Feels Like Home

For Ellie and Jeff Kendrick, Heritage is like home. Both Jeff and Ellie met, studied and graduated from Heritage. Both are currently involved today at the school with Ellie auditing a seminary class and Jeff teaching at the college. They are also proud parents of two students who are following in their footsteps – Moriah and Caleb.

As an alumnus and Heritage mother, Ellie says that it is an incredible experience to see her children studying God’s Word at Heritage. She explains that she and Jeff are praying that God would use Moriah and Caleb’s Heritage experience as He did in her and Jeff’s life.

“We are praying that they will grow strong in their knowledge and love for God, that they will walk humbly and in a manner that is worthy of His calling,” says Ellie. “That their hearts would be opened so that they will know and cherish the hope to which He has called them.”

Ellie fondly looks back at how God used her time at Heritage to build her knowledge of the Bible from teachers who cared for her spiritual growth, while developing her character in a Christ-centred community.

Heritage also holds a special place in Jeff’s heart. Shortly after being saved, Jeff started attending the college to study God’s Word and loved getting involved in every aspect of student life on campus. Today, he says that he still sees the impact God made on his life and thanks God for the school every time he thinks about it.

“When I started at Heritage, I was like a sponge soaking up every bit of teaching, training, and fellowship with my fellow students and interactions with the professors,” says Jeff. “Even now as I think back, there are so many aspects of who I am today because of my time at Heritage. It was truly God’s plan for my life.”

Moriah now has the opportunity to learn as she follows in the footsteps of her parents, knowing the impact that studying at Heritage had on the lives of her mom and dad.

“They love God so much and I want to love God as much as they do, I know that my love for God will grow at Heritage,” explains Moriah. “I love walking through the halls knowing that once upon a time my parents walked through these same halls. It makes Heritage feel more like a home and this is all because of God.”

Since starting in September 2019, Moriah says that God has already used her time at Heritage to root her identity in who she is in Christ. After participating in a trip to Ethnos Canada’s Off The Grid weekend retreat with a group of students, she has also been growing in her global understanding of the world that God loves.

“Seeing and learning about all the broken people around the world gave me such a heart for these people, I want to go tell them about Jesus,” explains Moriah. “As the year continues, I am looking forward to continuing to grow in my love for God and grow a bigger heart for the broken people around the world.”

For Caleb, his time at Heritage in the Christian Formation class and his volunteer work in the cafeteria has given him the opportunity to meet new friends and grow in his own faith.

“It is a place to learn about the Bible and that God has a plan and purpose for me,” says Caleb. “He continues to show me that He is great and powerful.”

Knowing how their time at Heritage has equipped both of them for life and ministry, Jeff and Ellie now encourage others to see Bible college as a valuable decision for not just their own family, but for others.

“It’s so important to us that they grow in their knowledge and love for God, gaining a stronger foundation in the Christian faith,” explains Ellie. “So that when they move away, get married, or move on to adulthood, that they would be equipped and ready.”

Read this story and more in the upcoming Heritage Christmas Newsletter arriving in mailboxes in December 2019.