Reflecting

Reflecting and Looking Forward

As 2018 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on all that God has done at Emmanuel over the past 12 months. Several significant developments took place that will shape the college for years to come.

  • We launched Open LearningThe landscape of biblical higher education is changing. We realized that we needed to look beyond residential on-campus learning and find new, innovative ways to provide training opportunities to the local church. Emmanuel’s new Open Learning Division is helping us do just that. Open Learning is about increasing access to what we do by offering training in a different format. In May, we hired David Nickerson as the Director of Open Learning. David is already working on several exciting initiatives that will launch in 2019.
  • We cleared our debtWe sold nearly five acres of land, adjusting the size of our campus to reflect the reduced demand for residential full-time education. The land sale made it possible for the college to pay its debts in full.
  • We updated the Emmanuel Bible College Act. It may not sound particularly exciting, but modernizing our corporate governance was essential. Think about it like a building’s plumbing and electrical work. Everything needs to be up to code! Our 1981 Act was out of date, so we submitted a draft bill for an updated Act to the Ontario Legislature and received Royal Assent.
Looking Forward

These are only some of the many ways we have seen God work at Emmanuel this year. With 2019 on the horizon, I feel joyful anticipation for the many challenges and blessings of the year ahead! Here are some items on the docket for 2019:

  • Restructuring our space. With the land sale complete, we can now begin the process of adapting the space we have to meet our needs. To help us in this process, we’ve engaged a construction management company. Dedicated chapel space, a new kitchen and a larger parking lot are some of the many needs that we will be considering.
  • Launching new educational opportunities. The year ahead heralds the launch of several exciting initiatives at Emmanuel. On January 26th, we begin the first of five workshops on Crisis & Trauma Recovery. Completing all five workshops will earn the student a Practical Certificate in Crisis and Trauma Recovery. The workshops can be taken individually as well! Also launching next year is the first of six online non-credit courses for our new Be In Christ Certificate in Practical Theology. We are excited for this opportunity to partner with Be In Christ to train their ministry leaders. The new year will also offer distance education students the ability to take part in class discussions and activities more often with the help of our new SMART classroom. Look for courses with a Live Online option!

These truly are exciting days for Emmanuel. Through the many challenges and blessings of the past year, we have seen God’s hand at work. As 2018 draws to a close, please consider a year-end gift that will help us continue to respond to the changing needs of the local church. Visit www.supportEBC.ca to donate.

We look forward to an exciting 2019!

Dr. Stephen Roy
President & Dean