Our Heritage faculty and staff join with many others around the world to pray for God’s mercy on our broken world during time of great sorrow and upheaval.  We lament the tragic, brutal death of George Floyd which has surfaced the injustice many Black brothers and sisters live with in an ongoing way.

It could be tempting for us in Canada to dismiss this as a problem largely beyond our borders.  But as we listen to the voices of Black Canadians and other minorities around us, we quickly discover that racial prejudice adversely affects Canadians too.  This is a time to humble ourselves before God, asking for His grace and guidance to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

As Christians we reject racism as contrary to God’s heart and His revealed will.  The Bible affirms all humans are created in God’s image and possess equal worth and dignity (Genesis 1:27).  Although hostility and division have characterized human history, God’s plan is to bring us together under Christ as part of His Church (Ephesians 1:10, 2:14).

When Linda and I served in a pastoral role in Ottawa, we loved the fact that over forty languages were spoken in the congregation.  We delighted in the diversity of languages and cultures represented in the church. It was for us a foretaste of heaven when people from every “tribe and language and people and nation” will unite to give glory to the Lord (Revelation 5:9).

Our commitment at Heritage College and Seminary is to be a place where all students are treated with Christ-like love.  To this end, we will actively listen and learn where we fall short and what actions we can take to be part of the solution.  We recognize our responsibility to educate and equip spiritual leaders who understand the implications of the gospel and embrace the racial diversity God intended for the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:6) and the absolute equality and value of all.  We do this as an expression of our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who laid down his life to reconcile us to God and to unite all who trust in him as equal members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19).

It was during his time studying church history at Heritage Theological Seminary with Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin that Dr. Roy Paul says he became fascinated with the history surrounding Jonathan Edwards and his ministry to the Mohican Indians in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

This interest became the focus of Paul’s doctoral research that will be published in a forthcoming book – Jonathan Edwards and the Stockbridge Mohican Indians: His Mission and Sermons.

Dr. Paul, an alumnus of Heritage Theological Seminary, explains that the opportunity to study Edwards and his missionary work to the Mohican people was a valuable endeavour. Though the story of Edwards’ work in this area and the sermons he preached were known, he explains that many had not been previously published.

As a result, his doctoral research took him on a journey looking at archives in Stockbridge, spending time on the Mohican reservation in Bowler, Wisconsin, and travelling to Yale University to review some of the over 200 sermons that Edwards preached during his ministry in this area.

Paul’s research delves into Edwards’ involvement in continuing the gospel ministry that was within the Mohican community in Stockbridge. He explains that after European settlers began to settle in their area, this monotheistic group who acknowledged the “Great, Good Spirit” as the giver of all things became interested in both the lives and beliefs of these new residents.

“They took notice, particularly, of how prosperous the European settlers were and decided that they wanted to know more about their God,” says Paul. “To that end they agreed to have a missionary come to them and to teach them.”

After the passing of the first and long-serving missionary to the community, John Sergeant, Edwards came to take his position in 1752. Paul explains that though Edwards came into this position with a heart for missions and the Mohican people, he also began his preaching ministry without knowing their language. Though this would be a challenge for Edwards, with the help of a translator and thoughtful preaching, Paul says that he served in this role preaching two different sermons each Sunday – one to the English settlers and one to the Mohicans.

“His content and style to each group was quite different,” explains Paul. “Edwards was a master of rhetoric and so when preaching to the Mohicans he drew on their love of nature and gave many analogies from creation.”

One thing that was clear from his research was the deep care that Edwards had for the Mohicans that he served. Paul explains that, while preaching the word in Stockbridge, Edwards also fought for the rights of the Mohicans in the area. As the settlers continued efforts to swindle land from the Mohicans and not live up to their obligations to the boys learning in the community’s boarding school, Paul says that Edwards was their advocate through letter writing campaigns and other initiatives.

“He truly cared about them physically and spiritually, bringing many of them into his own home,” says Paul.

When looking at this chapter in Jonathan Edwards life, Paul says that there are a number of important lessons for the church today. He explains that in the life of Edwards in Stockbridge, readers will see not only his personal commitment to the study of God’s Word and the discipleship of his family, but also his great devotion to preaching the gospel and the mission to the Mohicans. A commitment that has left a lasting impact on the Stockbridge Mohicans today.

“When doing my research on the current state of Christianity within the tribe, one tribal member said to me, ‘If it were not for the ministry of Jonathan Edwards to my people; my ancestors, my grandmother, my mother, and I would not be Christians today.”

For more information on Dr. Paul’s new book, click here: https://bit.ly/EdwardsandtheStockbridgeMohicans

For Dr. Joel Barker, Professor of Biblical Studies at Heritage College & Seminary, the book of Joel is filled with wisdom and truth for the church today. In his new commentary on the book of Joel - recently released as a part of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series - Dr. Barker says that he has tried to develop a resource that will help pastors and Bible teachers share these important truths with Christians today.

“Joel reminds the reader that when crisis comes, it is important to cry out to God and hold to his grace and mercy,” explains Barker. “Joel demonstrates that although God cannot be tamed, he can certainly be trusted.”

Edited by Dr. Daniel I. Block, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament series is dedicated to tracing the argument of Old Testament books as a whole, with careful attention to the different authors’ rhetorical strategies – showing the value of not only what the author says but how the message is being communicated. Barker explains that his commentary on the book of Joel provides readers with some consideration of this book in a broader, biblical-theological context while making connections across the canon.

“The aim is to show how Joel contributes to our understanding of Scripture’s pictures of lament in the face of disaster, God’s power over creation, and hope for those who put their trust in God,” says Barker.

Barker says that the commentary will also provide pastors and Bible teachers with a clear structural breakdown, setting good parameters for organizing the book into preachable passages. In doing so, his hope is that all will be able to see how the argument of the book builds cumulatively.

“My goal is to bring to life the literary artistry of the book revealed through its captivating imagery as it bears witness to the glory of God,” says Barker.

Throughout the book of Joel, he says that there are valuable themes for those in the local church today to learn from. For example, Barker highlights the value in teaching through Joel as a reminder of the great gift of God’s Spirit. He says that as the author pivots from despair to deliverance, he anticipates a future in which God will graciously pour out his Spirit on everyone who calls on his name. He explains that this future that Joel foresaw finds its initial fulfillment in the church’s Spirit-fuelled beginning as Peter quoted in his Pentecost sermon in Acts.

“Joel is important to teach and preach because it is God-breathed Scripture and, though venturing into the Minor Prophets is a scary proposition for many, there is so much rich treasure to be found,” says Barker.

To learn more about this new commentary, visit https://bit.ly/ZondervanExegeticalCommentaryOT

This past year, I had the privilege of being the Local Outreach Chair at Heritage. Growing up and even in my first year, sharing my faith was something I tried to avoid because I was afraid of being judged. I would try to pass by verses in the Bible about evangelism, using the excuse that “I didn’t have the gift”. For the longest time, I let fear hold me back from doing what God had commanded of all His people.

But last year, God completely changed my heart and opened up my eyes to the brokenness around me and gripped me with the urgent need for the gospel. We had the chance to share the good news with countless people and be the hands and feet of Christ to the poor and needy. I was able to witness God move in incredible ways and I am so thankful to have been a part of it.

So many of my friends and I who once never considered missions are now planning on devoting our lives to proclaiming the gospel to unreached people groups. I can’t wait to see how God continues to use the students at Heritage for the furtherance of His kingdom in Canada and around the world.

To read Shannon’s story and more updates from this past academic year, please read the Heritage College & Seminary Spring & Summer 2020 Newsletter.

Be encouraged in your faith as you learn from members of the faculty of Heritage Theological Seminary during our special Online Lecture Series.

The Heritage Online Lecture Series will provide you with a free opportunity to dig deep into God’s Word and grow in your faith as you participate in webinars led by our seminary faculty.

Register today for these special online lectures happening on Wednesdays at 1pm starting on May 20 and ending on June 17.

Discover our schedule of lectures and register today for the lectures you want to take part in all on DiscoverHeritage.ca/OnlineLectureSeries.

Check out our Schedule of Lectures:  

May 20 at 1:00pm – Dr. Ian J. Vaillancourt – “David, Goliath, and the Gospel”  

David and Goliath is one of the best-known and most beloved stories in the Old Testament, but how does it best apply to the Christian life? Most often, people apply the story directly, saying that “just like David faced Goliath with God’s help, I can face the ‘giants’ in my life with God’s help.” But a look at the David and Goliath story in its biblical context and book context, will help us to go much deeper than this. Dr. Ian Vaillancourt will show that the David and Goliath story does help Christians face any difficulty, but in a way that is much deeper and more meaningful than a mere “you can do it” pep talk. As we unpack the gospel application of this great story, attendees will further develop their own instinct to get to Christ and the gospel from every passage of the Old Testament.  

May 27 at 1:00pm – Dr. David G. Barker – “Lament in a Pandemic: A Worship Voice for the Church” 

The Apostle Paul twice in his writings to the churches said that we are to speak to one another in psalms. While he may have been speaking of more than we have in the Book of Psalms, he certainly was not speaking of less. The single largest category of psalms in the Psalter is Lament Psalms, not Praise, Thanksgiving, or Trust Psalms. In this lecture Dr. David Barker will explore the nature of Lament Psalms and how they can be used in the worship life of the church and in the individual lives of God’s people, especially in difficult times like the ones we are in now.

June 3 at 1:00pm – Dr. J. Stephen Yuille – “The Fear of God in Puritan Theology & Spirituality” 

This motif is front and centre in the Puritan mindset. It is found in all their writings from William Perkins to Jonathan Edwards. They are acutely aware of the fact that they serve a great God—a God greatly to be feared. As Matthew Henry expresses it: “Of all things that are to be known this is most evident, that God is to be feared, to be reverenced, served, and worshipped; this is so the beginning of knowledge that those know nothing who do not know this.”

June 10 at 1:00pm- Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin – “’Beauty so ancient and so new’: God, beauty, and sex in Augustine” 

In this lecture we explore the intersection of Augustine’s search for God, his fascination with beauty, and his struggle with his own sexuality, through the story of his life – a life that took him from teenage rebellion and involvement in a cult in North Africa, where he grew up, to a garden in Milan in northern Italy, where he surrendered to Christ at the age of 32.

June 17 at 1:00pm – Dr. Rick Reed – “Noticeably Better Preaching and Teaching” 

Paul instructed Timothy to work hard at preaching and teaching so that “all may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).  Having trained preachers and teachers for over a decade, Rick Reed provides practical ways for those who communicate God’s Word to get better—noticeably better.  This webinar focuses on five essentials of effective, biblical teaching.  If you want to get noticeably better as a preacher or teacher, join us for an hour of encouragement and equipping.

Register today at DiscoverHeritage.ca/OnlineLectureSeries.