“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10

Merry Christmas from the students, staff, and faculty of Heritage College & Seminary. We pray that you will have a blessed Christmas season as you celebrate the good news of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

To celebrate the season, watch our special Christmas video and share it with your friends and family.

Klosay’s heart is for his fellow Karen people to know the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

As a Pastoral Intern at James North Baptist Church in Hamilton, Ontario, Klosay lives out this desire through connecting with local Karen families, inviting them to learn from God’s Word, and walking with them as they grow in their faith.

After living more than 20 years in a refugee camp on the border of Burma and Thailand, Klosay and a group of Karen people were brought to Canada in 2006. It was while he was residing in the camp that Klosay and other Karen came to faith in Christ after hearing the gospel from American and Australian missionaries.

When he settled in Hamilton, Klosay was a part of a group of Karen Christians that began to gather as a church and have been working with James North since 2011.

Today, he has the blessing of serving this Karen church with the pastoral team at James North. From helping with Bible studies with Pastor Dwayne Cline to serving in the Karen church services at James North, Klosay has the joy of sharing the hope of the gospel with many in the community.

While serving at James North, Klosay has also been learning and growing in his own knowledge and faith in God in his studies at Heritage College & Seminary. To have the opportunity to gain a foundation in the Bible allows him to better share Biblical truth and gospel-centred hope with those in the Karen community.

“The way I understand God is more clear,” says Klosay. “I feel like I am blessed by God with what I study and learn at Heritage from the Bible, which is why I also want to share what I learn with families, friends, and people who want to know more.”

Currently, much of his ministry focuses on serving families who desire to learn more from God’s Word and sharing the hope of the gospel with their youth who are often struggling with their faith.

“One of the best things I can do is invite people to come to church and hear the teaching,” says Klosay. “Some will still struggle, some will come and disappear, and some will keep coming to church – but I will always encourage more people to come.”

Though the ministry comes with its challenges, Klosay says that God is working amongst the Karen people. He explains that there have been many Karen people attending ministries to hear the Bible taught in their own language and that they have seen 15 young people baptized.

Click here to read this year's Heritage College & Seminary Christmas Newsletter and learn more about how God is working in the hearts and lives of our students.

After more than 40 years of teaching and mentoring students at both the college and seminary level, Dr. David G. Barker has been recently recognized by the faculty and President’s Cabinet of Heritage College & Seminary with the honorary title of Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies.

“It is an honour to be recognized by one’s peers in this way,” says Dr. Barker.

Though he continues to teach at Heritage, he explains that retirement comes with joy mixed with some sadness as he looks back at his work as something in the past. Despite the mixed feelings, he explains that being named a Professor Emeritus at Heritage is meaningful due to its recognition of his years of service and ministry that continues to this day.

“It means that perhaps I bring not just 40 plus years of learning and teaching in my fields of interest and study, but some venerated wisdom in life and ministry that I can pass on to others,” explains Dr. Barker.

In 1978, Dr. Barker began his teaching ministry at London Baptist Bible College & Seminary. When London merged with Central Baptist Seminary in 1993 to form Heritage College & Seminary, he continued to teach and served in several academic and administrative roles. While teaching and mentoring students in the classroom, he has also served the church in several pastoral roles and continues to travel to churches around the province to preach and teach the Bible.

Today, Dr. Barker continues to have a passion and heart to teach the Bible. He explains that his motivation to teach and mentor students at Heritage comes from the joy he gets helping students know the Bible more and, through this, see them grow as they come to know Christ more through its pages.

“It is through the teaching of the content of the Bible and how to interpret the Bible that we come to see and know Christ in his saving work, and by the power of the Spirit embrace his values, virtues, and sense of mission in the Church and world,” says Dr. Barker.

Dr. Barker now becomes Heritage’s second Professor Emeritus, sharing the title with long-time fellow faculty member and friend Dr. Stanley K. Fowler, Professor Emeritus of Theological Studies. For him, to share this title with a person whose teaching and writing has impacted so many - including himself - is truly meaningful.

“This is a huge honour to be linked with one of the finest theologians I have ever known,” says Dr. Barker. “He has impacted my theology, my understanding of morals and ethics and how to process decision-making in these domains, and my understanding of church. Stan has modelled for me and for so many others how to engage in difficult and complex conversations with both an irenic spirit and deep conviction.”

As Dr. Fowler continues his recovery from a recent stroke, Dr. Barker says that he shares with many others the grief over the impact of this stroke and continues to pray that God will be merciful to him and his wife, Donna, and restore some measure of health.

“His voice and pen are so needed in our times,” says Dr. Barker.

On behalf of the Heritage community, I want to thank each of you who have joined us in praying for Dr. Stan Fowler, his wife, Donna, and their family.  Stan continues to receive treatment after suffering a stroke this past summer.

I wanted to pass along some encouraging answers to our prayers.  A few weeks ago, a specialist was able to see Stan and the decision was made to move forward with removing his tracheal tube. This is a wonderful answer to prayer as it allows Stan to move forward with the process of rehabilitation at a hospital in Kitchener, Ontario.

The Fowlers recently purchased a new home in Cambridge that will better suit Stan’s needs.  They are now putting their current home in Kitchener up for sale. Their new home will have some needed renovations completed before they move, plus be equipped with some specific equipment that will allow Stan’s rehabilitation to continue. Once everything is in place, Stan will be able to move from the hospital to their new home.

In the next few weeks Heritage will be setting up a Go Fund Me page so that donations can be made to help offset the costs of renovations and the equipment that is needed.

Please continue to intercede for Stan, Donna, and their family.  Ask the Lord to grant Stan and Donna endurance for the rehab process.  Pray for a quick sale and short closing date for their current home and a smooth transition to their new home. Finally, please continue to pray that God would grant Stan a strong and significant recovery.  May the Lord show His power and grace in a way that brings glory to His name!

Warmly,

Dr. Rick Reed

President of Heritage College & Seminary

Queen Victoria and Major-General Charles George Gordon were two prominent historical figures during the British empire’s late-nineteenth century. Often, the two were considered heroic figures in the age of empires – a period coinciding with the New Imperialism.

The link with empire and the role both Queen Victoria and General Gordon played in the imagination and discourse playing the age of empires will be the focus of this year’s Andrew Fuller Centre for Baptist Studies Annual Lecture happening online Friday, October 29 starting at 7:30pm.

This year’s guest lecturer is Dr. Gordon L. Heath. Dr. Heath serves as Professor of Christian History at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, and is also the Director of the Canadian Baptist Archives.

People are welcome to take part in this special livestream lecture event online and will be able to participate in a special question-and-answer period that will take place following Dr. Heath’s presentation. The lecture will also be free to attend online.

To register for this year’s Andrew Fuller Centre for Baptist Studies Lecture, please visit DiscoverHeritage.ca/AFC2021.

Approximately twenty years ago, the leadership of Heritage College & Seminary had the opportunity to purchase a piece of land beside its current campus in Cambridge, Ontario. The thought was that this land could be used in the future to serve what they hoped would be a growing number of students attending the school.

Today, Heritage Theological Seminary continues to grow as God sends more men and women to learn God’s Word and be equipped to serve His Church and Christ’s mission in the world. As a result, the time to expand the campus has come.

“Our Professor of Church History, Dr. Michael Haykin, often says that ‘We cannot not have Heritage Theological Seminary,’ because of how Heritage is uniquely positioned to serve the Church in Canada,” says Godfrey Thorogood, Director of Ministry Partners and Internships at Heritage College & Seminary. “Out of a heart to continue our mission and serve the mission of Christ and His Church more, Heritage now looks to expand and grow our ministry to train and equip more men and women for life and ministry.”

On Friday, October 1, during a special outdoor ceremony and livestream event, Heritage officially launched Heritage for Canada & the Nations – a capital campaign that will help Heritage train and support ministry leaders who send people out to share the gospel in Canada and throughout the nations.

During this special event, members of the leadership at Heritage shared information about how the school plans to enlarge its campus, extend training opportunities, and expand its impact from coast to coast to coast and around the world.

At the heart of this fundraising initiative is the construction of a new building that will serve as the home of Heritage Theological Seminary. Located next to the current campus grounds, this new building will serve to both provide the necessary space for teaching and equipping the growing number of seminary students while raising the profile of the seminary. The building will include connected classrooms that will be able to be used for in-person and live, online instruction. It will also provide students with inviting spaces to study or gather, an auditorium for conferences and banquets, and faculty offices.

The new building will also be home to a new initiative from Heritage called the Global Outreach Centre. Out of Heritage’s desire to spread the gospel throughout Canada and the nations, the Global Outreach Centre will strive to act as a catalyst to encourage students to participate in local and global missions while assisting local churches in raising their engagement in missions.

Funds raised from this campaign will also go toward extending the program offerings at Heritage Theological Seminary, provide more distance learning and online degree options, as well as increase scholarship opportunities to support current and future students.

Heritage will also be utilizing this project to extend the impact of the school to provide more resources for the church in Canada. Whether it be the development of a new ministry placement department or the launching of Heritage Seminary Press, the heart of Heritage is to serve the pastors, ministry leaders, and their churches as they strive to faithfully serve Christ in their context.

“We are asking the Lord to continue to use Heritage Theological Seminary to strengthen the Church in Canada and spread the gospel of Christ to the nations,” says Dr. Rick Reed, President of Heritage College & Seminary. “This new building will provide both a home for the seminary and a hub for ministry in Canada and beyond.”

This new campaign aspires to raise a total of $14,000,000 in funds that will go towards these and various projects that will aid in Heritage’s mission to prepare more men and women for to serve Canada and the nations.

For more information on Heritage for Canada & the Nations, please visit heritageforcanada.ca.

Click here to watch a video about Heritage for Canada & the Nations on Heritage's YouTube channel.

Stay up-to-date on the Heritage for Canada campaign and on the progress of the Heritage Theological Seminary building by filling out our contact form. Click here to find the form. 

Click here to register for this year's Heritage Preaching Lectures with Darrell Johnson. 

Each year, Heritage Theological Seminary invites pastors and ministry leaders to the Heritage Preaching Lectures to take part in the opportunity to learn from recognized, pastoral scholars and grow in their abilities to preach and teach God’s Word to their local congregations.

For this year’s event, Heritage is excited to announce that pastor and scholar Darrell Johnson will be joining us online from British Columbia to be the guest lecturer for the annual Heritage Preaching Lectures being held on Thursday, October 14^th.

Once again, the Heritage Preaching Lectures will be broadcasted in churches, homes, and offices across the country as the event will be live streamed online for participants.

Darrell Johnson has been preaching Jesus Christ and His Gospel for over 50 years. He has served a number of Presbyterian congregations in California, Union Church of Manila in the Philippines, and the historic First Baptist Church in the heart of Vancouver, Canada. He has taught preaching for Fuller Theological Seminary, Carey Theological College in Vancouver, and Regent College in Vancouver. He has authored eight books, including The Glory of Preaching and Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey Through Revelation.

He is currently serving as Scholar-in-Residence for The Way Church and Canadian Church Leaders Network, and still serves Regent College part-time as Teaching Fellow.

Dr. Rick Reed, President of Heritage College & Seminary, says that he is looking forward to the opportunity to learn from Johnson at this year’s Heritage Preaching Lectures. He says that Dr. Johnson’s book The Glory of Preaching is one of the most helpful preaching texts he has ever read and, as a result, encourages preachers of God’s Word to join this special online event.

“Dr. Johnson combines practical sermon advice with a biblically-rich theology of preaching,” says Dr. Reed. “If you want to be stretched and strengthened as a preacher, carve out the time to join us for this year’s Heritage Preaching Lectures.”

Dr. Barry Howson, Dean of Seminary at Heritage, sees Johnson’s experience as a preacher, in particular serving as a pastor within a Canadian context, makes the chance to learn from him that much more important for pastors today.

“We need to hear from men like him so that we can grow in our preaching of the word which is so necessary for the well-being of the church,” says Dr. Howson. “He understands our cultural context, and therefore, how to preach the Word in it and to it.”

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

As I write this note, the Heritage campus is quiet.  Thankfully, that’s about to change.

On Labour Day, September 6^th, we will welcome the new and returning college students moving into our residence halls.  I’m looking forward to meeting these new students and their families as they arrive on campus.  I’m also anticipating the Service of Dedication we will hold outdoors on Monday afternoon; it will be a time to commit ourselves to the Lord for the new school year.

I understand this new school year comes with many COVID complications.  I also realize Christians differ on how to best respond to the regulations issued by our government and public health officials.

At Heritage College and Seminary, our desire is to lead with love and act with integrity.  We are seeking to obey the biblical command to “be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:1-2).  At the same time, we are seeking to respect the different viewpoints and convictions held by Christians (Romans 14:1-23).  It’s our desire to treat one another “in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

Our deep desire is to make this year about Christ rather than COVID.  We want to elevate the unity we have in Christ Jesus above the secondary matters that can divide us. We want our campus to be a safe and healthy place, both physically and spiritually.

To this end, Heritage will follow the new regulations issued this week for all post-secondary schools.  While vaccine passports are not required to attend Heritage, students who are not vaccinated or who choose not to disclose this information, will need to take rapid antigen tests provided on campus.  We will endeavour to make the process as easy and private as possible.  If you have concerns, please know that our team will listen to them and respond in a way that speaks the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

I would ask you to join our faculty, staff, and student leaders in praying for a year of great spiritual growth and ministry preparation.  More than ever, we need to raise up godly spiritual leaders for Christ, His Church and His global mission.

Warmly,

Dr. Rick Reed