For Jordan Senécal, the study of church history has grabbed his heart in recent years. Over his time studying at Heritage Theological Seminary, he has come to appreciate and value the many stories of how God has been at work in his people and in the world.

Now, Senécal has the opportunity to be a part of telling one of those stories in the history of the Church in Canada.

Working with Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin, Professor of Church History at Heritage Theological Seminary, Senécal will be serving as a research assistant on a project that will recount the story of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada to mark the denomination’s upcoming 70^th anniversary in 2023. This work will be a revision and expansion of the 2003 publication, A Glorious Fellowship of Churches, edited by Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin and Robert B. Lockey.

“I am looking forward to uncovering all that God has done through the Fellowship over the past 70 years, not only in Canada but internationally,” says Senécal. “I am especially looking forward to hearing the remarkable stories of God’s grace in the lives of his people.”

He says that, Lord willing, this project will see him travelling across Canada in order to visit different districts and institutions connected with the Fellowship in order to tell the history of this denomination starting with the Particular Baptists in England in the 17^th Century and following the storyline through the Fellowship up to the present day.

As he begins to undertake this extensive project, Senécal has the understanding of just how important chronicling the history of the Fellowship is. He explains that it is not only valuable as a contribution to Canadian history in general, but it is especially beneficial for the Fellowship and other churches in Canada to look back into their history to be encouraged and learn as they carry the blazing torch of the gospel today and into the future.

“I think that by knowing our history, we can learn not only how God worked in the past, but also see the struggles and, in some cases, pitfalls of our forebears and learn from them today,” he explains. “Knowing our story helps us to understand, appreciate, and maintain our identity while at the same time seeking to work with other believers in bringing the gospel to the nations.”

Since his conversion at nineteen, Senécal says that he has had the sense that his place in the world would be in Christian scholarship. Since beginning his studies at Heritage, he says that he has not only been gripped by the study of church history but has also had the opportunity to gain a broad perspective on the past 2000 years of God’s work in the world through a diversity of history courses.

However, what has stood out prominently from his time at Heritage has been the opportunity to receive valuable mentorship from the professors at the Seminary, especially Dr. Haykin.

“He has become a great source of encouragement to me and has been investing in me and my growth both as a Christian and a historian,” says Senécal. “I cannot see how this opportunity would have been possible apart from my being at Heritage.”

This September, Heritage College & Seminary will be celebrating the accomplishments of the graduating class of 2020 online leading up to our Online Graduation 2020 ceremony.

Each year, Heritage recognizes the academic accomplishments of college and seminary students in specific subject areas of study. Each of these students have not only excelled academically while studying at Heritage but have also exhibited outstanding work in each of these subjects while showing godly character.

Congratulations to the following subject award recipients from the class of 2020:

• Field Education Awards – outstanding work by non-graduating college students in the area of field education this year.
  • Awarded to: Emily Smallegange and Peter Lambert.
• Gerry Benn Christian Education Award – outstanding work by a graduating college student in the field of Christian Education.
  • Awarded to: Jordan Vanderkooy.
• Irene Robertson Loveday Christian Education Award – a non-graduating seminary student who shows significant academic ability and involvement in a Christian education ministry.
  • Awarded to: Beverly Boyd.
• Wilson Banks Music Award – college students who have excelled in the music program, who plan to have a career in music ministry, who have exhibited godly character and demonstrated outstanding effort and academic achievement.
  • Awarded to: Ian and Josh Cushnie.
• Charles & Olive Tipp Church History Award (seminary) – awarded to: Jordan Senecal.
• Denzil E. Raymer Old Testament Award (seminary) – awarded to: Kathleen Hill.
• Gordon Brown New Testament Award (seminary) – awarded to: Braden Slessor.
• William & Leila Whitcombe Theology Award (seminary) – awarded to: Thomas Fisher.
• Greek and Hebrew awards, sponsored by Zondervan: these students have excelled in language studies.
  • Awarded to: Scott Hogeveen and Nicolas Crowe in the college & Thomas Fisher in the seminary for Greek.
• Harold Stainton Hebrew Award: excelling in Hebrew language studies in the seminary.
  • Awarded to: Randy Lieuwen.

Join us for Online Graduation 2020 on Saturday, September 26^th at 10:30am for the premiere of the ceremony at YouTube.com/heritagecs.

Join us online for this year's Heritage Preaching Lectures - register at DiscoverHeritage.ca/HPL.

If there is one thing that many people are seeking in today’s world it is to find the wisdom in order to live well in a broken world. As a result, understanding how to preach and teach the wisdom literature of the Old Testament has become a valuable skill.

Ray Ortlund will be teaching on the topic of preaching Old Testament wisdom literature during this year’s Heritage Preaching Lectures hosted by Heritage Theological Seminary being held on Thursday, October 8^th.

This year, the Heritage Preaching Lectures will be broadcasted in churches, homes, and offices as the event will be livestreamed online for participants.

Dr. Ortlund currently serves as the President of Renewal Ministries and has served 28 years in pastoral roles in California, Oregon, Georgia and, most recently, at Immanuel Nashville in Tennessee. He has also taught Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois and serves as a Council Member of The Gospel Coalition.

In addition to numerous essays, Ortlund has also published eight books including his most recent, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. He has also served as an Old Testament translator for The New Living Translation and The English Standard Version and contributed the introduction and study notes in the ESV Study Bible to the book of Isaiah.

Dr. Wayne Baxter, Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek at Heritage Theological Seminary, explains that Ortlund’s experience and perspective is valuable in guiding the preachers who will attend this year’s Preaching Lectures to effectively teach wisdom literature.

“As pastors and teachers, we desire to offer our people wisdom from God’s Word. Very often, however, our take on God’s wisdom amounts to little more than simplistic, Christian clichés,” says Dr. Baxter. “As an Old Testament scholar Ray Ortlund understands how Old Testament wisdom works; and as a pastor, he knows how to impart God’s wisdom to his people.”

Though the format of the Preaching Lectures has moved online for this year, the event continues to be focused on helping pastors and ministry leaders by encouraging and equipping them in order to continue serving their churches well.

“Heritage believes that preaching is the primary focus of any pastor’s ministry, “says Dr. Barry Howson, Academic Dean of Heritage Theological Seminary. “Consequently, any help we can receive to improve this task is much appreciated, not only by us who labour in preaching the Word but also the churches we serve.”

To learn more about the Heritage Preaching Lectures and to register for this online event, please visit DiscoverHeritage.ca/HPL.

There was a feeling of excitement on campus at Heritage College & Seminary on Monday, September 7 as staff, faculty, and student leaders greeted new and returning students and their families for Welcome Day 2020.

After months of praying and planning for this upcoming year, Welcome Day marked the beginning of an academic year that the Heritage community desires will be a time of spiritual impact and physical safety.

With the help of student leaders, both new and incoming students moved into our limited capacity residence to begin their studies at the college for the upcoming academic year starting on Thursday, September 10.

Families were then welcomed to join together to dedicate the upcoming year to the Lord with a special service with messages from President Dr. Rick Reed, Vice President of Academics Dr. J. Stephen Yuille, and Vice President of Student Life and Enrolment Chuck Schoenmaker.

Parents of college students who wish to receive more information about Heritage and watch messages from some of the staff and faculty are encouraged to visit our online Parent Orientation at DiscoverHeritage.ca/Parents.

Please continue to pray for our college students as they prepare for this upcoming year, as well as the students of Heritage Theological Seminary who will be starting their fall semester online this week.

To view the online Parent Orientation 2020 – visit DiscoverHeritage.ca/Parents. 

To view Heritage's plans for Fall 2020 – visit DiscoverHeritage.ca/Fall2020.

The news that overnight camps would not be running this summer left many people devastated. This was a feeling shared by Heritage students Ethan Skinner and Julia Martin.

When they heard that their camp – Camp Widjiitiwin – would not operate normally this summer due to the pandemic, it was a challenge. Which was why the news that camp would continue in a different format was not only great news, but also something they were excited to be a part of.

Camp Widjiitiwin, like other overnight camps, will be hosting Camp in a Box – a special program that seeks to bring the joy of a week at camp to campers’ homes across Ontario. Now, after working hard to prepare this unique camp experience, Martin and Skinner are currently part of leading this special program.

For Martin, the excitement for being a part of Camp in a Box comes from a heart for the impact camp ministry has had on her own life and the hearts and lives of campers she has connected with at Widjiitiwin.

She explains that, for her, God has used her time as a camper and now a leader to push her into a deeper trust in Him.

“I believe that camp has increased my passion for ministry and when I am able to see the countless miracles He has done at this camp, my love for Him strengthens as well as my confidence in knowing that he is a good God,” says Martin. “Every summer I come back and there are always campers I can see God working in and there is no other explanation than Jesus’ grace in those times.”

In Skinner’s life, he looks back and sees his own experiences at camp as formative – providing him with deep friendships, a stronger relationship with God and a passion to serve in ministry. However, he says that it is also what He does in the lives of campers each summer that continues to be a testimony to the power of God.

“Last summer we saw fifty campers make personal decisions to turn and trust Christ and over 100 Bibles go out,” says Skinner. “It is the place where I’ve seen God use the camp pastors, the cabin leaders, and even myself to preach and live out the gospel before campers.”

Now, both are playing important roles in bringing the joy and hope of camp through this new program that will allow campers to experience Widjiitiwin from where they live through a special online platform and boxes filled with items from the camp. For Martin and Skinner and the rest of the team, this has involved doing everything from packing boxes with games, activities, and tuck candies to filming and preparing content for the online camp portal.

Though it is strange to be preparing for a summer of camp in this way, both would say that their time at Heritage has prepared them to trust God and that He will work in and through camp – even if it is experienced in a different way.

“One of the most important lessons that Heritage has taught me in preparation for serving in camp ministry is how God is able to work all things for the good of those who love Him,” explains Skinner. “That although ministry may not be what is expected or the normal, that God is able to take this new reality and work it for good.”

As both Skinner and Martin begin their ministry this summer with Widjiitiwin, their prayer is that God will make the most of this opportunity and continue to impact lives with the hope of the gospel through this camp experience.

“Our mission is to let each camper know how important and loved they are in the eyes of God, and that as we strive to impact each camper’s life that they will make a difference in their families as well,” says Martin.

Learn more about Camp in a Box at mycamp.ca/campinabox.