor (as CTI) had played in John’s life.

“Most importantly for Taylor, is the story of how John came to know Christ,” Barbara wrote. “I have told that story to many in the last week and will tell it at his memorial service. It makes a difference if someone asks another: ‘Do you know Christ?’”

John’s letter included the following account:

John Binder’s letter to Taylor just weeks before his death.

“I enrolled in the Christian Training Institute in 1948.

I did not want to go to CTI, but my parents wanted me to enroll. I decided this was a way I could leave Swan River, go to CTI, and take off for Vancouver to have fun there. I was not a Christian.

“While at CTI, the whole school prayed for my salvation. They didn't want any heathen there! One evening, a student invited me to his room. He asked me if I knew Jesus. I said, ‘No.’ He talked to me; then he asked me if I wanted to know Jesus. I answered, ‘Yes.’ We prayed, and I gave my heart to Jesus. This changed everything for me. I studied at CTI for two years. Soon after receiving Christ as Savior, I felt called to be a pastor. ‘But,’ I said, ‘how can I become a pastor? I have no high school education, no

“During this time,” John wrote, “I had the privilege of serving on the N.A.B. College Board for 15 years. I witnessed the struggles and the joys as the college became accredited, and a seminary was established. During my 34 years at the Office, I had the privilege of working with the various presidents of the school, each with special hopes and

dreams for the schools.

“Who would have known that back in 1948, when someone asked me if I knew Jesus, this would lead to a changed life for me and so many years of fulfilling ministry, including serving on Taylor College's Board.

“Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Dr. Wahl for your vision, and thank you to the people who prayed for my salvation, and the one who had the courage to ask the question: ‘Do you know Jesus?’

“We would love to join you for the celebration, but we are not able to do this. We pray this ministry will continue to touch lives for more than 75 more years.

God bless you and lead you.” TB

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Now and Then The above photo is from a Wahl Family photo album.

In the handwriting of founder Dr. E.P. Wahl are the words: C.T.I. 1944 Saturday Night Students are seen in the Christian Training Institute Chapel, kneeling in prayer in dresses and suits.

At right is a photo from earlier this year, a chapel program featuring then-student Matt Garvin (’15).

These photos show a continued emphasis on discipling students; they were among many photos shared during our 75th Anniversary celebrations as we celebrated God’s faithfulness.

At Any Cost - Stage Production Alum Ron Rogalski (’80) Honors Missionary Martyrs

by Ron Rogalski

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s a kid, I loved airplanes; I actually remember wanting to be a missionary pilot, so it’s not a surprise that I was deeply impacted by Elisabeth Elliot's book, THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR. That outstanding book tells the story of Jim Elliot and 4 other missionaries killed in 1956 while trying to bring the gospel to a remote people group in Ecuador, South America.

I didn’t end up as a jungle pilot though – instead, I became a musician. After a year of studying at Taylor (NABC) and one tour with New Day ('80-'81), I was directing music at Sunrise Baptist in Sacramento, CA. It was there that I and a co-writer developed a musical called At Any Cost, based on the dramatic and life-changing story of those five missionaries.

The musical was shared by various teams in several countries for over a decade, challenging people to obey Christ at any cost.

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To remember this missionary sacrifice that has impacted and inspired so many Christ followers, we are th commemorating the 60 anniversary of their deaths by producing an updated version of At Any Cost. It will premiere in southern California on Sunday, March 6, 2016, 6:00 PM at Calvary Church Santa Ana (www.calvarylife.org). The script along with music and media files will also be available soon; if your church, school or ministry is interested in presenting this as a live event in your area, please be in touch.

I’d love to hear from you! TB Ron Rogalski ('80) serves as Pastor of Worship/Creative Arts at Calvary Church in Orange County, CA, where he lives with his wife Linda (’81). For information on At Any Cost, contact him at rrogalski@calvarylife.org or by phone at (714) 550-2361.

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Taylor’s Amazing Students Busy learning, already actively serving in ministry

by Tim Willson

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potential donor approached Taylor in the Fall of 2015, wanting to offer support to our students. As part of the process, we were asked to provide a little more information on the types of students attending Taylor Seminary right now. What we discovered as we confirmed the details was surprising, even to us. Our students are engaged in a wide variety and significant scope of service.

There are approximately 100 students taking courses at Taylor right now. A significant number are part-time students, and we knew that many of them are not full-time because they are already involved in ministry.

We have been reminded of one of the most significant shifts in the field of theological education.

No longer do most students move to a seminary campus to live and study for several years while they attend classes full-time. Nowadays, what is more common is to see students who are already active in ministry enroll as students.

The enrolment patterns of part-time students are less predictable, adding some administrative wrinkles, but the biggest result of this change is that students are learning in the context of ministry.

Their learning is informing their practice, and their practice of ministry is informing their studies.

A number of students are pastors who are either seeking a degree or who see the value of continuing education. Others are church planters, chaplains or missionaries. And many students are ministry entrepreneurs – discovering and responding to needs in their communities in the most interesting and exciting ways.

The reader may be interested in seeing a few examples of the way current students are actively serving: D.V. – part time chaplain at women’s prison in Edmonton D.F. – volunteer part-time chaplain at Churchill Manor Millwoods, a facility for senior adults M.K. – volunteer chaplain to women at Hope Mission D.H. – working with the Neighbour Centre helping to

build community among street people; is also involved in regular ministry with a support group of ex-offenders, as well as current offenders.

S.E. – is working with the Neighbour Centre developing a peer-mentoring program.

A.L. – significant involvement in prison chaplaincy internship N.G. – runs a weekly support/Bible study group for ex-offenders and minimum risk prisoners at Beulah Alliance I.L. – works with Athletes in Action on U of A Campus, providing community and spiritual support to sports team members P.T-V. – spent the past summer as a community organizer and children’s event planner in the 118th Avenue community; is currently helping his northeast Edmonton church meet the needs of their multicultural community V.M. – owns and operates a face-painting business to spread joy and celebration in the community; likes to integrate her commitment to God and the kingdom of God in her work S.K. – is planting a South Asian Church in Edmonton D.S. – leads a community-building sports initiative in a new neighbourhood of Edmonton, using the facilities of the Grace Pointe Church of God G.G. – staff member at a church near the University of Alberta (adult ministries) D.L. – staff member at an Edmonton church L.H. – staff member at an Edmonton church L.H. – teaches ESL to newcomers J.P. – mobilizer and administrator for volunteers who assist the development of Chain of Love, Brazil – a ministry that provides foster homes to street children in Brazil K.B. – this recent graduate (who has re-enroled for more classes) leads a street ministry to prostitutes with a Salvation Army van every Monday night This is merely a sampling of a few of our current seminarians. What a joy to work with students who are actively making a difference in the world! TB

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UPCOMING EVENTS Here are some important dates to note, including deadlines and events. Taylor extends a warm welcome to all who can join us for some of our upcoming educational offerings.

Jan. 4: January Intersession Begins (Modular Intensive courses) Jan. 19: Winter Semester Begins Jan. 20: TURBULENCE: Navigating Church Conflicts with Grace (one-day workshop) Feb. 5: Sabbatical Preparation Workshop - Healthy Pastors (one-day workshop) Feb. 11: Flourish (a Healthy Pastor’s event) -- Lethbridge (one-day workshop) Feb. 24: CAPS Lunch and Learn: Communication Best Practices for Churches March 18: E.P. Wahl Lectures: SABBATH REST, featuring Dr. Norman Wirzba (see below) March 25-28: Easter Break (School Closed) April 8: Last Day for Registration for Spring Session Courses May 1: Graduation Exercises May 17-20: THRiVE 2016 (Camp Caroline) - Healthy Pastors (see below) June 7: Building Healthy Church Staffs (Edmonton) June 15: Financial Aid Application Deadline for 2016-17 (for Bursaries and Scholarships)

E.P. Wahl Lectures | March 18, 2016 Dr. Norman Wirzba, who grew up in Alberta, returns to his home province from his teaching post at Duke University for a one-day lecture series on Sabbath Rest.

The 2016 Wahl Lectures will be recorded and made available on our website at www.Taylor-Edu.ca/AudioArchives

REGISTER ONLINE: www.Taylor-Edu.ca/Events

THRiVE (Camp Caroline) | May 17-20, 2016

the Wahl Centre at Taylor presents

2 0 1 6 part of the Healthy Pastors Initiative

An exceptional retreat for pastors and spouses. Teaching, discussion and personal reflection on the five key areas that contribute to resilience in ministry.

REGISTER ONLINE: www.Taylor-Edu.ca/Events

onWORD Conference | October 21-22, 2016 The annual onWORD Conference. is artful, thoughtful, meaningful – a fresh encounter with the people, places, events and themes of the Bible.

LOCATION: McKernan Baptist Church, Edmonton, AB REGISTER ONLINE (after March 15): www.Taylor-Edu.ca/Events

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Evening Reflections (2014), by Bevin Breitkreuz (’82) Digital Photograph, f7.1 at 1/200 with 12-50mm lens

ABOUT THIS IMAGE Evening Reflections is a digital image taken in the summer of 2015. The photo was taken at Pray Lake, at Two Medicine Campground located in Glacier National Park, Montana. Standing on the shore of Pray Lake is the photographer’s wife, Grace (Lange) Breitkreuz (’83).

ABOUT THE ARTIST Bevin Breitkreuz, a Taylor alumnus from Edmonton, is an avid photographer. He writes: I like to take images of outdoor scenes, especially mountains and lakes, birds, wildlife. In the summer months I often take out my canoe and visit nearby lakes and shoot images. I love living close enough to the mountains that I can get there on a weekend.

Samples of his work can be found at www.facebook.com/bevin.breitkreuz

Taylor alumni are invited to submit photographs, paintings and other visual art projects for publication or display on campus. Learn more at www.Taylor-Edu.ca/creative

11525 - 23 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6J 4T3