Great Lakes Bible College Post and Chapel Archive

Qoheleth, the Preacher, on God and the Big Questions of Life

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:03:36 GMT

By Paul Birston, Dean, GLBC.

Originally published on The Gospel Herald

Introduction to Ecclesiastes

“ Qoheleth”

The Hebrew Title

“Qoheleth” or “Koheleth” is from the Hebrew דִּבְרֵי֙ קֹהֶ֣לֶת “Dabari Qoheleth” (soft “b” pronounced davari) the first words of the Hebrew text meaning literally “words of the preacher.” Qoheleth appears 7 times in Ecclesiastes: 1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:8, 9, 10.

More literal (formal equivalence) translations render Qoheleth as “Preacher” (ESV, KJV, NKJV, ASV, NASB, RSV). More liberal (dynamic equivalence) translations render it “Teacher” (NIV, NRSV, NCV, NLT). Some suggest it may be considered a “job description” vs. a proper name. It can refer to a convenor of a gathering or assembly (cf. the roots of the words “synagogue” and “church”), or a speaker in an assembly.

Qoheleth can also refer to a collector of wise sayings, a sage, one who assembled students to study and one who assembled proverbs and wisdom material and taught as we see in Ecclesiastes: 12:9–10, In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.

Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:1 emphasizes Qoheleth’s teaching work: Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.

12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them…”

Ecclesiastes

The Greek/English Title

“Ecclesiastes” comes from the ca. third century BC translation of qoheleth in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint (LXX) which is Εκκλησιαστής (Ekklesiastes). This is the translation that Greek speaking Jews of the Dispersion used. It is related to ekklesia (ἐκκλησία) “assembly,” “congregation,” vs. the word “church” which is a medieval dutch/germanic/anglicism of the Greek kuriakon from kuriakon from kurios “Lord” vs. the correct translation of ekklesia which is “assembly”.

Solomon’s Authorship

Ecclesiastes 1:1 affirms Solomon’s authorship of Ecclesiastes: “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Solomon is the only Jewish monarch of any era with the wisdom, wealth and influence to afford the lavish experiments he records in Ecclesiastes. During his reign, Israel was at its peak, the zenith, of its geographical size and wealth. He uses consistent key words and phrases (see next section). History, transmission and its inclusion in the Biblical Canon support Solomon’s authorship. God gave Solomon an exceptional gift of wisdom (1 Kings 3:9, 12; 4:29–31). The literary nature of Ecclesiastes is very similarities to Solomon’s writing in Proverbs. Solomon’s vast building projects parallel the scope of projects in Ecclesiastes. He fortified Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer (1 Kings 9:15). Archaeology identifies characteristic gate and casements wall fortifications of Solomon.

Key Words & Phrases

Solomon uses many key words and phrases in Ecclesiastes. “See” (ra’ah), occurs 50 times. “Wisdom” (hokmah), occurs 53 times. In Proverbs 2:6, Solomon wrote that “For the LORD gives wisdom, From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Wisdom has to do with “skill.”It comes from long experience. It combines knowledge, understanding and experience to discern the best course of action in a situation that will lead to the best outcome. “Vanity,” (hebel), occurs 38 times (see list below).

A few examples of key phrases are: “under the sun” (30 times) which emphasizes the universality of experiences. “Striving after wind” occurs 9 times emphasizing the vanity and futility of much toil. “Eat and drink” occurs 5 times, “fear God,” 4 times and “fear Him,” 2 times.

God in Ecclesiastes

Qoheleth learned a lot about God during his experiments in pursuit for the meaning of life:

God is our Creator: transcendent, sovereign, inscrutable (beyond human understanding, impossible to understand fully).
God is active in His creation:
He makes everything appropriate/beautiful in its time (3:1–11)
God places eternity in human hearts (3:11).
God controls the ultimate future of His creation.
Like Job, Qoheleth refers to God as אֱלהִים Elohim 40 times a name emphasizing the universality of His works presence, truth and eternal wisdom. In Genesis 1:1, Elohim is the first of many wonderful names of God. His most frequent in Scripture overall is יְהוָֹה (YHWH, Jaweh), 6,828 times.
Qoheleth speaks about God most intensely at the end of chapter 2 and in chapters 3 and 5, 27 out of 47 times in 12 chapters.
God is to be feared and obeyed: “fear God,” “fear Him” (3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12, 13; 12:13).
Accept God’s transcendent power & acknowledge our limits (3:14).
God is in heaven, we are on earth: approach God with reverence (5:2).
Remember God your Creator in your youth (12:1, 2, 6).
True holy and satisfying enjoyment of life and people is a gift from God (5:8–6:9; 5:18–19–20)
God is our Shepherd who gives us wise words and goads (urges, spurs) us on (12:11)
God gets the final word in Qoheleth’s conclusion: “fear God and keep His commandments” (12:13)

The Big Questions of Life

Qoheleth wrestles with the big questions of life. Many dimensions of the big issues and pursuits in Ecclesiastes are still the very same in the world today. Similarly, about 1,000 years after Solomon, 2 Timothy 3:1–13 prophetically describes the state of humankind today. On the plus side, Ecclesiastes gives answers. The answers Ecclesiastes gives to time’s problems are timeless.

God’s sovereign will and human will (cf. Proverbs 16:1–9)
The meaning of life
The purpose of my life
How to find God’s wisdom and knowledge
Futility and faith
The vanity & costly risks of worldly pursuits and pleasures
Justice & injustice
Contrasts: wisdom vs. foolishness, good vs. evil, joy vs. trouble
Why is there suffering? The justice of God despite the presence of evil (theodicy)
The mystery of life
Our potential & limits
God’s blessings of family, assembly (people of God: Israel, church), and godly living in all realms including work
Our responsibility & accountability to God (11:9; 12:14)
God understands the overwhelming frustrations and injustices of life:
this is very important for sensitive & discouraged people to know
God provides ways forward
Keeping life in perspective in light of mortality & eternity
“ The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun” (11:7)
Preparing for eternity with God

Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and the New Testament: Romans 8

Qoheleth mourns the futility of life but ends with a vision hope for the future in God based on fearing Him and obeying His commandments. These will enable us to stand at the Great Day of Judgment (cf. Jude 6):

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

In one sense, Ecclesiastes ends by drawing the same conclusions as Proverbs and Psalms “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7) “The fear of the LOD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10). The righteous meditate on God’s law and bear fruit with Him (Psalm 1:2–3).

Although Jesus and New Testament writers don’t quote Ecclesiastes directly they use many important allusions and verbal parallels. The New Testament reveals much more about the spiritual realities behind the frustrations of life and also ends on a pathway of faith, hope and love. Paul’s statement in Romans 8:18–25 is one of the most profound commentaries on the frustrating state of the world and the ultimate purpose of God that people would turn to Him in hope:

Romans 8:18–25 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

21 Areas of Vanity

Qoheleth identifies many pursuits as vain:

all works of men (1:14)
indulgence in pleasure (2:1)
profit from one’s labour (2:11) (can also be a gift/reward of God)
quest for wisdom (2:15, 17) (ultimately commended by God and Solomon)
focus on earthly accomplishments (2:19, 21, 23)
achievement while ignoring God (2:26)
over–emphasis on life & living (319)
competition (4:4)
hoarding riches (4:7, 8)
trying to please everyone (4:16)
foolish use of words and promises (5:7 emptiness)
having much money (5:10)
irresponsible use of wealth (6:2, 4)
greedy ambition (6:9)
the use of many words masterfully (6:11)
associating with foolish friends (7:6)
trying to understand anomalies of life (7:15)
indifference toward evil (8:10)
the system of justice & retribution (8:14)
looking to days ahead for meaning and happiness (11:8, 10)
death itself (12:1–8)

Qoheleth’s Perspective: Pessimist of Optimist?

People look at Qoheleth’s overall perspective on God and life in various ways:

he is pessimistic and sceptical
he is frustrated with life’s inconsistencies
he is self–centred and materialistic
he is the original existentialist (focuses on individual experience in an overwhelming uncertain universe)
he is an apologist and evangelist
he is a wise man and preacher who came to realize the focus of life must be God:
he has learned the ultimate meaning and purpose of life
his experience and experiments have filtered and sifted life’s ultimate meaning to its core: faith in God
the paramount lesson learned is “fear God and keep His commandments” (12:13)
he is driven to share this important lesson with others

Date, Hebrew Text and Use in Isreal

Solomon reigned ca. 970–931 BC so his writing of Ecclesiastes occurs somewhere in this time frame.

The Hebrew text is excellent which provides strong support for Solomon’s authorship. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragments testify to this (4QQoha 5:14–18; 6:1, 3–8; 7:1–9, 19, 20; 4QQohb 1:10–14). There are no significant variants from the Masoretic Tex (MT) from ca. AD 950–1000. This means no changes of any consequence after nearly 2,000 years between the time Solomon wrote and the Masoretes completed their copies.

Ecclesiastes is read in synagogues the third day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Booths, Sukkot) commemorating the time when Jews lived in temporary shelters after being freed from Egypt (Leviticus 23:43). Ecclesiastes reflects the temporary fleeting nature of life and the paramount priority of trusting God at all times.

Structure: Cycles of Futility and Faith

Ecclesiastes is a combination of narrative prose, Hebrew poetry and proverbs. The insertion of Hebrew poetry into primarily narrative books is frequent in the all Hebrew Scriptures from the Torah (five books of Moses), the writing prophets and historical books (“former prophets” in the Hebrew canon of Bible books) and the Writings.

The poetic passages in Ecclesiastes are:

1:1–11 On vanity, futility and repetition of everything

3:1–8 “To everything there is a season…”

7:1–14 Proverbs in the centre of Ecclesiastes

Outline and Conclusion

Ecclesiastes has cycles of

1) the vanity & futility of life

2) practical faith, purpose, meaning and blessing from God

Solomon’s positive conclusions are highlighted in italics.

1) Solomon Tests His Thesis: Is All Vanity?

1:1–2 Heading & Motto/Theme Statement

1:3–11 Nature is a repetitive closed system

1:12–18 Even wisdom seems vain

2:1–11 Pleasure, projects & possessions don’t satisfy

2:12–17 Wisdom exceeds folly but all die

2:18–23 Labour is fruitless, the mind does not rest

2:24–26 God’s gift of enjoyment, food, good labour, “I have seen that it is from the hand of God.” God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy!

2) Solomon’s Revised Thesis: With God Life Can Have Meaning

3:1–10 There is a time for everything

3:11–15 God set eternity in the heart, rejoice & do good; everything God does will remain forever, God’s gift of enjoyment, food, gift of labour

3:16–21 Injustice & the fate of all living things

3:22 Be happy in your activities

4:1–16 “Better than” sayings; cf. 7:1–12

4:1–8 Oppression, rivalry, childless rich

4:9–12 Two are better than one (strength in numbers)

4:13–16 Failure of kings

5:1–9 Guard your steps, listen to God

fulfil your vows, injustice to poor

5:10–17 folly of riches, as people are born with nothing so they die

5:18–20 What I have seen to be good: enjoyment of life and labour, food, God’s reward

God’s gift, gladness of heart

3) With God, Man Can Pursue a Balanced Perspective on Life

6:1–12 futility of money & lack of satisfaction

7:1–14 “Better-than” proverbs: consider God’s work; cf. 4:1–16

balance, limits, mystery (many parallels to Proverbs)

God made man upright but he goes after vain pursuits

8:1 wisdom illuminates the wise

8:2–17 obey kings before God, experience no trouble

reversal of expectations, God’s work is beyond discovery

8:15 simple pleasures of life: be merry, enjoy food, all the days God gives

4) With God Man Can Face the Unknown with Optimism

9:1–6 uncertainty & 1 fate for all

9:7–10 eat and drink in happiness, God approves your works, let your clothes be white, enjoy life with woman you love, this is your reward; work with all your might (cf. Colossians 3:23)

9:11–12 uncertainty, time and chance overtake all

9:13–18 superiority of wisdom (cf. Proverbs 1–9; Job); the poor wise man

10:1–20 wise vs. foolish living & leadership

11:1–6 wise reaping & sowing

5) God’s Ultimate Answers: Prepare for Tomorrow, Death, Meaningful Life

11:7–10 rejoice all your years; God will judge

remove vexation & pain; life is fleeting

12:1–8 Remember your Creator in in the days of your youth

12:9–14 Qoheleth’s search/arrangement of many proverbs delightful words (cf. Proverbs on speech) wise words of God our Shepherd goad (urge, spur) us on

12:13–14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

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A Personal Thank You 2025

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:59:11 GMT

" As we now approach the end of this year, one of the biggest blessings I count today is how easily I can now say 'Yes!' to ministry opportunities that come my way."

Last school year, we were blessed to serve 62 students across 5 provinces (Full-time equivalent 9 students); We estimate 17 congregations were impacted by the educational ministry at GLBC, thanks to God and friends like you!

A Personal Thank You For 2025

My wife said that she knew that I would be involved in full-time ministry even before I did.

When we met almost 20 years ago, I’d already spent many years helping to lead the youth at my home congregation, went on a short-term mission to Papua New Guinea, and taking on roles at Christian camps.

As years went ahead, we were married and I continued to serve as time would allow. Now, with a growing family and career, my availability was shrinking, and I had to more carefully choose where I would spend my time.

By 2017, One of the ministries that I chose to volunteer with was the board of Great Lakes Bible College. This was a wonderful opportunity that let me express my faith and utilize the professional skills I'd been honing for the last 10+ years.

In 2022, the role of President came up at GLBC, and after prayer and discussion with my wife, we confirmed the call to put my name forward. I have now been in this role for three years- blessed by God, and His people to serve in full-time ministry through Great Lakes Bible College

As we now approach the end of this year, one of the biggest blessings I count today is how easily I can now say 'Yes!' to ministry opportunities that come my way.

In the past few years, I have been able to contribute to the good work of GLBC- equipping the church for service. As part of that, I have also served for many weeks at Christian Camps like Camp Omagh, mentor younger Christians throughout the year, help with mid-week outreach at my home congregation, and visit dozens of congregations around Canada. Our staff has also been involved in preaching and teaching at congregations in Canada and the US.

I couldn't imagine the possibility of taking on all these ministry opportunities without the financial support that I receive through my work with GLBC. Thank you for allowing me to be involved in full-time ministry.

Please know that your support to GLBC amplifies it's primary educational ministry, as well as all of the ‘other’ ministries of her staff and faculty. Thank you for your trust, your support and allowing us to steward God’s blessings on your behalf!

Continued Support Opportunities

While I’m so grateful to God to be able to serve in this capacity, GLBC is not yet financially stable. However, I believe that with God’s blessing, and partnership with Christians like you, we have a good recipe for future health:

Continued improvement of general gifts and bequests- we have seen increases of 5-13% in the last several years
Maintain responsible fiscal spending- in 2025, it only cost about $5000 per student to deliver our program, compared to 10 or more times that at larger universities.
Invest all excess funds- Invested funds have allowed us to weather the peaks and valleys when general donations

If you are able, I’d like to ask you to consider trusting us at Great Lakes Bible College to continue that stewardship through a planned gift.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

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"The Book of Revelation is the culmination and completion of God’s inspired and written self-disclosure over thousands of years of history and writing of Scripture. "

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

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Equipping The Saints For Ministry: A Partnership Approach

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We do not see ourselves as a replacement for the church, but rather as a partner in its mission. Our goal is to work alongside congregations to help them fulfill their calling to "equip the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12).

Equipping the Saints for Ministry: A Partnership Approach

At Great Lakes Bible College, we hold a fundamental belief: the local church is the body of Christ. It is the central hub for Christian life and ministry, not an ancillary component. This core conviction shapes everything we do, especially how we train and equip believers for service. We do not see ourselves as a replacement for the church, but rather as a partner in its mission. Our goal is to work alongside congregations to help them fulfill their calling to "equip the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12).

The Synergy of Head and Hands

Our approach is collaborative—excellent academic instruction and practical, on-the-ground, application within the local church. Think of it as a partnership where we help to nurture the head , and the congregation provides the hands . Needless to say, it is the Lord who provides the increase! (1 Corinthians 3:6).

The Head: Our part of the partnership is to provide excellent, biblically-sound teaching . Our instructors are not just academics, they are seasoned servants of the church. They hold multiple terminal degrees and possess decades of ministry experience. This combination of theological depth and practical wisdom ensures that our students receive a robust education that is both intellectually stimulating and spiritually formative. We teach them the "why" and the "what" of ministry—the biblical foundations, theological principles, and historical context.

The Hands: The congregation's part is to provide the practical application . Our students are challenged through Ministry Experience Credits to find a ministry opportunity 'in their own backyard'. Also, it is in the local church that a student's theological knowledge is tested and honed. It is here that they learn to minister to the local body, share the gospel with a neighbor, teach a Sunday school class, or serve the community. The church provides the real-world laboratory where theory becomes practice. This is where a student can be mentored by faithful and believing men and women, and have the opportunity to live out what they are learning in a tangible way.

The Benefits of This Partnership

This partnership model creates a powerful and effective system for training future ministry leaders.

Relevance: Students are not isolated from the realities of ministry. They remain rooted in their local church, allowing their education to be directly relevant to the needs of their community and congregation.
Holistic Formation: This approach fosters a more holistic formation. It's not just about accumulating knowledge; it's about developing character, cultivating spiritual disciplines, and learning to serve within a body of believers.
Affordability: By keeping students connected to their home churches, we reduce the financial burden often associated with a traditional residential Bible college. This makes quality theological education more accessible to a wider range of people. GLBC also offers scholarship and bursary opportunities.
Support: Students are surrounded by the support system of their local church—a network of believers who can encourage them, pray for them, and help them navigate the challenges of ministry preparation.

Partnering for the Kingdom

At Great Lakes Bible College, our mission is to serve the church by empowering its members. We believe that when an educational ministry like GLBC and a congregation work together, we can more effectively fulfill the Great Commission. We're not building our own kingdom; we're partnering with congregations to build God's. If you are a church leader looking to better equip your members for ministry, we invite you to explore a partnership with us. Let's work together to build up the body of Christ.

Note: This article was written with the Google Gemini for clarity.

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7 Benefits, 7 Steps Each

This article was written by Paul Birston, Dean, GLBC, and originally published by the Gospel Herald on September 20, 2020

God Desires Us to Meditate on Him, His Word and His Works

Many voices cry out for our attention. They often distract us in many directions beyond our control and divert us from responsibilities within our control.

Competing voices can overwhelm us with information. They flatten the gradient between what is truly important and what is not. Everything feels urgent even when it isn’t. We become anxious unnecessarily.

We often seek relief by further distractions to amusement, a seemingly pleasant distraction, often just another form of attention grabbing.

Interestingly, the central part of the word amusement is muse, just one dimension of the Hebrew hagah, often translated as meditate: to recite quietly, be absorbed in thought, think carefully and thoroughly. Sichah, meditation, has similar roots.

Above these countless voices is one truly worthy of our undistracted attention: the voice of God.

Of all the vehicles at His disposal God chose to speak to us through two: His words and works. We hear and see His voice in both (Psalm 19). God desires us to meditate upon Him, His Word and His works.

As the fundamental building blocks of our thoughts words carry meaning. The basic building block of Hebrew poetry is the unit of thought. Working together these freight “trains of thought” bring us the very thoughts of God in His words. He inspired them to inspire us.

Meditation in Scripture

We see examples of meditation in Scripture from the age of the Patriarchs to the New Testament.

Just before meeting Rebekah, “Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening” (Genesis 24:63a).

God commanded Joshua to meditate on His Word and do it: “‘This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success’” (Joshua 1:8). Law, Torah, embodies far more than legal matters: God’s teachings and directions for spiritually healthy and productive lives in His presence.

Psalms teach us to meditate. Psalms themselves are focal points of fruitful meditation. Describing the righteous person, Psalm 1:2–3 says,

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season.

Psalms teach us to mediate on our awesome God: I meditate on You in the night watches (Psalm 63:6b).

Psalms teach us mediate on God’s wonderful words: And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes (Psalm 119:48; see 119:23, 78, 97, 99, 148).

Psalms teach us to mediate on God’s amazing works at creation and throughout history:

I will meditate on all Your work, And muse on Your deeds (Psalm 77:12);

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands (Psalm 143:5).

The New Covenant expands our awareness of God drawing our focus to the infinite grace, goodness and creativity of our Saviour:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1–2).

John’s Gospel amplifies the same three focal points as Psalms: God, His Word and His works, “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God and the Word was with God” (John 1:1). The big difference for us: Jesus is the Word incarnate whom we know and abide with, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (1:14). His word abides in us (15:7). Reflecting on His miraculous works (signs) builds faith: “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:30–31).

Through Paul, God commands us to meditate on all God’s truth and goodness: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell (think) on these things. The things you have learned, and heard and seen to be in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8–9).

7 Benefits

Knowing and Pleasing God: Meditating on God deepens our relationship with Him. His Word connects us to His thoughts: “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16b). “Let my meditation be pleasing to Him” (Psalm 104:34).
Knowing Others : Since people are the crown of God’s creation, meditating on God, His Word and His works, increases our awareness of the sacred life in others.
Prayer Power: Focusing on God, His will and the needs of others, and less on self, makes our prayers more meaningful and effective.
Seeing Needs: As meditation draws us closer to God and others we become more aware of opportunities to serve in ways that please God and meet the pressing needs of others (Titus 3:14).
Motivation to Serve: Sharpening our focus on God and His eternal perspectives motivates us to serve with Him in His eternal mission.
Fullness and Joy: Some forms of mediation strive for emptiness. Jesus said, “‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly’” (John 10:10b), “‘These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full’” (John 15:11). God’s Word brings delight (Psalm 1:2).
Peace: “The LORD is peace” (YHWH Shalom, Judges 6:24). “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14a).

7 Steps

When: Any time is a good time to meditate on God and be aware (to use a popular term, be mindful) of God’s presence:

O how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97

My eyes anticipate the night watches,

That I may meditate on Your word. Psalm 119:148

Where: Spiritually, we meditate in our hearts and spirit:

I will remember my song in the night;

I will meditate with my heart,

And my spirit ponders (Psalm 77:6).

The Hebrew lev (heart) is our inner person, mind, will, soul, tablet of our memory, affections, emotions, inclination, determination, moral character and seat of knowledge and thinking.

Physically, we may meditate on God anywhere though a quiet place, such as Isaac found outdoors, will improve our concentration:

When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches. Psalm 63:6

Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Psalm 4:4

Who: On God, Father, Son and Spirit: “I meditate on You” (Psalm 63:6b), “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2a).

What: Upon His Word and His works (Psalm 19; Romans 1:20): “I will meditate on Your wonders” (Psalm 119:27b). All God’s redemptive acts in history culminating in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection for our forgiveness and salvation are worthy of our concentration in meditation.

With Whom: Alone, with others, with those who are shut in, ill, in spiritual need.

How: Reading, listening, in silence, speaking, singing (Psalms are poems set to music), slowly, regularly, spontaneously.

Practice and Enjoy: Meditating on God, His Word and His works yields the fruit of His Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace…

While sharing these insights from God with others in churches and individuals, several people have told me they have difficulty memorizing. This is why we put part 1 on meditating first. All of us can enjoy the benefits of meditating on God, His Word and His works with our Bibles open before us. This is one reason God wrote it out for us!

You can find a fuller list of helpful Scriptures along with definitions of the eight words for Scripture in Psalm 119 here: https://app.box.com/s/yas9wxibdmd2cvh8roexqzlk78ng4bbh

To Read Part 2 : Visit the Gospel Herald Publication- “ Memorizing Scripture: 7 Benefits, 7 Steps.”

Psalm 1, "His delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night" by Paul Birston, September 2, 2025

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 22:34:13 GMT

Psalm 1, "His delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night" by Paul Birston, September 2, 2025

GLBC Sponsors Another Successful Young Adults Weekend at Camp Omagh

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:44:53 GMT

Approximately 20 young adults from four different congregations came together for a weekend focused on spiritual growth and fellowship. The theme, “Spiritual Habits,” guided our time together.

For the second consecutive year, GLBC had the privilege of sponsoring the Young Adults Weekend at Camp Omagh—and we’re pleased to share that it was a tremendous success.

Approximately 20 young adults from four different congregations came together for a weekend focused on spiritual growth and fellowship. The theme, “Spiritual Habits,” guided our time together, with four 15-minute mini-lectures I presented, each followed by lively and thoughtful group discussions. It was clear that these young Christians are eager to grow deeper in their faith.

On Saturday evening, I also shared an overview of GLBC’s current offerings and encouraged attendees to consider how GLBC could support their personal growth and service in their local churches.

We had two main goals for the weekend:

To equip young Christians with tools for spiritual development and spark an interest in Biblical education.

To create meaningful opportunities for fellowship and relationship-building across congregations.

We were blessed to see both goals come to life. The conversations were heartfelt and insightful, and by the time laughter was echoing around camp at 4 AM, we knew bonds had truly been formed.

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve invited them to continue their journey by joining our Summer Short Course later this season. We see this weekend not just as a standalone event, but as part of our broader mission to serve the church, support spiritual formation, and open doors for future students and supporters.

May God continue to bless this effort as we work together to strengthen His church.

Remarks from 2025 Graduation

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:43:54 GMT

These remarks come from Immanuel Velasco, President, at the 2025 GLBC Graduation. The program was held as a Hybrid Event, with locations across Ontario and attendees indvidually online.

Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen, esteemed faculty, beloved students, and honored guests,

It’s my honor to join as we celebrate the academic achievements, personal growth, and spiritual development of our students. Before we hear an exhortation and award our students, I want to take a few minutes to acknowledge where GLBC came from, some of the work we’ve done, and where we’re going.

Where We Come From

I’ve always been interested in stories. When I started working with Great Lakes Bible College, I was eager to hear about its history, and I was pleased when Geoff Ellis shared his 1996 proposal to reactivate GLBC. This proposal followed economic challenges in the early 1990s. Here are some paraphrased highlights from that proposal, and comments on where we’ve come since then:

Vision: GLBC was initially envisioned as an institution serving the church at the junior college level, emphasizing Bible study.
Rationale: An opportunity existed for post-secondary Bible education to train future leaders for Christian service. Today, we celebrate students who actively participate in ministry experience credits as part of their local congregation, equipped for Bible Study, personal ministry, preaching, and teaching.
Emphasis: The emphasis was on providing basic coursework in degree programs, with modest resources and personnel.Today, we continue to provide regular undergraduate level courses but also seek to serve in other ways. Last year, we sponsored the Young Adult Weekend at Camp Omagh to deepen young people’s desire for study. In October, we hosted a congregational workshop on practical areas like navigating charitable giving.
Students: An average of five full-time students was considered acceptable, with education by extension as an option using audio, video, and “online technologies”. In 1996, I imagine this meant corresponding by email. Today, many of our students take 1 or 2 classes at a time. This past school year, we served about 50 students, equivalent to about 5 or 6 full-time students. Online technologies are essential for us.
Facilities: Modest classroom requirements were supplied by the local congregation in Waterloo, with computer capacity and an extensive book library. We’ve been thankful for the wonderful support of the Waterloo Congregation over the years. The hospitality of the church there has been a blessing in terms of space (though our library, housed in a portable, is on borrowed time), and to our students, whom have witnessed warmth and care and loving mentorship over the years. Today, we continue to function because of the good will of congregations that we serve. As you can see, we are hosted in church buildings and living rooms of the church across Canada.
Funding: A self-funding concept was pursued with modest fees, and hope to be tuition-free for students from the supporting constituency. Today, we’ve collapsed many scholarships to establish our GLBC Sponsorship Fund. In the last two years, we’ve awarded more than 10 bursaries for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take classes. We have also had the opportunity to improve our invested funds, drawing on wills, estates and excess operational funds.
Constituency: Integrating GLBC into the awareness, interest, and involvement of local congregations was a prime objective “… acting as a servant to the church constituency”. Today, nearly 30 years later, the environment has changed, and our congregations look different. About 60 percent of congregations in Ontario have a part-time or full-time minister, but we continue to serve the church in whatever season she finds herself. In recent years some of our students have gone into full-time vocational ministry, but many are simply serving and ministering where they are. The point is they’re involved in serving wherever they find themselves.

Themes and Future Vision

Between the initial plan and today, there’s a story of GLBC as a whole. If we were to keep digging, there would also be the stories of faculty, congregations, and importantly, the students, that have come together to impact and be impacted by GLBC. We would see a deepening appreciation for God’s word, more nuanced understanding of personal mission, and reconciliation to Christ.

Since 1952, 1996, and today, the environment around us has changed in ways we couldn't foresee. The average age of our students has gotten older, the places from where they come has gotten wider, technology has improved leaps and bounds, and shifting societal values have impacted the world around us.

However, throughout her history, GLBC has lived up to that original hope: Acting as a servant to the church. Today, I’m pleased to report that we continue to enjoy God's blessings and provision through the local church, equipping students for impact as part of their local congregation and beyond.

As we look towards the future, we remain steadfast in our mission to provide exemplary education grounded in biblical principles. We will continue to innovate and adapt, ensuring our students navigate the complexities of the modern world while staying true to their faith.

I’m certain that there will be things that we can’t predict, but I thank you for playing your role in the story of GLBC, and more importantly, the stories of, and as, God’s people.

Conclusion

Congratulations to our graduates on their achievements. Your journey has been one of hard work, resilience, and faith. As you step into the next chapter, remember the teachings and values imparted by your instructors and fellow students.

Before I hand things over to our keynote speaker, Art Ford, may I offer this:

As you remain faithful to Him, may God bless you abundantly in your future endeavors. May your story continue to give Him glory.

Thank you, and congratulations once again.

Job 3, "Job Cursed the Day of His Birth" by Dave Knutson, April 23, 2025

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:39:28 GMT

Job 3, "Job Cursed the Day of His Birth" by Dave Knutson, April 23, 2025

2 Corinthians 5:11–18–21 "God Gave Us the Ministry of Reconciliation" by Paul Birston, April 16, 2025

admin@glbc.ca (Judy Robins) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:32:47 GMT

2 Corinthians 5:11–18–21 "God Gave Us the Ministry of Reconciliation" by Paul Birston, April 16, 2025

Galatians 3:16, "The Seed Promise” by Chad Ramsey, March 26, 2025

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 20:48:58 GMT

Galatians 3:16, "The Seed Promise” by Chad Ramsey, March 26, 2025

John 8:31–42, "Unconscious Slavery" by Thayer Salisbury, April 9, 2025

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 02:58:32 GMT

John 8:31–42, "Unconscious Slavery" by Thayer Salisbury, April 9, 2025

Matthew 7:15–23, "By My Fruits I'll Be Known" by Immanuel Velasco, April 2, 2025

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 02:55:17 GMT

Matthew 7:15–23, "By My Fruits I'll Be Known" by Immanuel Velasco, April 2, 2025

Jude 3 "...contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints." by Moises Velasco, March 12, 2025

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:36:07 GMT

Jude 3 "...contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints." by Moises Velasco, March 12, 2025

Genesis 12:3, Galatians 3:8, "The Gospel...in the Old Testament" by Matt Wallin, March 5, 2025

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 18:39:51 GMT

Genesis 12:3, Galatians 3:8, "The Gospel...in the Old Testament" by Matt Wallin, March 5, 2025

Genesis 16, "Abram and Sarai waiting for God" by Dieter Nollert, February 26, 2025

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 01:13:42 GMT

Genesis 16, "Abram and Sarai waiting for God" by Dieter Nollert, February 26, 2025

Ezra 7: 1-10 "Setting Our Hearts to Study, Do and Teach" by Nathan Brown, February 19, 2025

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:36:39 GMT

Ezra 7 1-10 "Setting Our Hearts to Study, Do and Teach" by Nathan Brown, February 19, 2025

Psalm 126, "The LORD Brought Back the Captive Ones of Zion" by Paul Birston, February 12, 2025

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 20:48:41 GMT

Psalm 126, "The LORD Brought Back the Captive Ones of Zion" by Paul Birston, February 12, 2025

Galatians 6:6–10 "Do not grow weary in doing good" by Peter Morphy, February 5, 2025

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 18:13:27 GMT

Galatians 6:6–10 "Do not grow weary in doing good" by Peter Morphy, February 5, 2025

Psalm 77 "God in the Midst of the Storm" by Sam Mulligan, January 29, 2025

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:23:56 GMT

Psalm 77 "God in the Midst of the Storm" by Sam Mulligan, January 29, 2025

2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4, "God wants everyone to repent and learn the truth" by Roy Davison, January 22, 2025

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:45:04 GMT

"God wants everyone to repent and learn the truth" by Roy Davison

Joshua 9:1-27, They Did Not Ask Counsel from the Lord, Nathan Brown, Jan-15-25

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:57:42 GMT

Genesis 48, The God and the Angel...by Paul Birston, 8Jan2025

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 22:58:42 GMT

Genesis 48, The God and the Angel...by Paul Birston, 8Jan2025

Genesis 14:17–20, "Melchizedek Meets Abram, Looking into the Bread, Wine and Tithe" by Moises Velasco, December 11, 2024

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:51:19 GMT

Genesis 14:17–20, "Melchizedek Meets Abram, Looking into the Bread, Wine and Tithe" by Moises Velasco, December 11, 2024

2 Timothy 4:1–8, "A Foundation Well Laid, A Life Well Lived." by Immanuel Velasco, December 4, 2024

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 21:11:30 GMT

2 Timothy 4:1–8, "A Foundation Well Laid, A Life Well Lived" by Immanuel Velasco, December 4, 2024

2 Corinthians 12:7–10, "Boasting in Weakness" by Sam Mulligan, November 27, 2024

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 21:50:59 GMT

2 Corinthians 12:7–10, "Boasting in Weakness" by Sam Mulligan, November 27, 2024

1 Samuel 14:6b "...nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few” by Matt Wallin, November 20, 2024

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 21:47:02 GMT

1 Samuel 14:6b "...nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few” by Matt Wallin, November 20, 2024

Matthew 16_18, _Whose Church Is It__ by Dieter Nollert, November 6, 2024

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:32:36 GMT

Matthew 16_18, _Whose Church Is It__ by Dieter Nollert, November 6, 2024

2 Corinthians 9_1–16, _The Discipline of Generosity_ by Leslie Williams, Nov-13- 2024

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:58:06 GMT

2 Corinthians 9_1–16, _The Discipline of Generosity_ by Leslie Williams, November 13, 2024

Chapel, Matthew 20:29–34 & Luke 19:1–10, "Jesus' Attention to the Blind Men and Zaccheus" by Chad Ramsey, October 23, 2024

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:43:49 GMT

Matthew 20:29–34 & Luke 19:1–10, "Jesus' Attention to the Blind Men and Zaccheus" by Chad Ramsey, October 23, 2024

Jonah _Lessons from Jonah_ by Dave Knutson, October 16, 2024

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:23:24 GMT

Jonah, _Lessons from Jonah_ by Dave Knutson, October 16, 2024

Chapel Talk, Psalm 55, "A Prayer When Betrayed" by Thayer Salisbury, October 9, 2024

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:36:42 GMT

Chapel Talk, Psalm 55, "A Prayer When Betrayed" by Thayer Salisbury, October 9, 2024

Chapel Talk, Mark 10:17–18, "Good Teacher" by Peter Morphy, October 2, 2024

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 01:44:28 GMT

Chapel Talk, Mark 10:17–18, "Good Teacher" by Peter Morphy, October 2, 2024

Romans 14_12, _Each of us shall give account of himself to God_ by Roy Davison, September 25, 2024

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 20:05:43 GMT

Romans 14_12, _Each of us shall give account of himself to God_ by Roy Davison, September 25, 2024

Chapel Talk, Matthew 5_1–12, _God and Relationships in the Beatitudes_ by Paul Birston, September 18, 2024

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 20:03:31 GMT

Matthew 5_1–12, _God and Relationships in the Beatitudes_ by Paul Birston, September 18, 2024

Chapel Talk, Nathan Brown, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, September 11, 2024

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:06:10 GMT

Chapel Talk, Nathan Brown, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, September 11, 2024

Chapel Talk, Paul Birston, Job 1, 2, 29 and 42, "My Servant Job", September 4, 2024

admin@glbc.ca (Judy Robins) — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:34:50 GMT

What's GLBC Ministry Experience?

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Wed, 22 May 2024 16:11:21 GMT

Knowledge about God's character invites and demands a response. Our Ministry Experience Credits help students to better serve.

Each four-month term, students take opportunities to gain practical ministry experience through serving in their home and other local congregations.

Students design projects from the four main areas of Jesus’ ministry from the Bible outlined in our Ministry Experience Syllabus, and related ideas they have generated, that have immediate impacts and practical benefits in the congregations they serve and in growth of their God-given gifts and skills:

Here are 9 great examples of real four-month ministry experiences- GLBC students serving in real situations with their congregations, etc.

Calling every church member during the pandemic and offering spiritual encouragement and practical assistance
Preparing and Preaching sermons for home and local congregations needing help
Preparing and teaching Bible classes for home and local congregations needing help
Creating Bible lessons and projects for parents to use at home to teach their children during the pandemic
Working with teens to provide Biblical answers to their tough questions
Demographic study of a congregation’s town to identify needs which lead to starting a life-recovery ministry
Internal study of a congregation’s gifts and abilities to empower outreach to the church’s community
Renewing a Congregation
Part 1: helping a congregation with an older demographic who want to be effective in their community by interviewing members and identifying 12 practical feasible ministries
Part 2: Helping the congregation implement the ministries identified in Part 1
Developing and posting Scriptural messages on social media to engage with young people needing to learn about God and the truth, salvation and relationship He offers in Jesus

Read Our Lastest Newsletter- Winter 2024

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Wed, 22 May 2024 16:02:01 GMT

The Seed- Vol 1- Winter 2024

Download our Winter 2024 Newsletter here:

Physical Investment, Spiritual Treasure- GLBC Connects 2024

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 17 May 2024 18:34:03 GMT

The following is the transcript from my few words at GLBC Connects and Graduation 2024 . The event was held on April 27, 2024 at three of our Hybrid sites (Waterloo, Vineland, Toronto) and also included a number of attendees online.

- Immanuel Velasco, President

Thanks

My thanks and gratitude to you for joining us today.

You can see that this is the first time that we are simultaneously tying together 3 of our Hybrid Learning Sites in Waterloo, Vineland, and Toronto. The future is here!

Our God is glorified through your attendance and care!

Matthew 13:44The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Of course, this parable speaks of God’s greater Kingdom of which we are citizens.

However, I’d like to share a couple of ways that I see this very short parable play out as it relates to GLBC:

The investment of the GLBC community.
The Investment of the students

The Investment of the GLBC community

First, the investment of the GLBC Community. More than a few years ago, the Board and Admin of GLBC started to think and pray about how the school could adapt to the changing educational and cultural landscape in Canada. Instead of asking how we can draw students to the school in Waterloo, we have been asking “how can we deliver the school to the students?”

Through a suite of learning options that meet our diverse student population, the hope is to have the greatest impact in the local church and God’s Kingdom. Our Foundational Certificate Program makes part-time studies easier and the ability to complete that between 6 months and 2 years. Last year, the GLBC Sponsorship fund opened financial doors for 4 students that were able to take classes with GLBC because of supporters like you. Our investment in Hybrid Learning equipment and partnerships with local congregations has provided a wider physical presence- allowing students to simultaneously connect with in-person and online colleagues; your presence today, either in person at one of our sites, or online, demonstrates our progress in delivering the school to students.

This year, we have reason to be optimistic in our financial outlook. The past several fiscal years have been marked by budgeted deficits as we made investments into personnel and equipment; This fiscal year, we are again slated for a planned deficit, but have seen better results than expected. General donations are about 12% better than what we saw last year, and with the addition of two bequests, we are about $100,000 better than budget.

Extra funds above operating costs are being re-invested into the GLBC Sponsorship Fund to open doors for potential students, and put into investment vehicles that will help ensure the financial future of GLBC.

In everything, we pray for God’s continued guidance as we seek to steward His blessings for His glory.

The Investments of the Students

The second, and more important application that this parable plays out at GLBC is the investments our students have made. The heart and discipline to pursue Bible Based education is not for the faint. It often means giving up your free time to attend classes or do reading. It might mean forgoing other educational & work opportunities. It almost certainly means sacrificing some sleep at some point. At times, it may have felt like the price to pay was your sanity!

But, I pray that you’ve found that treasure. I pray you’ve discovered the deep wisdom and comfort in God’s Word. I hope you’ve better understood the lament and ultimate joy as you strive to become more effective in Christ’s Ministry of reconciling the world to Himself. I long for you to pursue peace and power in viewing the world, at least in some part, the way God does.

Not only do you have the chance to reap the benefits, but you also afford yourself the opportunity to share that blessing with someone else.

We’re talking about Physical gifts and eternal treasure.

As Christians, and also the GLBC community, we seek to serve God and His Kingdom, and will often find ourselves using a different measuring stick than the world around us. It would be easy for us to measure success by account balances on a bank statement, but our community has generously helped to equip God’s people. No one would blame us for taking time for taking time on leisure activities, and in fact rest is a God given principle- I hope our students understand this. However, our students also understand the satisfaction that comes with working towards spiritually centred pursuits.

“Any fool can count the number of seeds in an apple, but only the Lord knows how many apples are in a seed.”

Like every Christian working in God’s kingdom, GLBCs impact can’t be fully quantified; our learning community plants and waters, but God gives the increase (1 Cor 3:6). We don’t know all the lives impacted directly or indirectly through the GLBC Community (years past or years to come).

While our school community may be small by worldly measures, we know that the only success that matters is made possible through and is measured by our Heavenly Father- and indeed, what wonderful treasures he has in store.

So with deep gratitude, and glory to our Heavenly Father, I thank you for the investments you’ve made as a community, and as students. As a community, we thank you for your prayers, your financial support, your participation in events like this. As students, we thank you for making the investment into eternal things.

May we all continue to pursue and honor Him in word and deed.

Generation to Generation

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 10 May 2024 19:31:03 GMT

Just as we've been blessed by those that came before us, Generation to Generation encourages Christians today to think about, and plan on how we can bless generations to come.

Partnering with other Christian Ministries, the Generation to Generation campaign, through financial planning, will equip Christians to plan for the near future, as well as to think about leaving a spiritual impact and physical gifts from one generation of the church to the generations to come; This could be their local church, or a ministry close to their heart

Visit the Generation to Generation Landing Page

Chapel Talk, Dave Knutson, Luke 23:33–43, What Were They Thinking?, April 24, 2024

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:48:34 GMT

Chapel Talk, Dave Knutson, Luke 23:33–43, What Were They Thinking?, April 24, 2024

Chapel Talk, Jim Holston, Daniel 1–7, "The God of Heaven and You" , April 17, 2024

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 16:09:09 GMT

Chapel Talk, Jim Holston, Daniel 1–7, "The God of Heaven and You" , April 17, 2024

Chapel Talk, Sam Mulligan, Isaiah 44:6–20, "God and Idols', April 10, 2024

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 16:05:14 GMT

Chapel Talk, Sam Mulligan, Isaiah 44:6–20, "God and Idols', April 10, 2024

Chapel Talk, Immanuel Velasco, Ephesians 4:11–16, "Leadership in the Kingdom", April 3, 2024

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 18:01:54 GMT

Chapel, Ephesians 4:11–16, "Leadership in the Kingdom", Immanuel Velasco, April 3, 2024

Chapel Talk, Chad Ramsey, Mark 7:1–30, "Following Jesus with a Pure Heart", March 27, 2024

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:51:32 GMT

Chapel Talk, Chad Ramsey, Mark 7:1–30, "Following Jesus with a Pure Heart" March 27, 2024

Ingredients Make Many Things Possible

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:42:11 GMT

This article was originally published in our Stakeholder Newsletter over 20 years ago, and was written by then Principal, Dave Knutson.

"... as you have ingredients, the possibilities are endless."

Some years ago a young man paid us a visit. We encouraged him to make himself at hom, and

he did. One evening he checked our cupboards for snacks, without any luck. His came back

saying, “there isn’t any food in there - only ingredients”.

Now I had never thought of it that way before. When I open our cupboards, I see food.

Of course, he was looking for ‘value-added products’ - like cookies or pretzels. The thing about

adding value to products is that they already are ‘all that they can be’. You can’t plant a potato

chip and a cookie will never grow up to be a wedding cake. The benefit of added convenience

results in a loss of potential. But as long as you have ingredients, the possibilities are endless.

At Great Lakes Bible College our philosophy of education begins with ingredients. We think of

our finished ‘product’ as ‘a work in progress’ that will take a lifetime to complete.

It is not our goal to provide ‘all of the answers’ or for that matter, to raise ‘all of the questions’.

What we want to do, is to equip our students for a lifetime of growth in matters pertaining to God

and his Word. Our goal is to graduate candidates who have a broad base of biblical knowledge

and the ability to think for themselves. At the same time, we encourage and support personal

spiritual growth and meaningful service in the church.

The bottom line is that Great Lakes Bible College does add value, but we are careful about how

we do it. We do not want to sacrifice potential for the sake of convenience. I think that it is fair to

say that none of our degree tracks qualify as a nice light snack. That is why it takes at least three

years to earn a Bachelor of Religious Education Degree and four years for a Bachelor of

Theology Degree .

A lifetime of Christian service deserves serious preparation. Make plans now to join us this fall.

Dave Knutson

Principal

Chapel Talk, Moises Velasco, Romans 7:14-25, "Inner Conflict", March 20, 2024

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:55:34 GMT

Chapel Talk, "Inner Conflict" (Romans 7:14-25), Moises Velasco, March 20, 2024

Chapel Talk, Thayer Salisbury, Psalm 119:129–44, "Your Wonderful Word" , March 13, 2024

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 20:37:27 GMT

Chapel Talk, Thayer Salisbury, March 13, 2024

Chapel Talk, Paul Birston, Acts 2:36–47, "They Were Persevering in the Teaching of the Apostles", March 6, 2024

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:16:34 GMT

Chapel Talk, Paul Birston, March 6, 2024

Chapel Talk, Matt Wallin, 2 Corinthians 5:17–20, "A Ministry of Reconciliation", February 28, 2024

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:13:01 GMT

Chapel Talk, Matt Wallin, February 28, 2024

Chapel Talk, Ryan Fraser, Hebrews 12:1–2, "Your Cloud of Witnesses", February 21, 2024

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:56:45 GMT

Chapel talk from Ryan Fraser, Feb-21-2024, "Your Cloud of Witnesses"

Chapel Talk, Eric Lyons, Genesis 1:1, Creation Makes Sense, February 14, 2024

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:11:44 GMT

Chapel talk from 02-14-2024 presented by Eric Lyons

Chapel Talk, Nathan Brown, Numbers 9:15-23, "At the Command of the Lord", February 12, 2024

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:51:59 GMT

Chapel recording from 02-07-24 by Nathan Brown, Speaker

From Generation to Generation: Intergenerational Ministry in the Modern Church

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 18:39:29 GMT

I believe that an important part of Congregational health in the coming months and years, is to ensure that our members of every age and spiritual maturity sustain and strengthen intentional connections.

The spirit of community is built into us, after all, God said, “… Let us make man in our image…” (Gen 1:26, emphasis added).

This article was orginially published in the Gospel Herald on January 31, 2022

The pandemic has brought an ‘uncertain certainty’ to many congregations. The uncertain part is that we don’t know exactly what it will look like when we all start coming back together in force. We are certain, however, that we will abide with God just as he dwells with us.

I believe that an important part of Congregational health in the coming months and years, is to ensure that our members of every age and spiritual maturity sustain and strengthen intentional connections. The spirit of community is built into us, after all, God said, “… Let us make man in our image…” (Genesis 1:26, emphasis added).

From One Generation to the Next

If you talk to any mature Christian, most do not want or expect to play the exact same role forever.

When I was in my late 20s, I was approached by Max Craddock, our long-time minister at the Strathmore Blvd Church of Christ. He said that once a month there were some speaking opportunities on Sunday evenings and asked if I would step in. It seemed a bit ironic to be asked, as I am sure that I had dozed off during some of his sermons as a teenager. I accepted the offer and discovered a wonderful opportunity to hone my writing skills and to practice public speaking in front of those small Sunday evening groups. Having ‘grown up’ at Strathmore, these were people that I knew and trusted, and who were patient with me as I practiced those new skills.

About a year later, I ‘graduated’ to speaking on a Sunday morning. It was exciting to look out into the congregation and to see plenty of smiling faces. And off to my left, there was Max, who was just starting to doze off. Who knew that it would give me such a warm feeling?

It was a beautiful exchange of roles and part of the natural process whereby those who are more mature share responsibilities with those who are younger to bring about maturity and the continuity of God’s work.

An Example from Israel (Deuteronomy 11:13- 28)

Deuteronomy, Chapter 11, takes place at the end of Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness, and just prior to that nation entering into the Promised Land. God had taken His people out of Egypt, and for a generation, they experienced first-hand what it meant to depend upon God. Here, like a good parent, God provided guidelines for the situation into which they were about to enter.

This chapter includes certain key instructions about giving honour to God’s word (v.18-20). To this day, certain orthodox Jews take this passage quite literally, keeping scriptures posted by their doors and bound to their foreheads.

To paraphrase the message: Once my promise is fulfilled, this is what you need to do: Tell your children at every chance how I’ve been faithful. Don’t forget about how I have taken care of you. You’ll continue to be blessed if you obey my commands, and cursed if you turn away from me (v.26-28). From history, we know that Israel only lived by these commands during certain parts of her history, and that fulfillment of God’s grace and love came fully through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

Intergenerational Relationships In Modern Churches

In more recent history, especially within Western Culture, there has been an artificial division between age groups. It began perhaps with Sunday Schools which during the industrial revolution were a response by churches to the growing number of unschooled children that were working in factories. More recently, events like ‘youth rallies’ and the role of dedicated youth minister, have in the post WW2-Baby-Boom Era attempted to respond to the massive growth in the numbers of young people. This isn’t to say that modern youth ministry doesn’t have a place, as it helps to address certain challenges.

Having spent many years working with the young people of the church, I can say that there are certainly some unique things about ministering to youth. Each generation is faced with a different set of values than the one before. The times are changing and changing quickly. Not only that, but young people have different energy levels, and struggle with their own set of questions because of their stage in life. Yet I believe that healthy and authentic intergenerational relationships play an indispensable role in the life of the church and the growth of each member.

An example from John, called Mark

John, called Mark has a few mentions in the New Testament, and provides a powerful example of someone who grew into a leadership role within the Church and did so with the help of more mature Saints. The role that his family played in the church is suggested in Acts 12:12, when Peter, having escaped from prison went directly to a home where the brethren were praying for him. It was the house of Mary, John Mark’s mother. Mark was chosen by Paul and Barnabas to accompany them on their first mission journey. But since he decided to return home before the work was complete, Paul and Barnabas disagreed over including him in their second effort. They parted company over this disagreement and went their separate ways (Acts 12:25; 15:36-40). By the time that Paul wrote 2 Timothy, he had changed his mind about John Mark. He now considered him to be such a valuable asset that Paul is requesting his presence (2 Tim 4:11). In light of this example, we might ask ourselves – how we are fostering relationships between generations that encourage patient growth?

Five Steps in Encouraging Faith Into Action

Every Christian is a Minister. Every Christian has the responsibility to prepare themselves and to the best of their ability prepare others for service. As mature members, we can use our words and actions to encourage less mature Christians, and gradually release responsibility to them. As less mature members, we can take time to appreciate the experience that is being shared and bring our own energy to the work of the Church.

Let me suggest 5-steps that we can take to successfully mentor the next generation of leaders:

Invite Someone to put their Faith into Action.
What is a work that this person might be interested or talented in?
Once you've found a suitable means to connect, start into the work of mentorship...
You Observe , I do
Let them sit and watch only
Break it into smaller steps
I do, you help
Let them take a small responsibility
You do , I help
Let them take most of the responsibility
I observe, you do
Let them take the whole Action
Mature Christian is a ‘Safety Net’ Only.

Chapel Talk, Peter Morphy, Romans 3:25–26, "Atonement", January 31, 2024

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:55:33 GMT

Chapel recording from 2024-01-31 by Peter Morphy.

Chapel Talk, Moises Velasco, Job 1:20, "Worshipping God In All Circumstances", January 24, 2024

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:48:57 GMT

Chapel recording from 2024-01-24 by Moises Velasco.

Chapel Talk, Roy Davison, 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21: "What Will Heaven Be Like", January 17, 2024

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 17:22:08 GMT

Chapel recording from 2024-01-17 by Roy Davison

Chapel Talk, Paul Birston, Acts 1:1-8 Concerning All That Jesus Began to Do and Teach, January 10, 2024

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 01:54:14 GMT

Chapel recording from 2024-01-10 presented by Paul Birston.

Mark 12:1-12 Renting in the Lord's Vineyard

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:32:44 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-12-06 presented by Nathan Brown.

Philippians 4:12-13 I Can Endure All Things

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:25:33 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-11-29 presented by Immanuel Velasco.

Principles for Youth Ministry

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:38:08 GMT

Among other goals, a local congregation's youth ministry should aim to provide tools and support to help youth mature and to find their place in God's Kingdom.

Here are some principles that we can keep in mind when designing a Youth Ministry Program:

Meet children where they are: Youth have different levels of biblical knowledge that may need to be filled. It’s important to understand their backgrounds and experiences to help them grow in their faith. The Levels of Biblical Learning are biblical concepts that kids need to learn as they grow from infancy to the beginning of the teenage years and into young adulthood. By the time they're young adults, they should be able to articulate an understanding of: God, Jesus, Bible, Creation, Family, Self, Church, Community and World, Holy Spirit, and Salvation .
Youth Need to Understand Civil Disagreement: It’s possible and important for Christians to be able to disagree with the people around them (i.e. non-Christian Worldviews), while maintaining a spirit of love.
Youth need tools to be able to discern truth vs. non-truth: In today's modern world, we can expect that Youth can and will be exposed to all sorts of teachings as it is readily available through channels like Youtube and Social Media (Did you know there's Christians on Tik Tok?) We won’t be able to control their access, so providing tools for discernment are more important.
Youth need to understand that Christian Beliefs are different from Political/Cultural Groupings: We need to be careful that Christian youth identify with Christian Identity, and not just political or cultural groups that may have some overlap. The dangers of becoming entagled with other groups are that members of those group may not be as uniform in their beliefs as outsiders may think, and that the groups as whole may also hold beliefs that Christians disagree with. For example

If you're interested in learning more about building a successful Youth Program, consider taking GLBC's Christian Education Course for Credit or Audit .

Matthew 7:1-5 Then You Will See Clearly

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:23:05 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-11-22 presented by Paul Birston.

Colossians 1:15-20 Christ the Centre

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:21:40 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-11-15 presented by Jim Holston.

Acts 9:36-43 Preaching With Your Talents

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:22:32 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-11-08 presented by Matt Wallin.

Hebrews 10:19-25 Faithful to Our Confession

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:20:11 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-11-01 presented by Chad Ramsey.

Proverbs 6:6 Working in Unity

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:17:21 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-10-25 presented by Moises Velasco.

Bible College During A Transition Time 📖🎓

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 17:57:49 GMT

Considering Bible college during a time of transition can be a wise and spiritually enriching decision.

Here are two compelling reasons to contemplate:

Seeking First the Kingdom through every season:

God’s Word instructs us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33). This biblical principle emphasizes prioritizing spiritual growth and seeking God’s will above all else.
Times of transition occur more often than we think- graduation from high school to is significant, but in todays world, we also find ourselves between careers, with family circumstances changing (hello, empty-nesters), or thinking about retirement.
Dedicating at least a year to Bible college allows for grounding in faith and spiritual development. Programs like GLBC's Foundational Certificate provide focused Bible instruction, chapel services, and valuable tools in connecting to your local church.

2. Finding and Preparing for God’s Will:

Many young people are uncertain about their life direction, and more mature may find themselves rethinking what they're being called to do.
Bible college offers a safe and spiritually productive environment for seeking clarity.
As students engage with God’s Word, they often discover direction. The Bible is described as a lamp that illuminates the path (Psalm 119:130).
A year or more in Bible college can provide the light needed to discern God’s will. Like Abraham’s servant Eleazar, who said, “I being in the way, the LORD led me” (Genesis 24:27), students can find guidance.

3. Personal Application and Maturity:

Real life application of Bible College can help students grown in maturity Biblical Knowledge, Ministry, and Christian Worldview
Attending Bible college through one of Great Lakes Bible College's Learning Centres gives them the connection and context to consider their role in their local church community.
The challenges provided through Ministry Experience credits help to foster independence, responsibility, and deeper faith.

Bible college during a time of transition offers an opportunity to align with God’s purposes , discover His will, and mature spiritually.

For qualified students, Bursaries and Scholarships may be available.

2 Timothy 1:9 How Was Grace Given to Us In Christ Before Time Benga

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 17:46:13 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-10-18 presented by Roy Davison.

Luke 10:25-37 Great Commands

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 17:14:09 GMT

Chapel recording from 11-10-2023 presented by Peter Morphy.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed Are the Peacemakers for They Shall Be Called Children of God

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:27:38 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-10-04 presented by Immanuel Velasco

Matthew 6:25-34 Consider the Lilies of the Field – Faith and Stewardship in a Materialistic World

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 21:45:45 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-09-29 presented by Dave Knutson.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 Captives of Christ

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 02:24:15 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-09-20 presented by Sam Mulligan.

I Have Made You A Watchman

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:46:05 GMT

This Article was originally written by GLBC Professor Nathan Brown, for the Gospel Herald

See Original Article Here

The first three chapters of Ezekiel record God’s interactions with Ezekiel at the outset of his prophetic ministry. God does not pull any punches when he informs Ezekiel of the road ahead. Instead, He tells Ezekiel exactly how difficult his ministry is going to be: “I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants are also impudent and stubborn” (Ezekiel 2:3–4, ESV).

God’s people did not want to hear what He had to say about their situation because they had already made up their minds. Their failure to listen did not absolve Ezekiel of his responsibility to speak. God continues:

“I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them” (2:4–5).

God tells Ezekiel that he is to speak up, regardless of whether people listen. God knows that Ezekiel’s audience is going to ignore the opportunity He is giving them to repent, but He sends Ezekiel anyway so that there is no doubt about his audience’s culpability. They are not helpless pawns, powerless to do anything about the fate a capricious God has waiting for them; rather, they are choosing to reject the grace offered by a loving God who takes no pleasure in what His righteousness requires Him to do when His people act as the Israelites have (cf. 18:25–32).

Having received this commission, Ezekiel has two choices: (1) obey God by speaking up, or (2) disobey God by staying quiet. There is no third option. The commands God issues to Ezekiel in 2:6–7 illustrate the cost of obeying God. If God bothers to tell Ezekiel not to fear the people and their threats, even when “briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions,” i.e., when the threats proceed to physical violence, and not to be “dismayed at their looks” (2:6), it seems likely that threats, intimidation, and ridicule awaited Ezekiel. Indeed, these things transpire in the rest of the book. God insists that His people have forewarning of the fate that awaits them, and He insists that His prophet have forewarning of what proclaiming that fate will cost him. God has already classified Israel as rebels who will not listen, but what about the prophet?

Next, God calls for an action that symbolizes Ezekiel accepting his mission. He says: “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you” (3:8). This command places Ezekiel in parallel with the people as a whole: they do not listen and are rebellious; he is to listen and not be rebellious. Ezekiel does not record what he was expecting God to feed him, but one might suspect that he was not expecting to eat a book. Nevertheless, what God puts in front of him is “a scroll of a book” (2:9). When opened, the scroll has writing on both sides that Ezekiel describes as “words of lamentation and mourning and woe” (2:10).

God repeats his command to eat (3:1), and Ezekiel obeys (3:2–3). The words of “lamentation and mourning and woe” (2:10) taste “as sweet as honey” (3:3), symbolizing that Ezekiel understands the necessity of the coming judgment and God’s righteousness in decreeing it. God then repeats Ezekiel’s mission, adding an explicit promise of assistance (3:4–11). By eating the book, Ezekiel has symbolically accepted his mission and, thus, demonstrated his willing obedience; for this reason, God informs Ezekiel that He has already equipped Ezekiel for this task by hardening his face and forehead to match those of his audience (3:8). After reiterating Ezekiel’s mission, God once again shows him His glory, just like he saw it in chapter 1, and this experience overwhelmed him for a week (3:12–15).

After that week, however, God spoke with Ezekiel again, using a very poignant image to explain Ezekiel’s role as a prophet: “I have made you a watchman” (3:17a). Being a watchman is another way to describe Ezekiel’s responsibility to speak whatever God gave him to speak (3:17b). A watchman’s job was to sound the warning when attackers appeared outside a city’s wall; Ezekiel’s job is to announce the judgment that is coming on God’s people.

God further spells out what being a watchman looks like with a series of hypothetical cases (3:18–21). This series of four hypothetical situations demonstrates that the watchman is responsible for raising the alarm but not for whether anyone heeds it. Regardless of Ezekiel’s action or inaction, those on whom God’s judgment is coming will suffer that judgment: each case, except one, contains the statement that the category of person discussed “shall die for his iniquity/sin” (3:18, 19, 20). The sole exception, where Ezekiel’s preaching affects the outcome, is when he warns a righteous person who heeds his warning (3:21). Although Ezekiel’s preaching alters his audience’s fate in only one of four hypothetical situations, his decision either to preach that message faithfully or to disobey by remaining silent affects his fate in each situation: in each case where he hypothetically remains silent, God says He will hold Ezekiel accountable for that person’s blood (3:18, 20); in each case where he hypothetically speaks up, God says that he “will have delivered” his “soul” (3:19). Ezekiel’s eternal destiny hinges on whether he speaks up or remains silent—not on the results.

That is all well and good for Ezekiel, living in Babylonia during the sixth century B.C., but where does it leave Christians in Canada during the twenty-first century A.D.? The most obvious application to draw would be to our responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission, even though the culture around us may seem, at best, indifferent and, at worst, hostile to the Gospel. Without a doubt, there is something to this: the Bible does teach that our eternal destinies hinge on our willingness to step out in faith and stand up for God even when it is not popular (e.g., Matthew 10:32).

Nevertheless, a more specific application seems in order here, given that God sent Ezekiel not “to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel” (3:5). This suggests that, just as Ezekiel’s ministry was focused on God’s people of his day, the proper application of the principles in it involves relationships between Christians at least as much as relationships with those outside the church. Granted, speaking God’s truth to our brothers and sisters who have gone astray is not easy, and it must be done with the correct attitude (Galatians 6:1–2; John 13:34–35) and procedure (Matthew 18:15–20). The erring members of God’s people today may not want to hear God’s message any more than those in Ezekiel’s day did, but that does not absolve Christians of the duty to speak (cf. 2 Tim 4:3–5). God has placed each Christian as a watchman to help others get to heaven. Dare we fail Him—and each other—by failing to discharge this duty?

Waterloo, ON

Mark 1:4-15 The Time Has Been Fulfilled and the Kingdom of God Has Drawn Near

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 20:18:43 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-09-13 presented by Nathan Brown.

Luke 7:18-35 Wisdom is Vindicated by All Her Children

admin@glbc.ca (Judy Robins) — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:11:38 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-09-06 presented by Paul Birston.

The Importance of Practice in Ministry

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:43:57 GMT

Growing Through Practice

It's been more than 20 years since I graduated from High School, 15 since I completed my Undergraduate Degree, and by my count I've held 10 or so roles in the same amount of time, in the financial services world, as well as in my local church community.

New students might be surprised to hear that most of the things I learned for those roles were actually learned "on the job" and that often, previous experience (not just education) was one of the most critical things in setting me up for success.

At GLBC, we integrate the Ministry Formation Credit into our curriculum because we recognize the importance in providing students with the opportunity to explore different ministry paths, identifying which most aligns with how God is calling you to serve, regardless of where you are in Canada or beyond. Practical experience also offers the chance to immediately contribute to and develop a network within the Church community.

If you want to explore what God might have in store for you, GLBC may be able to help. We invite you to apply to study with GLBC either for a Foundational Certificate , or Degree . Through coursework and experiences through GLBC, you can develop a sound knowledge of the Scriptures and experience opportunities to articulate your faith and to integrate biblical truths with practical concerns of life.

Understanding Extra-Biblical Theology Writings in Light of Scripture

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Wed, 03 May 2023 14:45:54 GMT

Understanding Extra-Biblical Theology Writings in Light of Scripture

By Paul Birston

This article was originally published for the Gospel Herald

An 8-week course on this topic is available through Great Lakes Bible College

God's Foundation

God has given us one inspired book, the Bible, containing everything He chose to reveal in writing of Himself, His eternal purposes and His will for our lives in time and eternity.

Over the past ca. 1,925 years, however, people have written countless thousands of non-inspired documents and books of practice and theology (“the study of God”) which millions of people take as authoritative alongside, or even over, the Bible.

There exist in the world today thousands of denominations defining themselves by extra-Biblical creeds, confessions and statements. How did all this extra-, or un-Biblical material come to be? Why does this matter? What’s the point of trying to understand it? What do we do now?

God guarantees us that His one inspired book contains everything we need for knowing Him and doing His will. His Word teaches everything we need for:

Salvation
Worship
Leadership
Life
Godliness

His Word is a seed, “the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). His Word is all-sufficient to accomplish what He inspired it to do (Isaiah 55:8–11; 2 Timothy 3:14–17).

The work of knowing God and proclaiming the gospel are common works of the entire body of Christ of which every Christian has a vital role as a priest in His “royal priesthood” representing God to people and people to God (1 Peter 2:9–10; Ephesians 4; Titus 3).

God clearly defines positions of leadership (Ephesians 4; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). Theologian is not a Biblical office. Rather, God affirms the finality of His Word and commands us from the Torah to Revelation, beginning to end, not to add to or to take away from it. God does not command us to write theology, creeds, confessions or canons of church law for governing His body. Christ is the One head of His one body which He guides by His inspired Word.

All extra-Biblical theology writings by definition are reductionist or additive because they are less than all of Scripture on one hand, and additive and excessive on the other. As an example of the latter, the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures contain approximately 557,702 words. Church Dogmatics by Karl Barth is estimated to contain 6,000,000 words.

How Did We Get Here? 1,925 Years of Theology Writing and Church* History

Four letters in five words provide a “big picture” overview of both the authority for truth and the phases of church* history and theologising that people have built their faith upon over the past nearly two millennia:

Scripture
Tradition
Reason
Experience/Emotion

Scripture is clearly the one authority for communicating and knowing eternal truth that God has given His people. He speaks His eternal truth into time to accomplish His purposes and His final judgments of the eternal destinies of all people. God and His Word are eternal and not subject to change.

Tradition began to become authoritative alongside or over the Bible very early in the history of Christendom. Documented extra-Biblical theology writings giving a foundation for traditions departing from Scriptural teaching began to emerge late in the first century. They continue in great volume to this day and likely will until Jesus returns. Major world religions all demonstrate this inclination of people to add endlessly to their holy books.

Tradition began early to affect many aspects of the faith “once for all delivered to the holy ones” (Jude 3): salvation, worship, leadership and life. Tradition changed the time and mode of baptism, formalised liturgies adding elements of Old Testament worship, exalted individual “bishops” above God’s wisdom for plurality in elderships, and created un-Christlike divisions of clergy and laity (people). These innovations largely emerged and developed through unauthorised theology writings that became rules of practice.

Reason became a dominant criterion of truth in the Enlightenment. Reason reacted against authoritative tradition and what rationalists saw as unreasonable aspects of Scripture, notably miracles in their opinion.

Experience and emotion as authorities of truth reacted against the overbearing structures of tradition and the perceived effects of coldness and deadness that reason had had upon religion. The emphasis on the experience of God and the quest for parallel emotional confirmations emerged from pietism on Continental Europe and spread to modern evangelicalism through the Methodists (Wesleys) in England and on to the American colonies. Results include the “sinners prayer” as the means of receiving salvation. It is not found in Scripture. One might properly ask, if this was God’s will, would not Peter have said so when asked on the Day of Pentecost how one should respond to gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection in lieu of the answer that he did give in Acts 2:38?

Some try to reconcile all four criteria by postulating that Scripture is a foundation upon which valid traditions can be built that are reasonable and lead to positive emotional experience (e.g. the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” derived from the theological reflections of John Wesley).

As an example of the effects of these four views of authority, see “Immersion (Baptism) and Scriptural Authority through 2,000 Years”

The Process and Types of Extra-Biblical/Un-Biblical Theology Writings

Extra-Biblical theology writings began early to emerge simultaneously from charismatic leaders and their followers and those attempting to refute them and to defend orthodoxy. The history of some of these documents, such as the Didache (Teaching) of the Twelve Apostles and The Apostles Creed is vague.

As an example of theological speculation, the Apostles Creed asserts that Christ descended to hell. Only one person spoke directly of hell in Scripture: Jesus (11 of 12 times in the New Testament in Matthew (7 times), Mark (3) and Luke (1). James mentioned hell once relative to the tongue being set on fire by it (James 3:6). Neither Jesus nor James say anything about Jesus descending to hell.

Some documents have clear historical origins such as 1 Clement (“Bishop” of Rome) to Corinth, dated to the mid AD 90’s. By the mid-second century and onwards, authorship and dating become much more certain.

As a clear example of the process of theology writing, monotheism and the eternal existence and divinity of Jesus became major issues in the third and fourth century. The First Council of Nicea in 325 attempted to solve this problem with a creed. Interestingly, the creed did not stop the issue then or subsequently. It persisted through the centuries and is still alive in the 21st century in universalism and unitarianism and major Christian cults.

A result of this first council, however, was the ongoing convening of councils through the centuries to formulate authoritative dogma. The latest councils were Vatican I and II. We should note that doctrine is extremely important to God (Titus 1). Dogma, on the other hand, is a set of tenets held by a particular group that may or may not be in accordance with Scripture. If it is in accord, then extra-Biblical writing is not necessary, nor is it desirable if it is not in accord. The enterprise of councils is justified by those who hold them on the false assumption that the Holy Spirit continues to reveal “truth” not found in Scripture.

Through and since the Reformation, lengthy confessions, such as the Westminster Confession, have become authoritative for many denominations who claim to follow Scripture alone” (sola Scriptura). These, following Luther’s lead, tend also to believe salvation is by “faith alone” (sola fide). Profoundly this phrase is found only once in the Greek New Testament where James writes, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24).

Creeds, councils, confessions. Extra-Biblical theology writing has become a massive industry. Here are just some examples of the genres: Bible book theologies (many for each of the 66 books), Biblical author theologies (e.g. of Moses, Paul, Peter, John, etc.), combinations of Bible books (e.g. Luke-Acts), Old Testament, New Testament, historical, systematic, dogmatic, philosophical, humanist, natural, liberation, feminist, gender (gay, etc.), denominational (catholic, evangelical, reformed/calvinist, etc.). Systematic theologies, also appearing early in confessions and independent books contain topical studies of: God the Father (Paterology, Partiology), Jesus Christ (Christology), God’s Holy Spirit (Pneumatology), Men and Women (Anthropology), Sin (Hamartiology), Salvation (Soteriology), Church (Ecclesiology) and the Last Days (Eschatology). We could also mention the Scholastics whose major works attempted to answer theological questions using a combination of Scripture and philosophy.

Where has all this brought us? We live in a world today where major denominations and their streams of theological writing are making exclusive claims that not only contradict each other, they contradict Scripture on countless points.

Why Does This Matter?

We must know God’s will for our salvation, worship, leadership, life and godliness. We must know and do what pleases Him. Our souls depend on it. The souls of close to eight billion people on earth depend on it.

Our first and last source of knowledge of God and His will is His Word. We must read it through as often as possible, meditate on it, hear it, and share it with one another regularly. We must examine everything by its light (Psalm 119:160; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1–6). As we do will find that rather than turning to extra-Biblical theology writings to understand Scripture, we will be surprised and rewarded to find that the deeper we go into God’s Word the more clearly we can see where streams of extra-Biblical theology writing have departed from it. If only the authors of the Nicean Creed would have read and meditated long and hard on John 1, Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1 they would have had no need for a creed.

To begin and sustain conversations with others and hope to communicate the gospel to them effectively we must understand them: their worldviews, their culture, their beliefs.

Waterloo, Ontario

*Footnote: Regarding the impact of extra-Biblical theology writings, even “Church” itself is not a Bible word. “Church” is an Old English-Dutch-German-Medieval Greek version of a completely different Greek word, kuriokon when combined with doma means “lord’s house” used for buildings which were places of worship from the 4th century on and sometimes, unfortunately, of His people. The unbiblical word “church” makes most people think of a building or a bad experience of being burned by religion or the parade of abuse laid out in the media today. The Bible word is ekklesia which means “assembly” which is very close to the meaning for synagogue which comes from the verb “gather together.” The total assembly of Christ is made up of all His individual local autonomous assemblies on earth and “the festal gathering and assembly (ekklesia) of the Firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Hebrews 12:)

GLBC Connects- Transcript from Immanuel Velasco

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 01 May 2023 15:07:12 GMT

Transcript from President Introduction at Great Lakes Bible College End of Year Ceremony. Delivered on April 29, 2023.

Welcome students, family and friends. Today, we acknowledge the hard work and success of the past year. We recall clicking at keyboards while papers were researched and written, or perhaps the smell of coffee while listening to lectures. We give thanks for the hours sacrificed to reading and dwelling with the Word of God.

As I think about the work of another school year passed, I’m reminded of a story of two woodcutters.

Every day the two men cut down trees together, and more often than not, they would tease each other about who had cut more. So one day, they decided to hold a competition to determine a winner.

At sunrise, they both found their spots and got started in earnest. This lasted for an hour before one suddenly stopped. When he realized that there was no chopping sound from his opponent, the second woodcutter thought: “Ah Ha! He must be tired!” The second woodcutter doubled down and continued hacking away.

This went on the whole day. Every hour, the first would stop chopping for a few minutes while the second kept going. At the end of the day, the second woodcutter was certain that even though he could no longer feel them, he would be able to raise his arms in victory. When he walked over, he was shocked to see the result. “How could you have chopped down more trees than me? I heard you stop working every hour for fifteen minutes!”

The first woodcutter replied, “Well, it’s really simple. Every time I stopped work, while you were still chopping down trees, I was sharpening my axe.”

When I started working with GLBC, I knew that there’d be an expectation challenge- that is, people often assume that the school is meant exclusively for those who want to get involved with full-time and paid ministry. However, those here know that GLBC is committed to support every disciple to be equipped for effective work. As I’ve joined lectures, online chapels, and as we continue to partner with the local church across Canada, I have recognized the diversity of the people we engage with- the diversity of Jesus’ disciples.

The fundamental meaning of disciple in the New Testament is "one who learns," or "one who engages in learning through instruction from another." We are learning from the Greatest Teacher of all time and eternity! (and I’m not talking about Nathan Brown). We learn from Jesus by His Word and by doing it with Him. In John 7:17, Jesus answers the Jews in the temple about where his teachings come from: ¹⁷ Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

To be a disciple require basic knowledge- every Christian has at least knowledge of how they became a Christian, and of His Teacher's Commands.
To be a disciple comes with responsibility- every Christian is meant to be, and help others become more united with Christ through obedience of His commands.
To be a disciple means you never stop learning/practicing.As Christians, we have the privilege to continually be humbled and shaped by the greatest teacher.

With the greatest teacher at hand, our next hope at GLBC is to build opportunities for students to get equipped for service, and to help them be of service as part of the local church. Over the last couple of years, we’ve come together to remove many barriers for students. Together, a new bursary program and scholarships were developed to support the tuition of any student that has a demonstrated financial need. We have invested in new equipment and sites to improve the library and learning experience in a hybrid environment, and our faculty is utilizing our new scanner and upgraded equipment for different settings. Today, we have enough recorded material that a student can complete their entire degree online if they chose. We are working on expanding our practicum and in-person meeting opportunities. In the coming weeks, we can look forward to short courses in Weyburn, SK and Camp Omagh (ON).

Indeed, we want to give as many opportunities as possible for Christians to come together and become better equipped for service- to sharpen their axes.

Going back to the woodcutters, our parable breaks down. Jesus clearly shares in his parable in Matthew 20, that it doesn’t matter how long we labour for the kingdom, that we will all receive the same, due, reward. So, having a ‘sharper axe’ won’t make God love us more or less. Also, I know that even during the school year, our students and faculty continue to be engaged as part of their local congregations and aren’t only focused on the sharpening.

However, I do want to reflect on how this might apply to the disciples that are getting equipped through GLBC:

First, to our students, I want to affirm that you’ve done a good thing in taking the time to study God’s word in a deep and meaningful way. To sharpen your axe will help you to be more effective in the service of God and His Kingdom. I pray that you’ll be able to do so with ever more sincerity and impact with your local church and people around you. Congratulations to all our students- Part-time, full-time, online, in-person. Congratulations on the achievement and commitment to equipping yourself for the work at hand. Congratulations on sharpening your axe.

Second to both our students and faculty- this coming break is well-deserved. I hope that you’ll take the time to rest and find renewal. Sometimes you need a break from both chopping and sharpening.

Lastly, I want to offer a challenge. As you’re connecting with the people around you, and when they inevitably notice how much you’ve been able to learn… please ask them to consider joining you! After all, how much more effective can God’s people be if we all took time to sharpen our axe?

Mark 1:1-3 The Beginning of the Gospel

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 18:24:27 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-04-19 presented by Nathan Brown.

Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:2 - Renewal Through Hospitality

admin@glbc.ca (Judy Robins) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:49:51 GMT

Church of Christ- Considering Vocational Ministry?

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:44:30 GMT

If you're considering vocational ministry in Canada, GLBC may be for you

What Is Vocational Ministry?

The term "vocational ministry" is most often used to describe a career in which someone is paid to work full-time with a congregation or organization- for example as an Evangelist or Missionary.

"Vocation" comes from a root word meaning "calling". In a secular worldview, the word "Vocation" is often used interchangably with "Career" or "Profession". However, in a Christian worldview, our spiritual vocation may overlap our career, but not always.

"Ministry" means "service." In a secular context, this usually means Government Service. As Christians, we usually think of ministry as service to God. In either case, the word often brings up ideas of a special role reserved for a select few. In contrast , the Bible invites all Christians to minister, and we do so in every area of our lives. Colossians 3:23–24 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

So while "vocational ministry" usually refers to the work done by a person who makes their living through some sort of church-related work, all Christians have a type of vocational ministry. That vocation may or may not contribute to their finances, and it may or may not be immediately recognizable as "Christian." Ephesians 2:10 tells us that "we are [God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." God has placed a call on the lives of each of His children. When we are obedient to His call on our lives and walk in it with an attitude of service, we are doing vocational ministry.

Scholarship Opportunity for full-time at Great Lakes Bible College

Do you or anyone in your congregation want to pursue full-time ministry? Perhaps you've been thinking about ministry as a second career, or as part of your early retirement plan.

Through planned giving, the Williams-Bennetts Fund has been created with the purpose of helping students step into to full-time studies and vocational ministry.

For qualifying students in Canada, tuition and the option for modest living expenses may be covered. The Williams and Bennetts families have been involved with Great Lakes Christian College and Great Lakes Bible College since their inception. This fund was established with their partnership to share God's blessings and honour that relationship. For more information, or to see if you qualify, please contact: immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca

The Letter of Jacob: Restoring His God-Inspired Name- by Paul Birston

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:14:17 GMT

The Letter of Jacob: Restoring His God-Inspired Name

Article by: Paul Birston, orginally published for Gospel Herald on March 31, 2023

How did the letter of Jacob come to be known as the letter of James when Jacob (Ἰάκωβος) is the author’s name in the Greek New Testament inspired by God? What are we missing by this change that occurred many centuries after God inspired him to write this powerful letter? What are some of the benefits of restoring title of his letter to Jacob, the name that God, Joseph and Mary gave Him?

How did the letter of Jacob come to be known as the letter of James?

In the AD 1200’s as English transitioned from Old to Middle English the Latin name for Jacob, Iacomus, came into common usage. John Wycliffe and his translation team brought Iacomus into the first complete English Bible as James in their first editions ca. AD 1382–1395. Wycliffe and his team ironically and unfortunately stayed with Jacob for the Patriarch son of Abraham thus unfortunately severing the obvious connection between all the New Testament Jacobs and their Israelite namesake. The name change stayed in subsequent English translations. The dominance of the Authorised (King James) Version (KJV) following its appearance in 1611 further ingrained this change.

What are we missing by this change from Jacob to James?

Jacob is a Hebrew Jewish name. James is primarily a Gentile name derivative of Hebrew via Latin, Old French and English, where the s is from the Old French masculine subject case.

Many times in Scripture God gives people names, and changes their names, because of the significance of the names to their recipients, their ancestors and others who will be named after them.

The name Jacob has many profound connections with the Jewish history of God’s people and His redeeming work through Israel and Jesus. To say Jacob was a Patriarch who had a huge impact on the history of Israel and God’s salvation of the world through Jesus is an understatement. Based on his arrival into the world as a second-born twin who grabbed-his brothers Esau’s heel and his birth-right and inheritance his inspired name means “one who grabs the heel,” “supplanter.” Based on Jacob’s perseverance and tenacious struggling for and desiring God’s blessing, God changed his name to Israel, “one who wrestles with God.”

Jacob is thus Patriarch and namesake of the nation of Israel through which Jesus Christ their Messiah and ours has come. Jacob’s journeys as a foreigner in Canaan and Egypt are emblematic of those in the dispersion to whom Jacob writes in the opening verse of his letter, “Jacob, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion” (1:1).

Jacob appears prominently in Jesus’ genealogy as Patriarch (Matthew 1:2; Luke 3:34), father of Joseph husband of Mary (Matthew 1:15–16), therefore, Jesus’ and his siblings’ grandfather including Jacob (James). Jacob is named after his grandfather and his ancestor the Patriarch namesake of Israel.

Jesus’ family recognized the tremendous significance of their ancestors. The importance of this lineage to Jewish believers and seekers is profound. It should be for all Gentile believers as well, because we are grafted into Israel by God’s grace.

Jacob is prominent in Jesus’ teaching notably about:

His Father the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the living (Matthew 23:32;Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37)
the resurrection of the dead (Luke 20:37)
the last days in which nations come to recline at the table of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Matthew 8:11),
Judgment (Luke 13:28)
Jesus’ eternal reign: “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:33). We see it in the setting of Sychar in Samaria and metaphorical spiritual significance of Jacob’s well in Jesus’ exchange with the Samaritan woman (John 4:4–6, 12).

Jacob figures prominently in Stephen’s sermon on Jesus the Messiah of Israel in Acts 7: 8, 12, 14–15, 32, 46.

Jacob is important in Paul’s writings in God’s choosing and sanctification of Jacob (Romans 9:13; 11:26).

The name of Jacob is important to the Hebrews writer as an heir of God’s promises and blessing and in turn the blessing of His sons (Hebrews 11:9, 20–21).

Very importantly, Jacob’s letter has very strong links to the teaching of his brother Jesus, vivid illustrations similar to Jesus’ strong teachings and the eternal wisdom teachings of the First Covenant Scriptures (Old Testament).

What are the benefits of restoring Jacob’s God-inspired name?

We would have a clear understanding of Jacob’s relation to Jesus and their grandfather and long ancestral lineage. Jacob’s name would thus connect his readers with the Jewish history of God’s people and His redeeming work through Israel and Jesus.

His diaspora readers would clearly have identified with his name which was one of the most popular in their culture within the wider ancient world. Jacob’s letter has strong similarities with the diaspora letter of Jeremiah 29:1–23 on how a minority of believers is to live within a larger pagan world like the Roman Empire (with many parallels to the morality of our time).

It would clarify the language and possibly help solve important archaeological discoveries and debates such as the “James Ossuary.” Scholars and the public would recognize Jesus’ brother was actually Jacob (יַעֲקֹ֑ב Ya’akov) as on the ossuary inscription.

Appreciation for the powerful literary character of Jacob’s letter would be restored, clearly and effectively in our time. His references and allusions to Torah and Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible and the teachings of Jesus would take on deeper meaning. Jacob is considered by some to be the most “Jewish” New Testament book.

Restoring Jacob’s Jewish name would immediately connect his readers with the broadest possible understandings of his perspectives on Jesus’ and Israelite wisdom and the comprehensive nature of his message for all believers, Jew and Gentile, for all time.

Waterloo, Ontario

Affordable Biblical Studies, Scholarships and Financial Aid for Biblical Studies in Canada

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:43:01 GMT

In addition to affordable tuition, Great Lakes Bible College provides Scholarships and Bursaries

Affordable Tuition

Great Lakes Bible College is very affordable, regardless of whether you choose to attend online, or in-person. Tuition is a little as 20% of comparable programs. Currently, the typical course is only $300 CAD for both Credit and Audit Students.

That means students get University Level Education at the same price point as most Community Colleges.

Great Lakes Bible College Bursary

The GLBC Bursary is open to students of all backgrounds after enrollment, and with a demonstrated Financial Need. Students from Churches of Christ will be given additional consideration. At the discretion of Great Lakes Bible College, awards may be aimed at encouraging specific groups or individuals into study. Full time students with the intention to pursue Ministry as a career will be given special consideration.

Note: An application to the GLBC Bursary does will not neccesarily result in award.

Scholarships for Credit-Track Students

A Number of scholarships are awarded to returning students every year. The Norris and Myrtle Ellis, Charles G. McPhee, Gerald Whitfield Memorial Funds, Becky Hibbard Morgan Memorial Scholarship, Knutson-Mukitus-Timmerman Scholarship, Beverly Bailey Scholarship, and Garry and Janet Bailey Scholarships all provide student assistance each year.
T he Roger Peterson Biblical Geography Scholarship enables credit students to study Biblical geography as early as possible in their program of studies to enhance all of their Bible text courses and life-long ministries.

Note: The scholarship includes tuition and a copy of an excellent atlas of Bible lands.

To start your journey with GLBC, start with an application for Audit or for Credit.

Can AI replace people?

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:51:30 GMT

Are People More Important Than Things? A Christian Worldview

In a Christian Worldview, people are more important than things because we are created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). This means that every person has inherent worth and dignity that comes from being made in God’s image . Jesus Christ also taught that people should love their neighbors as themselves , and if we are to truly follow him (Matthew 22:39), we should even love others as He has loved us (John 13:34).

As we think of the massive experiment currently occuring with AI, the sophistication of the technology is forcing us to question what it means to be a person. I want to offer some questions that might help frame our approach to this dicussion.

If I were lonely, would interacting with a sophisticated AI meet my need for interaction the same as a loved one sitting quietly beside me?
How would I treat a vulnerable person (i.e. One without any immediate utility. For example, an infant) compared to a sophisticated AI? If I had to interact with one or the other to ensure it's future, which would I choose?

Through my understanding of scripture, and Christian Worldview, I believe that there's a God given dignity to people (image beareres of God) that makes us irreplacable by technology. While we might live in a society that values utility over personhood, I believe a Christian worldview has an appreciation for the value of people, and the irreplacable relationship between people and God.

At Great Lakes Bible College, we seek to equip students with the tools and relationships to tackle deep and important questions. We believe that Ministry of some type is a calling for every Christian, not just for those who will become 'full-time' ministers. Tuition is very affordable compared to other Christian Colleges and Universities in Ontario and Canada. Our Bible College is located in Waterloo, ON, Canada, however, in addition to in-person courses, we also offer live online learning opportunities.

Human Connection and Biblical Education

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:50:58 GMT

Human Relationship in Biblical Education Is Important

Human relationship is a vital aspect of biblical education, because it reflects God's design and purpose for humanity. According to the Bible, God created humans in His image and likeness, and He intended them to live in harmony with Him and with each other (Genesis 1:26-28). However, sin disrupted this original plan and caused alienation and conflict between God and humans, and among humans themselves (Genesis 3). The rest of the biblical story is about God's redemptive work to restore human relationship with Him and with one another through Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again to give us new life (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:14-18).

At Great Lakes Bible College, we aim to help students understand and appreciate God's love and grace, and to cultivate a personal and communal relationship with Him through faith and obedience. In a culture that sometimes debates what it means to do so, we try to also equip students to love their neighbors as themselves, and to seek peace and justice in a broken world (Matthew 22:37-40; Micah 6:8). We belive that Biblical education should not be merely an intellectual exercise, but a transformative process that shapes the character, values, and actions of students according to God's will.

Human relationships while pursuing biblical education are important because:

- It fosters a sense of belonging and identity in Christ, who unites people from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives into one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

- It enhances learning and growth through mutual support, encouragement, feedback, and accountability (Proverbs 27:17; Hebrews 10:24-25).

- It provides opportunities for service, ministry, and witness to others, both inside and outside the classroom (Matthew 28:19-20; Galatians 6:10).

- It models the values and practices of God's kingdom, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Human relationship is an essential component of biblical education, because it reflects God's nature and plan for humanity. By cultivating human relationship through biblical education, we can honor God, grow in His likeness, and advance His mission in the world.

More Reasons to Study at a Bible College

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:10:37 GMT

Part-Time or Full-Time Studies For Every Christian

Studying at a Bible college can provide you with a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of God’s word and to develop your personal character. This journey is important for every Christian- whether you intend to go into full-time ministry or not.

At at Great Lakes Bible College you'll get the opportunities

You will learn various study methods, how to properly interpret a given passage, and how to arrive at practical applications of God’s truth . Our curriculum will help you get knowledge from Biblical Languages, History and Archeology to Worldview; More importantly we'll equip you on "how to learn" for the rest of your days to come!
Y ou will have the opportunity to establish or reaffirm your belief in God's Holy Word and to grow in your faith . Wherever you are in your walk with God, we believe that our faith will grow deeper with every step.
You will receive useful ministry-skills training for every Christian in their day to day walk . We also offer specific courses like "Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy" that will be useful as you prepare for everyday Christian living OR full-time ministry.
You will learn to listen to God, to seek Christian service opportunities , and to serve in God's Kingdom. It's amazing what our eyes can be opened to when we are attuned to His spirit.
You will develop lasting friendships through opportunities to meet online and in-person with with those of similar interests and desires . Online classes provide the convenience of connecting from where you live, and weekend and compressed courses are a great for the 'more human' connections.

Learning Centre Launch- HELPPS Inc.

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 01:45:01 GMT

Post-Secondary Education in Bible, Ministry and Worldview

Open House at HELPPS Inc., London ON

February 15, from 4:30-5:30
GLBC reps will be onsite at HELPPS to share about the program offering.
HELPPS is located 557 Southdale Rd E #105, London, ON N6E 1A2.

Great Lakes Bible College (GLBC) is partnering with HELPPS to offer University Level Courses through a new virtual learning centre at the HELPPS offices. Students will be able to listen and interact with live, online instructors as well as a cohort of local students.

1 Chronicles 11:12 All Israel Gathered

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 21:24:40 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-01-18 presented by Nathan Brown.

Titus 2:3 Renewal Through the Holy Spirit and Good Works of Love

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:36:31 GMT

Chapel recording from 2023-01-11 presented by Paul Birston.

Why should I study at a Bible College?

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 18:48:43 GMT

Guided Study and a Learning Community

Usually, those considering courses with a Bible College are already believers in God. They may seek to take courses for personal edification ( audit ) or look to pursue a certification . At Great Lakes Bible College, we offer everything from a Foundations Certificate (About 5 full time courses) to a Bachelor of Theology (About 40 full time courses).

However, many believers are asking the question, why should I study at a Bible College?

More Information, Less Answers

We live in a time and place where virtually any kind of information is available- history, statistics, philosophy, translations, opinion pieces. I can type my question into a search engine (or use voice recognition) and I can find an answer! Why would I question something so easy to use? Sometimes, finding an answer doesn't always mean that I've found the right answer.

In our digital world, algorithms search vast oceans of data on my behalf, and the results are not always focused on finding the right answer. When I research a question, I find the answer that the technology thinks that I want. That is, the 'answer' is based on my previous searches, the content I've clicked on, and even what my housemates have been doing. I'm likely to be presented with the content that is most likely to make me use that technology again. Social media algorithms are designed this way to a greater extent- prioritizing engagement over truth.

For example, if I search 'bible', my search engine will use all of my previous interactions as a guide to present me with the content it thinks that I will find most useful. As I often have done research for sermons, it might direct me to some online bibles. However, if I had recently clicked on content about reasons to doubt, I can be certain that my search engine will take that into account and direct me to content that it deems more suitable.

So, how can I get to the truth? Am I at the mercy of algorithms, or schools and teachers that might have their own agenda?

Rethinking Learning and the Power of a Learning Community

Guided Biblical Education is not just about getting exposure to information- it's about building a foundation through exposure to the best information, and equipping for future success. Through guided study, you can be efficient, without having to rely on only algorithms to provide content. A guided Biblical Education also provides the opportunity to invest our time into serious study. How much time do we spend doing low-value activities, like commuting? If I believe that it's important to explore my relationship with God, I need to also ask if I'm devoting the appropriate amount of time to it? Guided Biblical Education also provide the opportunity to ask relevant questions, and get relevant answers. We can spend hours listening to content that simply supports whatever we already believe. However, guided biblical education with well equipped teachers and similarly curious students allows us to become part of a learning community that equips us for the future. We may not bring up "all the answers", or even bring up "all the questions". However, our foundation and the opportunity to dialogue give us the tools for future success.

Bible, Ministry, Worldview

GLBC's integrated learning model strives to be a holistic approach to learning. If we are to love the Lord with our whole being (Deuteronomy 6:5), then we need an approach to learning that seeks to shape our thoughts and actions toward service.

The Bible is our foundation of learning (Psalm 119:97)
We are all ministers (Ephesians 4:12; | Peter 2:9) and we want to help equip our students for their ministries by walking, shaping and releasing them as servant leaders in the church and in the world.
Developing a Christian worldview is essential to Christian service (Romans I2:1-2)

We have been given the mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus final command is our first priority and we need to be a people focused on the Word and engaged in ministry. In addition, a Christian worldview is shaped by and shapes both our understanding of God's word and our work of ministry.

Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 In The Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth

immanuelvelasco@glbc.ca (Immanuel Velasco) — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 23:49:02 GMT

Gen 1 to Rev 22 In The Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth

Chapel Recording from 2022-09-07 presented by Paul Birston

1 Corinthians The Dysfunctional Family of God

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:54:17 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Peter Nash.

Proverbs 3:5-7 John 10:27 The Importance of Knowing God

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:49:18 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Alan Lewis.

2 Timothy 2:15 Proverbs 3:5-6 How Does God Make Our Paths Straight

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:46:07 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Nathan Brown.

Ezekiel 37 The Valley of Dry Bones

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:42:16 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Kim Huliganga.

Isaiah 30 In Quietness and Trust is Your Strength

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:38:50 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 by Sam Mulligan.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord With All Your Heart

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:33:18 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Paul Birston.

Psalm 139 All Powerful, Ever Present, Always Faithful

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 15:15:19 GMT

Chapel recording from 2021 presented by Russ McLeod.