Dr. Ian J. Vaillancourt’s 2019 monograph, The Multifaceted Saviour of Psalms 110 and 118: A Canonical Exegesis, has recently been recognized by the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (CSBS) as the recipient of its R.B.Y. Scott Award. This award recognizes an outstanding book in the areas of Hebrew Bible and/or the Ancient Near East. It is named after Robert Balgarnie Young Scott, one of Canada’s most renowned Old Testament scholars.

When Dr. Vaillancourt received the news that he had received this award, he says that he was both honoured and encouraged as he continues to serve the Lord through a writing ministry.

As he looks back on the book that began his Ph.D. dissertation, Dr. Vaillancourt hopes that it influences Christians more broadly, by first convincing Psalms scholars to find Messianic hope in a Saviour to come as a prominent theme in the latter portion of the book of Psalms.

“Ultimately, I hope that Christ is exalted from this study of the Old Testament,” says Vaillancourt.

The CSBS, known for being the oldest humanities academic society in Canada, annually awards Canadian scholars who are interested in the academic study of the Bible in its literary and historical contexts. As a winner of the R.B.Y. Scott Award, Dr. Vaillancourt’s name has been added to the ranks of previous winners, who include Carmen Joy Imes, Iain Provan, John Kessler, Keith Bodner, and Mark Boda.

Dr. Vaillancourt continues to serve the Lord through his writing and publishing, and is currently working on several projects. These include books on the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and a pair of commentaries on 1 and 2 Samuel for the Pillar Old Testament Commentary series.

To learn more about Dr. Vaillancourt’s award winning scholarly monograph, please click here.

For over 40 years, Dr. David G. Barker’s ministry in the church and the academy has been defined by his heart for God and His Word. Whether one sat under his preaching in the church or under his teaching in the classrooms of London Baptist Bible College and London Baptist Seminary and Heritage College and Seminary, Dr. Barker has made a lasting impact on the lives and hearts of the many congregants and students who have been shaped by his devotion to God and the truth of Scripture.

Now, as Dr. Barker enters a new stage of his ministry in retirement, many who have served alongside him celebrate his twin passions for the theological academy and the local church in a collection of essays that have been compiled into a new book, Reading Scripture, Learning Wisdom: Essays in Honour of David G. Barker.

Dr. Barry Howson, Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean of Heritage Theological Seminary, says that this festschrift is a fitting honour for Dr. Barker who has made a significant impact through his ministry in the church and academy.

“His impact has been felt in the church through his thoughtful exegetical preaching of the Word along with his caring pastoral ministry of his flock,” says Dr. Howson. “He has trained many students who are now ministering around the world as servants of Christ, and he has been a part of their preparation to handle the word with precision and relevance.”

Dr. Howson explains that each of the essays found in the festschrift represent several biblical and theological topics with a focus on Biblical Studies which has been the focal point of Dr. Barker’s time as a pastor and professor.

“This collection of essays emulates the scholarly and relevant pastoral and academic ministry that marked David’s life,” explains Howson. “As you read these essays you enter into David’s world over the past 40 years.”

To write these essays the book, co-edited by Dr. Howson along with Professor of Church History at Heritage Theological Seminary, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin, has brought together 15 contributors, most of whom have served alongside Dr. Barker throughout his ministry at Heritage and London. For Howson, each essay reflects Barker’s heart for the church that was always behind all his work in the academy.

“This collection of essays reflects David’s passion for the truth, not for the academy as an end in itself but for the church of Jesus Christ,” says Howson. “David has been an example of the reason for the academy’s existence – to serve the biblical and practical needs of the church.”

People can purchase a paperback edition of Reading Scripture, Learning Wisdom by contacting the Main Office at Heritage at info@heritagecs.edu or call Heritage at 1-800-465-1961 or 519-651-2869.

Heritage College & Seminary celebrated the accomplishments of its graduating class of 2021 on April 30 and May 1 during its special Online Graduation 2021.

Graduates gathered online from their homes across the province along with the faculty of Heritage to recognize the diligent work and study of the Class of 2021 and commission them into life and ministry. Friends and family were able to join this year’s ceremonies by watching the event live on YouTube and hear each name of the graduating class read and recognized during each ceremony.

At this year’s college ceremony, President of Heritage College & Seminary Dr. Rick Reed shared a message from John 1:6-8, commissioning the students to know they have been sent to live as witnesses to the true light, Jesus Christ. Graduates also had the opportunity to hear an encouraging word from this year’s Valedictorian Joehelen Ravelo.

Dr. J. Stephen Yuille, Vice President of Academics, presented the Graduation Address to the graduates of Heritage Theological Seminary sharing truths from Galatians 4:19 that each should remember as they leave Heritage to serve Christ in ministry. This year’s Jack Scott Award winners Beverly Boyd and Parker Arnold were also recognized and shared their addresses to the seminary graduates.

Each ceremony also provided music and worship recorded by current students and graduates of both the college and seminary.

For a list of college and seminary award winners announced at each ceremony, please see below:

Heritage College – 2021 Graduation Awards

Academic Awards

The Certificate Program Academic Proficiency Award

Emily Cooper

The Fourth Year Academic Proficency Award

Joehelen Ravelo

The Zondervan Hebrew Award

Nathan Kapteyn

The Zondervan Greek Award

Brett Harris

The Wilson Banks Music Award

Mackenzie Cline

The ABWE Missions Award

Rebecca Johnson

Delta Epsilon Chi, Honour Society of ABHE

Nadime Ayoub & Joehelen Ravelo

Field Education Awards

The Gerry Benn Award for Christian Education

Jake Van Noggeren

The Pastoral Ministry Award

Marshall Morden

Other Awards

The Elsie M. Lawson Awards

Nadime Ayoub & Mackenzie Cline

Heritage Theological Seminary – 2021 Graduation Awards

Academic Awards

The Graduating Academic Proficiency Award

Parker Arnold and Jacob Tomc

The Harold Stainton Hebrew Award

Jacob Tomc

The Zondervan Greek Award

Parker Arnold

The Charles & Olive Tipp Church History Award

Phoebe Heng

The William & Leila Whitcombe Theology Award

Jacob Tomc

Field Education Awards

The Jack H. Watt Pastoral Ministry Award

Sean Sheeran and Jaye Rice

Other Awards

The Jack Scott Award

Parker Arnold and Beverly Boyd

As another academic year draws to a close, Heritage College & Seminary is once again preparing to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of its graduating class online.

This year, Heritage will be hosting its online college graduation service on Friday, April 30 and will hold a separate service celebrating the graduates of Heritage Theological Seminary on Saturday, May 1. To mark each event, both services will be broadcasted live with graduates joining together online for this special ceremony.

Though the desire was to have our seminary and college graduates on campus this year, the circumstances and guidelines surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario have once again led to both ceremonies being online.

However, Heritage will still be marking the day in a special way with both graduating classes gathering together online from across the province. Friends and family will also be able to attend the service by watching the event live on DiscoverHeritage.ca/Live.

“Our graduation service is truly a highlight and high point in our year at Heritage.  It is a culmination where we celebrate past accomplishments.  At the same time, it is a commissioning to future service,” says Dr. Rick Reed, President of Heritage College & Seminary. “We rejoice as we anticipate the eternal impact these graduates will make for Christ in the years to come.”

Graduates will receive a special package at home from Heritage that will include a number of items including their diploma or degree, a graduation cap to wear for the ceremony, and a few gifts from Heritage in honour of their accomplishments.

Each service will include worship music led by students and alumni of both the college and seminary, as well as addresses from Dr. Reed at the college service and Dr. Stephen Yuille, Vice President of Academics, for the seminary celebration.

Join us online to celebrate with the class of 2021. The service for the college on April 30^th begins at 2:00pm and the seminary service on May 1^st will start at 10:30am.

Watch both celebrations at DiscoverHeritage.ca/Live.

In my years at Heritage, one of the foundational truths that the Lord helped me to realize was the incredible reality that He is to be made famous through absolutely everything and anything I do.

Spending the four years at Heritage, gave me the opportunity to be in a unique community of students and teachers that gave me the space to figure out what I needed to do in terms of profession, education, and understanding of who God was and who I was. I wrestled in Bible College about whether or not I was to go into something drumming focused or if I was to work within a church setting as a Worship Director. Looking back, the Lord gave me the opportunity to do both while also providing exceedingly more than what I ever thought.

After graduating Heritage, the Lord led me into a time of waiting for a year where I spent some time teaching drums at the local Long and McQuade Music store, as well as at a Christian School in Cambridge. After that year ended, I received a call from Oxford Baptist Church in Woodstock to become their Worship Director over a period of four years, while developing and running a program, called “OWL” or Oxford Worship Lessons, where I taught students how to play various instruments and play on the Worship Team.

Then, in 2020, I was flown to L.A. for a commercial run by Facebook to drum for a campaign for International Women’s Day and following the commercial I was overwhelmed by a number of students who were seeking to take drum lessons. At this point, I was teaching a little bit while I was working at Oxford, however I felt the Lord tugging on my heart for a change in direction. I left Oxford in March of 2020 and have been running my drum studio, Ransom Drum Lab, full time offering online and in-person drum lessons.

What I love about these jobs - as a Worship Director and now a Drum Educator - is that I’ve clearly seen the Lord direct and guide me through all of these scenarios, plus have had the opportunity to witness, to love, and to minister to people in various walks of life. Heritage equipped me for all these circumstances that have occurred in the past six years since I graduated, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Read Sharon’s stories and more in our latest Alumni Newsletter – arriving in mailboxes soon.