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. 

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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?