Christian Education and Halls of Higher Learning

Tyndale College & Seminary

Editor’s Note: We have a biblical responsibility to do the best that we can to ensure that our children are prepared for the future. Their education must be our concern. If this thought is a little unsettling, you are in good company. "The new curriculum! Smaller classes! More preparation time! Prepare them for industry! Accountability!" As the halls of higher learning echo with the clash of change, many of us can only shake our heads and wonder what happened.

If there is a good side to this, perhaps it is the growing interest in Christian education as a positive alternative to the apparent chaos of public schools. But what should a parent, or a student, look for in a Christian College?

To this end, The Pioneer will invite articles from Christian colleges that focus on what is being offered and what should be considered in making a wise choice. I have selected Tyndale College & Seminary as the first in this series. Its history is impressive, as is its vision for the future. In 1894, a group of evangelicals met and started the Toronto Bible Training School. It was the first Bible College in Canada and the third in North America. In 1968 the name changed to Ontario Bible College. The College prepares people for further university training and gives them the education to serve the Lord in the market places of the world.

In 1976, the College moved to its present facilities on the northern edge of Metropolitan Toronto. With this relocation, a graduate school, Ontario Theological Seminary, became a reality. It is now the largest Seminary in Canada, with specialties in pastoral training, counseling and intercultural understanding. Degree programs have recently expanded beyond the Masters level to the Doctor of Ministry level.

In 1998, the Board of Governors chose "Tyndale" as its new name, after the infamous William Tyndale, who in 1525 was the first to translate the New Testament from the original Greek into English. It represents the schools’ Bible-based focus that is part of our great evangelical heritage.

Tyndale is truly a unique and multi-denominational school. Its evangelical community represents 20 different countries and 30 different denominations.

Tyndale College & Seminary has the following as its Mission Statement: "to educate and equip Christians to serve the world with passion for Jesus Christ."

I asked the people at Tyndale College & Seminary to submit an article that explained the focus of the school. What follows is their submission.

Cutting-edge. Innovative. Eclectic. Fun. Academic. Discriminatory students look for a school that will help them make a difference in the world. With the new millenium comes the expectation of creative teaching and lessons that will last a lifetime.

Tyndale College & Seminary provides an exceptional education for students from all backgrounds, ranging from the high school graduate who is in transition to a seasoned pastor who wants to study at the Doctorate level. ATS and AABC accreditation ensure that the academic and spiritual life of a student is of the utmost priority. The array of programs and classes cater to those who want to study while working full-time, take a course over an intensive one-week period, participate in a class setting that is in his or her own city, or attend class via the Internet. Students can learn how to work with youth from Toronto to Tokyo, pastor in an urban or suburban setting , and help children and adults with special physical needs. Opportunities for ministry are endless at Canada’s oldest and largest college and seminary training facility.

"The Bachelor of Religious Studies field education possibilities are striking," says Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of History at the college, Dr. Paul Friesen, who is referring to the weekly hands-on ministry and mentoring opportunity available to all students in this study team. "We allow students to choose any supervised agency or setting as a place to connect their learning to other life skills, researching for a community group, volunteering on the front lines of inner-city agencies, whether or not the setting is explicitly Christian. The point is that such an experience helps local communities and forms an important hinge in the learning trajectory of students."

Student life also offers a variety of on-campus learning experiences through involvments on student council and diverse committees. These provide opportunities to learn numerous skills such as leadership and team building, project management, handling a budget, meeting deadlines, and resolving conflict. Tyndale encourages students to take an active role in their education and to seek opportunities to learn for the rest of their life, establishing a pattern that needs to begin at the onset of adulthood.

Leading Edge, the one-year program that is tailored for young people right out of high school, who are unsure what route to take in life, is also about establishing life patterns. Students are exposed to many facets of ministry, including an urban mission trip and an optional study tour of Israel. "I am really impressed by the high level of commitment to learning and leadership in the school that this group of young people exhibit," says program director, Elizabeth Davey. "It bodes well for future Christian leadership in the church and all sectors of our community."

A new course offering at the college level is the Degree Completion Program, which allows for the maximum transfer of credit from university or college and gives credit for ministry experience. This is a unique program that caters to students 25 years or older and offers them a cohort learning community. Students attend one evening class a week, which allows them to keep a full-time job. Graduates of this program are equipped to work in a church setting, parachurch ministry, or continue in their present jobs. The foundational education they received strives to foster academic, spiritual, and personal growth, no mater what path they choose upon completion. "I’m delighted with the growing popularity of the program," says director Nita Stemmler. "Students and faculty integrate faith and learning and apply theory to contemporary life issues in the world and the church. It’s a great way to complete that degree that you weren’t able to finish, for whatever reason, earlier in your life."

For the more advanced student, there are Masters level programs that cater to those who want to study intensively without quitting their full-time jobs. The Master of Theology Studies modular program students meet one evening a week, with concentrated study requirements completed independently. This program offers flexibility to students who cannot attend classes on campus during normal daytime hours and allows them to graduate in two and a half years with a Masters degree. Says Program Director and Professor of History of Christianity and Spirituality, Donald Goertz, "The students work in government, business, various professions, and the arts, but all of them share one goal: they want to more effectively integrate their faith with their vocation and are prepared to devote a great deal of time and energy to that end. All of the various backgrounds and experiences that they bring will be part of the richness that will give them their fresh insights and creative edge."

Tyndale also offers one- or two-day non-credit seminars. The Bible Basics 101 is a new program that teaches the age-old truths of God’s Word. This well-received program is presented by the Life Long Learning Centre, which, along with the seminary and college, comprises the Tyndale learning complex.

"The Bible Basics course has given me an excellent framework for explaining themes that run through and are developed from Old Testament to New Testament," says a student who took the two-day non-credit course in the fall. " I learned more than I was anticipating. Thank you for that growth." Initiatives like the Life Long Learning Centre are dedicated to providing resources to meet the spiritual and personal development needs of both pastors and lay people throughout their careers.

Whether you have a day, a week, or three years, Tyndale offers classes to suit your schedule. It is an institution committed to progressive academia and individual spiritual growth and delivers the experience of a lifetime.

For further information, contact the people at Tyndale Collete & Seminary, 25 Ballyconnor Court, Toronto, Ontario M2M 4B3; Tel.: (416) 226-6620; FAX (416) 228-3922