Announcing New Leadership for Heritage College & Seminary
September 27, 2024
Thank you for your faithful prayers for the Board and senior leadership of Heritage College & Seminary as we have waited upon the Lord for His guidance and provision during a season of leadership transition. Over the course of a months-long review of our leadership structure, our current situation and future potential as an institution, we have taken the strategic decision to restructure our senior leadership into a two-office model: a part-time Chancellor, who will establish the future vision of Heritage and represent the institution to the wider community, and a full-time President, who will manage all day-to-day operations and implement the vision. We are so grateful that our Interim President, Bob Kallonen, has agreed to continue in his role as President under this model for two further years, allowing Heritage to continue to benefit from his outstanding organizational leadership, which is so deeply appreciated by the board, faculty, staff and students alike.
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jonathan Griffiths has accepted the role of Chancellor, effective October 1st.
Jonathan serves as Lead Pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa, and will continue in his role there as he takes on this part-time role of visionary leadership at Heritage. Our Board recognizes the tremendous value of having a pastor-theologian who is rooted in the local church, giving leadership in shaping the future direction of Heritage, which itself exists to serve the church. Jonathan is married to Gemma, and together they have three children. He grew up in Toronto, where he attended Upper Canada College. He completed his undergraduate degree in theology at the University of Oxford, and holds an MPhil and PhD from the University of Cambridge. His doctoral research, which focused on the theology of divine speech in the Epistle to the Hebrews, was subsequently published by Bloomsbury T&T Clark. Jonathan has published over a dozen works of academic and devotional theology, and continues to maintain a strong writing ministry, with a major new release with B&H/Lifeway due in early 2025. His landmark book on the theology of preaching, Preaching in the New Testament, is a widely used text in leading evangelical seminaries. Jonathan has involvement in a range of ministries that serve the Canadian church: he is the Executive Director of the Timothy Trust, which trains and equips pastors in expository preaching; he serves on the Council of the Gospel Coalition Canada; and he is the Bible Teacher for Encounter the Truth, which is heard daily on over 200 radio stations across Canada and the United States, reaching over half a million listeners weekly.
As Dr. Griffiths steps into the role of Chancellor, it is with honour and gratitude for his significant contribution to Heritage that Dr. Rick Reed has been asked to assume the role of President Emeritus. For more than a decade, through Dr. Reed’s devotion and leadership, Heritage was strengthened and built a lasting reputation for a passionate fidelity to the Word of God. Heritage is a stronger partner and enhanced resource for the church because of Dr. Reed’s leadership, and we are delighted that this can be celebrated and honoured as Dr. Reed becomes the President Emeritus of Heritage College & Seminary.
We believe that with the leadership the Lord has provided, in the past, the present and for the future, Heritage will be well positioned to serve the national and global church as a leading evangelical seminary with a compelling academic profile and an unwavering commitment to the Word of God.
Please join us in welcoming and praying for Jonathan and for Bob as they step into this new season of leadership at Heritage.
Don Symons
Chairman of the Board
Heritage College & Seminary
Special Message from Dr. Jonathan Griffiths
“I count it a great privilege to step into the role of Chancellor at Heritage College and Seminary. Heritage occupies a strategic place in the national evangelical landscape because of its proven fidelity to the Word of God and its steadfast commitment to serving the local church. The need for training and preparing outstanding Christian leaders for the Canadian church has never been greater. I look forward to working with the excellent faculty and staff at Heritage to continue the great work that is being done and to prepare, Lord-willing, for a future of growing impact in our land for His glory.”
