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
[email protected]
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
P
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,
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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.
3
4
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
R
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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6
Fear and the Christian: An Antidote
A Pastor Offers A Thought Experiment to Challenge Our Braying Fears
by Dr. David Wick
I
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
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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
7
8
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.”
9
10
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
11
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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14
Retirement
Celebration
for Dr. Muller
One of Taylor’s best-known
alumni takes a final bow
by Tim Willson
H
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.
15
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
A
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 [email protected] TB
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16
in pictures | Fall 2015
1.
2.
4.
5.
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...)
3.
6.
7.
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!
th
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:
[email protected]. Telephone: 780-431-5200
17
18
2.
3.
1.
4.
6.
5.
7.
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.
19
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.
T
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
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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
20
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:
J
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
21
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
A
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.
Come and learn with us!
1.780.431.5200 | www.Taylor-Edu.ca
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 [email protected]
or by phone at (714) 550-2361.
22
Taylor’s Amazing Students
Busy learning, already actively serving in ministry
by Tim Willson
A
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
23
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
Come and learn with us!
1.780.431.5200 | www.Taylor-Edu.ca
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