ADC Today: Summer 2013 edition

7/27/2019 ADC Today: Summer 2013 edition

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Biblicalperspectiveson calls toministry

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SUMMER 2013


2/16ADC TODAY2

Presidents Message

The Mysterious CallI ws he sry b his n h sd meOn May 31, my wife, Gail, and I attended the memorial

service for the Rev. Dr. Keith Hobson held at Grand

Bay Baptist Church, New Brunswick. We knew Keith

and his wife, Daisy, in their retirement years, and

knew of their demonstrated love and commitment to

Christ and His church. There were wonderful things

recounted about Keith, about his early years in England

and his pastoral leadership in Atlantic Canada before

becoming the Executive Minister of the Convention of

Atlantic Baptist Churches. I also recal led he was the

rst Chair of the Board for Acadia Divinity College.

But there was one story that involved a comment made

by Keiths aunt when he was only twelve that spoke

volumes to me. His aunt had been a missionary to

China and looked straight at him and said, You belongto Jesus. From that moment, Keith had a sense that

his life was not his own. He later experienced Gods

call upon him to offer his life in ministry and by his late

teens he was preaching regularly. His own inner sense

of call was afrmed not only by his aunt but also bymany others throughout his lifetime.

Why did this story stand out to me? Only a few days

earlier I had met with a student who shared how God

seemed to be calling him to serve Him. The student

had a particular view about what Gods call would look

like. Although there had been many afrmations byothers, there was a struggle as the student waited for

inner conrmation.

I have no doubt that there needs to be a combination

of a personal compulsion to follow the Lord and

the encouragement and blessing from the Body of

Christ. My question is why do we sometimes get

the impression that God has a cookie-cutter call to

ministry and it must look the same for everyone?

For many years I have served on the Conventions

Board of Ministerial Standards and Education that

meets with those who are preparing for ministry. I

always enjoy reading the life stories of these people,

their Christian experience as well as how their sense

of Gods call is developing. When we interview the

person we ask them to describe how the Lord is

directing their lives towards ministry. Before coming

to the Board an individual must rst receive a churchlicense to minister and, at the end of the process,

its not the Convention that ordains them, but a local

church. I have often heard it said (and I have said it

many times myself) The process towards ordination

begins and ends with the local church. And here is

where I think we sometimes can be guilty of using

a cookie-cutter approach when dealing with

mysterious call of God.

I expect that Gods call is unique in each persons

I also expect that there will be components of the

that could be the same since it is Gods Spirit

is at work. But perhaps we would do well to rem

ourselves of what God said to Moses from the burn

bush to remove his sandals since where he w

standing was holy ground. Or perhaps we need a s

that says, Caution - God at work here.

If a student comes to discuss their discernment proc

with me about Gods call on their life and everything t

say relates to what others are telling them, I wi ll ask th

to tell me about their personal experience with G

Perhaps a Scripture has been important or they h

an inner constraint to serve the Lord. At other times

individual may come and everything they say relate

their personal experience of what they believe Go

saying to them. In those cases, I ask them to tell

about how others have afrmed their call. Perhaps thave been invited to lead a group in their church or t

have been encouraged by a Pastor or church leader.

Perhaps their sense of Gods call started when an a

looked them straight in the eye and told them,

belong to Jesus. In some cultures, there is a lo

emphasis placed on the personal experience;

inner sense that the Spirit is at work. Sometimes involves dreams and even a vision. In other culture

is the Body of Christ that is discerning that the per

has gifts for ministry and others know Gods call o

persons life before they do.

Because we know that it is the Spirit who gives

gifts to be exercised in the Body of Christ, we n

to be watchful and encouraging towards those G

is calling to serve and lead. Lets not quickly dism

either the person who says they know they are ca

because they have been told by others or the per

who has that inner conviction of Gods call but has

yet had the afrmation that comes by testing thatin serving others.

Gods call is mysterious and wonderful. It seems

would be wise to pay attention to wise aunts

uncles, deacons and Sunday School teachers, yo

leaders and colleagues who bring their encouragem

to bear. And we would be wise to listen to the in

voice of the Spirit. Gods call is not one way or

other but both of these things.

We can start with the mystery of prayer about all of th

In LUkE 10:2, JESUS

TOLD hIS DISCIpLES,

ThE hARvEST IS

pLEnTIfUL, bUT

ThE wORkERS ARE

fEw. ASk ThE LORD

Of ThE hARvEST,

ThEREfORE,

TO SEnD OUT

wORkERS InTO hIS

hARvEST fIELD.

by

Rev. Dr. Hrry

Grdner 77

Harry Gardner is the

President, Dean of

Theology, and the

Abner J. Langley and

Harold L. Mitton

Professor of Church

Leadership.


3/16

TheC

allwiTh

inTheCa

ll

45Y

earsofEquippingC

hristian

Leaders

by Dr. Rber

Wilsn

SUMME

Robert Wilson is

Thomas James

Memorial Profes

Practical Theolo

Church History a

Divinity College.

Acall to give leadership in the Church of Christ is

invariably accompanied by a call to prepare. When

Jesus was building his ministry team to establish the

church, He invited the disciples to come follow Him. After

three years of learning from the Master, He commissioned

them to go make disciples. For 45 years, Acadia Divinity

College has been helping women and men answer that

call and equipping them to offer their best to God.

Acadia University was founded by the Baptist

denomination in 1838 and the preparation for ministry

was carried on under various formats. After Acadia

University was reorganized in 1966 by the Nova Scotia

Government, the Baptists of Atlantic Canada began

to operate the School of Theology under the name

Acadia Divinity College (ADC), and on June 1, 1968, the

College was established by an act of the Nova Scotia

Legislature. Today, ADC exists as the ofcial seminary ofthe Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches, although

the student body represents over 20 denominations,

and continues as the Faculty of Theology of Acadia

University. The University continues to grant the degrees.

From the beginning, with Millard Cherry, the rst Principalof ADC, and the newly appointed Abner Langley as an

Associate Principal, the College was creative in delivering

quality ministerial education. Building a new faculty, they

brought together scholars and practical theologians to

offer what was then a typical Bachelor of Divinity (later

called a Master of Divinity). Very soon, however, new

emphases began with Charlie Taylor pioneering Clinical

Pastoral Education in Canada with opportunities for

students in prison ministry. Jerry Zemans love of and

work in Baptist History made the Acadia Archives thesecond most used in Canada and initiated an Atlantic

Baptist Heritage Series which now has 17 volumes. All of

the faculty were active in their local churches and in the

broader church ministries and that tradition continues.

Under the leadership of Harold Mitton and Andrew

MacRae, the College became national in scope as it

drew students from all across Canada. The Facult de

Thologie vanglique in Montral became afliatedand its students received Acadia degrees. At one time

the Executive Ministers of all the English-speaking

Conventions or Unions of the Canadian Baptist

Federation were ADC grads. Innovation continued with

the rst Chair in Evangelism in a Canadian seminary, ruraland urban church courses and conferences, and new

continuing education opportunities with the Simpson

Lectures added to the traditional Hayward Lectures.

As part of the growth, the College gained accreditation

by the Association of Theological Schools which opened

new doors of inuence and provided an academic andministry accountability which strengthened the offerings

of the College.

ADC student body of 1968/69 - Back Row, L-R, Wallace Jordan, Bob Childs, John Kaulback, Fred Crouse, Allan Jorgenson, David

Allen, Edward Colquhoun Second to Back, L-R, Glen Lidstone, Jim Tanner, Roger Prentice, Harold Price, Stewart McLearn, John

Boyd Third to Back, L-R, Jack Willett, Harry Waugh, Selwyn Hopkins, George Allaby, Dick Cofn Front Row, L-R, Pricilla Schoeld,

Mary Miles, Leanne Oickle, Audrey Manuel, Gerald Joe Fisher

continued on page 4


4/16

The new millennium was greeted at ADC with a Lily

Grant that enabled the Acadia educational experience

to include various aspects of technology with the

introduction of laptop computers for each student and

the inclusion of a technology segment in each course.With wireless technology in the College it transformed

teaching and internal and external communication.

The new century also saw a major emphasis by

the faculty on scholarship. With the addition of

two Distinguished Professors, Craig Evans and Bill

Brackney, along with President Lee McDonald, a

new era of publishing and outreach into the Christian

academic and popular scholarship widened the impact

of the College. The Acadia Academic Series by Baker

took the materials around the world.

Two other innovations have transformed the work of

the College. The rst is the Doctor of Ministry Program.Begun and nurtured by Andrew MacRae, underBruce Fawcett it became the largest in Canada with

students from over 20 denominations. It has become

international with the relationship with the International

Baptist Theological Seminary of the European Baptist

Federation and allows ADC to have an impact in

many new areas. The second key innovation was the

curriculum revision under Harry Gardner. It not only

changed the program and broadened the offerings, but

it also changed the delivery system. This new delivery

system makes it possible for more students to study

while in ministry thereby avoiding uprooting families and

decreasing the debt load at graduation.

To make ADC the signicant educational institutiois has become, it has taken a visionary Board

Trustees, a dedicated faculty and staff, many of who

labour without a lot of recognition other than from the

appreciative students, and faithful donors who beliein the mission of the College.

When all this has been said, it is, in fact, the alumni

ADC who are the Colleges most signicant contributioas they give leadership to the Church around the wor

They have founded colleges in Nigeria and Hong Ko

and created development projects and agencies

many parts of the world like David Mensah in Ghan

They are key faculty members in Canadian an

American seminaries and Christian colleges as well as

other schools around the world. They are missionari

under Canadian Baptist Ministries and many oth

agencies. They provide denominational leadersh

around the world. They are military, hospital, and prisochaplains. They are involved in camping ministries, c

missions, and a multitude of other ministries.

Perhaps most important in the light of the mission

the College, we have a large number of women an

men serving in local churches, both large and sma

who provide pastoral care and proclaim the good new

of the Risen Christ every week to Gods people.

For 45 years it has been Acadia Divinity College

privilege to be involved with their call within a ca

When they answered Christs call to come follow Him

the College has helped equip them to go. n

The Call wiThin The Callcontinued from page 3

ADC fRIEnDS &ALUMnI SUppER

KC Irving Garden Roomhel us celerate 45 Years o Euiig Cristia Leaders

SatuRDaYauGuSt 10 at 4:45

REGISTER 1-902-585-2210 [email protected]

ADC TODAY4


5/16

A

mong mAny ChristiAns

there is the strong

belief thAt those Aspiring

to ministries Among the

people the people of god

must experienCe suCh A

CAll of god.

when I came to Acadia Divinity College as a student in 1981, I came to

a place where the call of God was emphasized. I still remember sitting

in classes with Dr. Andrew MacRae as he talked about the importance

of a call to ministry. Some struggled with this notion because they had not

experienced anything spectacular. About six years earlier, shortly after I became

a Christian, I heard a voice, in the dead of the night, Become a minister! Among

many Christians there is the strong belief that those aspiring to ministries among

the people of God must experience such a call of God.

The call of God to ministry is often understood as a strong or overwhelmingcompulsion. Sometimes it is experienced as a literal call; among others it is

recognition of giftedness, arising out of the need to nd leadership from within the

congregation. What does the Bible have to say about this topic?

As the result of my own experience, the teaching I received at ADC, and my own

study of the Biblical text I will provide an overview of three kinds of calls in the

Bible, and I will also consider the scriptural mandate to exercise both personal

and corporate scrutiny of such calls.

BiBliCal models of Calls To minisTry

Inernl Clls

The internal call is the one that most of us think of when we think of a call: the

supernatural voice in the night, or vision; the tap on the shoulder. The call of

Moses is possibly the most famous, Exodus 3:4-10: God called to him out of the

bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am..... Then the Lord said, ... The cry

of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress

them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out

of Egypt.

The nature of these calls seems to be aural, something heard with the ears. But

these are more likely internal calls: something produced by God for the individuals.

Consider 1 Samuel 16 where Yahweh and the prophet Samuel have a conversation

in the company of Jesse and his sons, and presumably other on-lookers. There is

no indication in the text that Jesse and the others hear this conversation. See also

Amos 7:15 and Ezekiel 8-11. A slightly different account is found in John 12:29, or

Pauls recollection of his call on the road to Damascus in Acts 22:9.

There is an important note that I believe I must add. In the Bible, the people who

received this kind of call did so in extraordinary circumstances. These people

are what I like to call Gods crisis managers. Are pastors, missionaries, and

by

Rev. Dr. Glenn Wden 86

Glenn Wooden is the Associate Professor of

Old Testament Studies at Acadia Divinity College

and ADC Librarian.

BiBlicalperspectives

on callsto

ministry

continued on page 10

SUMME


6/16ADC TODAY6

Annual Fund uPDatE

T h E f R O n T L I n E O R T h E S U p p LY L I

Ihave a vivid memory of meeting one of my brothers

friends while I was serving as a Canadian Baptist

missionary. This man told me that his sister often

travelled to Haiti to do missionary work and he added,

I would never be able to do what she does. My

response to this comment was, Do you ever support

her? Yes, he replied, I always help her nancially.

I then afrmed him by saying that in order to go you

need to be sent and you need the support of others.God calls some of us to the front line and others to

the supply line.

Are you aware of your special divine calling? Both

callings being sent or helping to send - are vital to

building the Kingdom of God. It was the famous

missionary William Carey who asked his home team to

hold the ropes as he ventured to India and a lifetime

of service for Christ. Acadia Divinity College equips

men and women to serve in some of the challenging

and difcult areas of our world. They work daily on the

front lines of mission. At the same time Im very aware,as Director of Development, of the many loyal friends of

the college who give faithfully and sacricially to make

this equipping and education for mission possible.

One of our students at a recent Alumni banquet

reminded us all of the great value he placed on the

supply line. He said with passion, If it were not for

your support I would not be able to be at ADC. In

the nal chapter of his letter to the Romans, Paul,

the Apostle to the Gentiles, expressed his heartfelt

gratitude to the women and men who faithfully and

sacricially supported his missionary work. It is

powerful passage on the value of teamwork. Like o

ADC student, Paul is saying to the supply line, If

were not for your help the work would not be done.

We are excited to be a link in Gods chain of missio

to bring the world to Jesus, the way, the truth, an

the life. We are thrilled to welcome and equip wom

and men God has uniquely called to serve on the fro

line of ministry today and to facilitate the resources women and men God has uniquely called to serve o

the supply line. It is a year lled with great promise

we look forward to renewed partnership with our ma

ADC friends.

wAYS TO GIvE

G

iving is as easy as writing a cheque, dropping o

a cash gift, calling us with your credit card numb

or donating online at www.AcadiaDiv.ca/give.

A quick and easy way to make a regular month

donation to ADC is to complete the Pre-Authorize

Monthly Donation form. This form is available on o

website. The designated amount will be taken fro

your bank account or credit card on the 8 th day of eve

month. No hassles, no reminders, and no fuss.

To discuss any of these options, please conta

the Development Ofce at 902-585-2217 or em

[email protected]. We would be happy

discuss any number of options with you.n

by

Rev. Dr. Dvid W 99David Watt is the Director of Development of Acadia Divinity College.

I COMMEnD TO

YOU OUR SISTER

phOEbE, whO

IS A DEACOn

In ThE ChURCh

In CEnChREA.

wELCOME hER In

ThE LORD AS OnE

whO IS wORThY Of

hOnOUR AMOnG

GODS pEOpLE. hELp

hER In whATEvER

ShE nEEDS, fOR ShE

hAS bEEn hELpfUL

TO MAnY, AnD

ESpECIALLY TO ME.

(RomanS 16:1-2)

$100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000

Our Annual

Goal is $41

$59,774as of

June 25, 2013


7/16

COMMISSIOnInG&

COnvOCATIOn 2013

nA Faculty and graduates follo

Convocation 2013.

nb Students and Faculty gathe

after Commissioning Servic

on May 10.

nC Dr. Carol Anne Janzen, Dea

Students (R) presented Jan

Baker (Bachelor of Theolog

with the Special Service Aw

during Commissioning Sup

nD Leis from Hawaii were give

to all 2013 Commissioning

students as a gift from the

church of Jonathan Steepe

a Doctor of Ministry gradua

from Hawaii. In Hawaii, leis

are given at graduations as

symbol of aloha, a greeting

a blessing, and are a seles

expression of love. The leis

were hand made by an

89-year-old member of

Jonathans church.

SUMME

nb

nDnC


8/16 n

COMM

ISSIOnInG&

COnvOCA

TIOn2013

ADC TODAY8

nE


9/16

nE Rev. Dr. Pierre Allard (L), who was the specia

speaker during Commissioning Service, rece

an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Acadia

University during Convocation on May 12. H

seen here with Dr. Harry Gardner, President, A

nf Preparing for the Commissioning Service

are Deborah Stevens (Master of Divinity),

Lorraine Street (Master of Arts in Theology)

and Sarah Stevens (Master of Divinity).

nG Commissioning 2013 - left to right: Christoph

Barden, Graduate Diploma in Christian Studie

Mary Grace Hawkes, Master of Divinity, Mich

Shaw, Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies

Chakrita Saulina, Master of Divinity, and Pam

Estey, Diploma in Prison Ministry.

nh Master of Divinity graduate, Elaine Daigle, see

with ADC alumna Susan Mattinson (Class of

2011), at the Commissioning Supper.

nI Lining up for Commissioning Service are frien

Jim Smith (Bachelor of Theology) and ElkanaShekari (Master of Arts in Theology).

nJ Doctor of Ministry graduates of 2013, left to r

Mike McDonald, Rhonda Britton (who was al

the Baccalaureate Service speaker) and

Jane Beers. Absent: Jonathan Steeper.

nk The family of Adrian Gardner gathered togeth

recognize his commissioning. Adrian gradua

with a Master of Divinity degree.

nL On May 12, Acadia Divinity College graduates

the 2013 Convocation of Acadia University.

nM Ray Ivany, President, Acadia University, with

Pierre Allard, Honorary Doctor of Divinity, withLibby Burnham, Chancellor of Acadia Univers

and Judith, Pierres wife.

nn Master of Divinity graduate, Chakrita Saulina,

seen here with Dr. Craig Evans, was the recip

of Acadia Universitys Silver Medal in Theolog

She also received ADCs Presidents Award

presented during the Commissioning Supper

nG

nJ

nh

nk

SUMMEnn


10/16ADC TODAY0

other kind of ministry leaders really to be thought of

as Gods crisis managers among his people? Were

there other kinds of calls in Scripture? There are at

least two.

Nrl Clls: Levies (apsles)

The second Biblical call comes through natural

gifting. A clear example is Luke 1:57. Now the time

came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

AND they all rejoiced and said: Another priest to work

in the temple of God!!!

John the Baptist was rst called to be a priest. His

was not a spectacular call to this high and holy

position in Israel. It was his from birth as the son of

a priest. As a calling to a ministry among the people

of God, it was actually quite commonplace. Every

Levitical and priestly child born a male and physically

uncompromised was called to holy service.

Under the rst covenant it was hereditary. But Priests

and Levites were the spiritual leaders and teachers

of Gods people, the pastors of the ock of God who

were charged with leading the people in worship,

teaching them the law, and acting as experts in the

law when there were matters of dispute or question.

Along with their sacricial roles, the Priests and

Levites were, in some ways, the same as pastor-

teachers under the new covenant.

It is important to note here that this mundane, natural

call is overwhelmingly the most common means of call

under the rst covenant. There are more examples of

the internal call highlighted in Scripture because so

much of the Old Testament literature is focused on the

crises of the people. But failure to place those calls

in the larger context leads to the impression that the

internal, prophetic call was the dominant one, when

it was only sporadic and at crisis times.

Where might we nd parallels to this mundane call?

Firstly, every Christian is gifted for some ministry. Itis something that comes with the new birth. That is a

parallel. However, there are also more mundane calls

to professional ministry. Many readers of this will know

of someone who has claimed that she/he had known

from their earliest recollection what they wanted to

do, for example to be a missionary or a pastor. Could

this not be an equivalent calling to that of the Priests

and Levites? It is similar at least in the sense that it

was from very early in life, and it did not involve a

spectacular point of calling by God.

Exernl clls

The nal model of calling is the one placed upo

someone by other members of a congregation

of the wider Church. Like David, such people mig

not be a rst choice when thinking about possib

candidates for ministry. But as people observe the

in ministry, their gifts become evident.

Look at what happens in Acts 13:1-3: Now in t

church at Antioch there were prophets and teacher

Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius

Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Hero

the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshiping t

Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart fme Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I hav

called them. Then after fasting and praying th

laid their hands on them and sent them off. He

we have a group whom the Spirit tells to appo

Barnabas and Saul [Paul] to a new missiona

endeavor. Other examples would be the selection

Aaron as High priest, through Moses; the call of Sa

and David as kings, through Samuel.

Whether through divine intervention, or seeing th

person in a ministry setting and realizing that th

are gifted for ministry, the unaware individual is called to their ministry by others.

Which call is the best? Rather than focus on just on

I think that we need to see them as complementa

and be open to each. The person who says that th

have heard a voice telling them to do somethin

should not be given a higher regard than othe

The person who is naturally gifted and who seems

have always known what they wanted to do shou

not be dismissed as having a less important ca

Remember, in the ministry for Gods people und

the rst covenant, the vast majority of those calledministry received their call on the day it was know

that they were a male, born to the tribe of Levi. An

nally, we should not shy away from deciding as

group that someone among us has shown gifts f

ministry and needs to consider that God has calle

them to that ministry, and then urging them to se

the Lords will on that matter. Each of these calls is

valid as the other, because God is behind each on

In ThE ADvICE GIvEn

TO LEADERS In ThE

bOOkS Of 1 TIMOThY

AnD TITUS, SCRUTInY

IS CALLED fOR:

If SOMEOnE DESIRES

TO bE OvERSEER, ThAT

pERSOn DESIRES A

nObLE wORk.

ThEREfORE, An

OvERSEER MUST bE

(AUThORS

TRanSlaTIon).

BiBlical perspectives on calls to ministrycontinued from page 5


11/16SUMME

Persnl nd crpre scriny giedness

This then brings us to the second aspect of this

topic: the need for the scrutiny of those who claim

to be called. Before such public scrutiny is applied,

however, potential candidates for ministry positions

would do well to heed the words of Paul in Romans

12:3-8: For by the grace given to me [Pauls

apostleship; see v. 6] I say to everyone among you

not to think of yourself more highly than you ought

to think, but to think with sober judgment, each

according to the measure of faith that God has

assigned.

1 Timothy 3:1 refers to people aspiring to the ofce

of overseer or pastor. But there is a problem with

aspiring to the ofce of overseer. What if one feels

called for wrong reasons? The fact is that there are

many people who are not self-aware enough to

realize that what they perceive to be gifts are not.

The New Testament does not leave the decision of callto the individual. In the advice given to leaders in the

books of 1 Timothy and Titus, scrutiny is called for: If

someone desires to be overseer, that person desires

a noble work. Therefore, an overseer must be

(authors translation). The subsequent characteristics

are things that others must judge. Timothy is

instructed to exercise discretion in the selection of

those who aspire to the ofce of overseer. It was

clearly understood in the Early Church that not every

aspiring overseer was qualied, and if they failed

to live up to the personal, communal, and ministry

qualications, then their aspiration, although wellintended, must not to be afrmed.

Paul instructed the believers in Corinth: 1 Corinthians

14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the

others weigh what is said. . 32 And the spirits of

prophets are subject to the prophets

We are to exercise self-scrutiny and also submit to

the scrutiny of others. In the 1 Timothy passage there

are two aspects to the scrutiny that the individual

and the church body must exercise: candidates

for ministry must (1) have a good Christian

character (most of the qualications have to do with

characteristics that pertain to every Christian); and

(2) be gifted for the function manage/leader and

teaching.

So, Biblical calls are never merely personal. There

is throughout Scripture the notion that those who

claim to be called by God to a ministry must give

evidence of the godly character requsite to that

calling. If called as a prophet, then they must

demonstrate the ability to prophecy, and it must be

scrutinized by others. If called to pastoral ministry,

then they must be able to teach and lead the

people of God, and they must be veried by others

as having those requsite skills. The same would be

true of any other ministry.

Where d I g rm here? this is qesin sked by mny pepleexplring cll rm Gd. I givehe llwing dvice, in ddiin pryer nd Scripre sdy:

Be involved in ministry in your local church to

discover and conrm your gifts.

Assess your own abilities by using your gifts

as a layperson.

Assess your motivations.

Ask others to assess your abilities and

motivations. Tell people that you are seeking

to know if you have gifts for ministry; invite

them to observe you. Be truly open to

peoples comments on your ministry. If

people are openly positive, it is a good sign.

If people are reluctantly positive, they may

be just trying not to hurt your feelings.

Find out what it is like in professional

ministry. Talk to pastors, chaplains, pastoral

counselors about what they do; can you

honestly picture yourself doing that?

Be willing to go through the process of

recognition in your denomination.

Train at an accredited seminary or in some

other accredited training program. n

pAUL InSTRUCTED

ThE bELIEvERS

In CORInTh:

1 CoRInThIanS 14:2

LET TwO OR ThREE

pROphETS SpEAk,

AnD LET ThE OThERS

wEIGh whAT IS SAID

. 32 AnD ThE

SpIRITS Of pROphET

ARE SUbJECT TO ThE

pROphETS


12/16ADC TODAY2

Re-Visioning Community Chaplaincy

CoNfERENCEby Rev. Dr. Crl anne Jnz

and Lrrine Carol Anne Janzen, Direct

Charles J. Taylor Centre for Chapla

Spiritual Care and Lorraine Street, Admi

for the Community Chaplaincy Con

w

ho ministers to people when they are released from

the articial environment of prison and try to nd theirway back into society again? A dedicated group of

individuals known as Community Chaplains carries out the

vital ministry of personal and spiritual care and practical

support for previously incarcerated people.

Over the weekend of May 30-June 2, 2013, ADCs Taylor

Centre for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care hosted over

seventy Community Chaplains from across Canada as

well as a chaplain from Rwanda. They gathered on the

Acadia campus to develop national connections, to explore

sustainable funding for this ministry, to share best practices,

and to enjoy mutual encouragement and support and to

experience warm Maritime hospitality!

ADC partnered with agencies such as Prison Fellowship Canada

Mennonite Central Committee, Friends of Dismas (Toronto), and

charitable foundations in order to hold the conference.

Community Chaplaincy was born in the Maritimes, around the

kitchen table of Judy and Pierre Allard, when Pierre was Chaplain

at Dorchester Institution and Regional Chaplain for the Atlantic

Region. From this humble beginning, a Canadian model developed

that is now recognised and emulated around the world. Community

Chaplains believe that every single person including one who ha

broken the law and been incarceratedis a beloved child of God

and they strive to demonstrate Gods love and forgiveness fo

each one. As one participant suggested, this ministry could we

be called second chance ministry. It calls to mind the gardeners

plea in Jesus Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, Sir, give it one more

chance. [Luke 13: 8, NLT] n

Standing L-R: Stephen Siemens, Mennonite Central Committee Canada; Eileen Henderson, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario; Judith Laus,

Prison Fellowship Canada; Shauna Mayer, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario; Tom OConnor, Consultant, Transforming Corrections, Oregon; Brian

McDonough, Diocese de Montreal; Kris Knutson, Do Likewise Society; Scott MacIsaac, Island Chaplaincy; Laurent Champagne, Diocese de Montreal; Pat

Wilson, Community Chaplain, Halifax; Hugh Kirkegaard, Regional Chaplain, Correctional Service of Canada. Seated L-R: Harry Nigh, Community Chaplain,

Toronto; Michael Walsh, Friends of Dismas; Carol Anne Janzen, Director, Taylor Centre, ADC. Absent: Lorraine Street, Conference Administrator, ADC.

hOLY LAnD TOURJoin Dr. Glenn Wooden and Dr. Anna Robbins as they

Journey and Discover Israel and Palestine

MaY 31JuNE 13, 2014Students may take one or two courses (1 Bible;

1 Theology) or a total o up to 6 credit hours

or the one tour.

Non-students are welcome to join the tour.

There is a pre-tour option going to Egypt and

the Sinai Peninsula.

For more inormat

online, fll in the bo

www.jcbs.org/fnd_

Tour = JC14

Date = 053114 W

ID# = 53507


13/16

In June I had the wonderful

opportunity to be part of a

class on Restorative Justice,

taught by Rev. Dr. Pierre Allard,

former Chaplain General and

Assistant Commissioner ofthe Correctional Service of

Canada. Quite simply, it was

an exceptional week, full of

fascinating theory and real-life

experience with excellent guest

speakers including the Director

General of the Aboriginal Issues

Branch of the CSC, a former warden from Kingston

Penitentiary, the Atlantic Regional Chaplain of the

CSC, and the Executive Director of Prison Fellowship

Rwanda. Students also came from many different walks

and stages of life, which brought a richness to the

discussions.

What made the week truly special, though, was Pierres

passion and joy that overowed to all of us until we saw

offenders through his eyes and felt their stories with his

heart. This was far from a soft gushy course, however,

as Pierre called each one of us to a higher standard for

our lives and our contribution to society, whether we are

Christians or not. He inspired us to choose to believe

in peoples ability to change, and in the reality of Gods

unfathomable capacity to make us into new creations.

As the week progressed, I could tell that this course

was ministering to people in areas where they had

become brittle and parched. I sensed a growing feeling

of peace in people, a willingness to be vulnerable again,

a desire to trust more and open up. For me personally,

it was such a blessing to see and know that the spiritual

gifts of mercy and encouragement can truly change the

world, even when we are offering these ministries at the

very edges of society. Somehow the course pushed us

to look at life as idealists but work as realists, and be

willing to accept the inevitable tension.

It was a beautiful course, and one I will take with me

in my heart no matter where God may lead. It was

wonderful to be taught by a wise and humble Christian

leader as he looks back and reects on his long career,

while still living with such energy and vision and faith

that that those around him feel uplifted in his presence.

The many true stories about the deeply wounded side

of humankind cannot be easily or comfortably forgotten,

nor assimilated without response. We are challenged

to apply the principles of restorative justice wherever

we may be, to journey with others in their most difcult

moments, and to foster healing and reconciliation within

our communities. n

ThE DEGREE Of

CIvILIzATIOn In A

SOCIETY CAn bE

JUDGED bY

EnTERInG ITS

pRISOnS.

DOSTOEvSkY

SUMME

Vengeance Is the Most Seductive Drug We Have

a Crse Restrtie JsticemICah 6:8: no,

O pEOpLE, ThE

LORD hAS TOLD

YOU whAT IS GOO

AnD ThIS IS whA

hE REqUIRES Of

YOU: TO DO whAT

IS RIGhT, TO LOvE

MERCY, AnD TO

wALk hUMbLY

wITh YOUR GOD.

by

Smnh WesSamantha West is a Master of Divinity

student at Acadia Divinity College.


14/16

PHotoS of INtERESt

Dr. Ron Sider shares a light moment with our Doctor of Ministry (DMin) students during their spring course in Wolfville. The DMin students, who gathered fro

across Canada and many corners of the world, also enjoyed courses with Drs. Larry Hurtado, Bill Webb, Scott Hafemann, Robert Johnston and Catherine Bars

and ADCs own, Bill Brackney.

In May 2013, two Acadia Divinity College students received the Praxis Scholarship

Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) and travelled to Cuba with three other seminary

and two leaders. In the photo from left to right, Rev. Marlene Knowles, a Doctor o

student, Rev. Estela Hernandez of the William Carey Baptist Church in Havana, Cu

Mat Wilton, a student in the Master of Divinity program. Each year, ADC students ar

by CBM to apply for a Praxis Scholarship.

Simpson Lectures 2013. Dr. Stephen McMullin, the special speaker

during the Simpson Lectures, spoke on Christian Witness in an Age

of Change.

ADC TODAY4


15/16

ADC RemembersKeith HobsonAcadia Divinity College and the wider

Christian community was saddened by the

recent passing of Rev. Dr. Keith R. Hobson.

The guiding principle of his life was that,

considering all that Jesus Christ had done

and given for him, he could not give any

less than his best for his Lord.

In 1949, Keith and Daisy left their homeland

of England and followed Gods call

to minister in the Canadian Maritimes

where he served as the senior minister of several churches.

He was elected the President of the Convention of Atlantic

Baptist Churches and in 1970 became Executive Minister of the

Convention, a position he held for 14 years. He was founding

Chair of the Board of Trustees of Acadia Divinity College, served

on the Board of Atlantic Baptist College (Crandall University)

and the Spencer Memorial (Seniors) Home. In his capacity as

Executive Minister, he led the Board of Ministerial Standards and

Education and held many other leadership positions. Following

his retirement from the Convention he served in a number ofpastoral ministries as well as was the Interim General Secretary

for the Canadian Baptist Federation.

God provided Keith with gifts of leadership, faith, teaching, and

wisdom. In addition to these spiritual gifts, he had incredible

physical stamina for the many demands of ministerial life and

calling. He was widely sought out as a counsellor whose wisdom

was greatly appreciated. His contribution to Gods Kingdom

spans several continents, but he was never more loved and

appreciated than in his adoptive home of Canada.

a SCRIpTuRE ThaT KEITh lIvEd by, maTThEw 22: 36-40

TEAChER, whICh IS ThE GREATEST COMMAnDMEnT In

ThE LAw? JESUS REpLIED: LOvE ThE LORD YOUR GOD

wITh ALL YOUR hEART AnD wITh ALL YOUR SOUL AnD

wITh ALL YOUR MInD. ThIS IS ThE fIRST AnD GREATEST

COMMAnDMEnT. AnD ThE SECOnD IS LIkE IT: LOvE

YOUR nEIGhbOUR AS YOURSELf. ALL ThE LAw AnD ThE

pROphETS hAnG On ThESE TwO COMMAnDMEnTS.

1946Cal Armstrong of

Torbrook Mines, NS passed away on

February 15, 2013. In 1951, he married

his wife, Jean, and began his ministry.

Youth ministry was a signicant focus

of Carrols work throughout his life.

Carrol also received recognition from

Acadia Divinity College for his work

with Rural Life Services. He will be

missed by many.

1971mly sHAW has completed

his interim ministry at Bayview District

of Baptist Churches, NS.

1980 Ja mAtWAWAnA completed

his ministry as Associate Pastor for

Visitation and Pastoral Care at FaithBaptist Church in Lower Sackville, NS.

1984rb niCkerson has

accepted a call to serve as Interim

Pastor of St. Andrews Baptist Church,

NB.

1993 Ba WALLACe has

completed his ministry at Zion United

Baptist Church, Yarmouth, NS.

1996Dald DUnn has completed

his ministry at Aenon and Western

Shore Baptist Churches, NS and has

accepted a call to serve at Norton

Baptist Church, NB.

1996 L LAngiLLe has

completed his ministry at Kingston

Baptist Church, NS.

2000 Jac ad Audy CArter have

completed their ministry at Barrington

Temple Baptist Church, NS and have

accepted a call to serve as Pastors of

Hillsburn Baptist Church, NS.

2004Adw morse has

completed his ministry as AssociatePastor of Hillsborough Baptist

Church, NB.

2004Ja HinsDALe has

accepted a call to serve at Kingsboro

Baptist Church, PEI.

2006 Va DeADDer has

completed her ministry at Mount

Denson United Baptist Church, NS.

2007ka DoUCette has

accepted a call to serve at Alton

Baptist Church, NS.

2008 Da miLLett has

completed his ministry at St. George

Baptist Church, NB and has accepted

a call to serve at New Life Baptist

Church, Hatchet Lake, NS.

2009Davd CUmBY has completed

his ministry at Bridgetown, Centrelea

and West Dalhousie Baptist

Churches, NS.

2011Lbby AmirAULt has

accepted a call to serve as Interim

Pastor of Melvern Square UnitedBaptist Church, NS.

2012Hal BABCoCk has completed

his ministry at Middle Southampton

Baptist Church, NB.

alumni News

SUMME


16/16

At 44 years old I often get asked, How

did you know you were called to

ministry? Many wonder why I would

leave a successful career of 15 years, give it

all up, and go to seminary. Trying to describe

the call is sometimes like nding a needle

in a haystack; its not that simple. However,

Ive come to realize that there were stages in

the process.

The nudge of God: After I surrendered my

life to Jesus, I began serving wherever and

whenever I could. This desire continued as

I matured as a believer. Eventually people

around me, Christian and non-Christians,

began to make comments like, you should

be a pastor. These comments connected

with me in a signicant way and I began

asking God if that is what he wanted.

Wrestling with God: Once I realized

that God might be calling me to something

I wrestled with it for two years. It was a

difcult process that God used to teach me

patience and obedience.

The peace of God: One day during my

wrestling time with God, I came to realize a

deep fear of missing what God wanted. I

confessed this to God and instantly received

His peace.

The perfect timing of God: Following

Christ is often an exciting but challenging

journey. God requires all believers to walk

by faith and not by sight; I was no exception.

The day God asked me to leave my job, I did

so by faith. One year later I was enrolled at

Acadia Divinity College. n

Doug Duncan is a third year Bachelor of Theology

student. Along with serving as the ADC chapel

worship leader, Doug serves as the pastor of

Harmony Baptist Church in the Annapolis Valley.

A Students Call to Ministry

Doug Duncan1

If undeliverable please return to:

Acadia Divinity College

15 University Avenue

Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6

41228525

Documents

ADC Today: Summer 2013 edition