H o l d i n g F o r t h t h e W o r d o f L i f e

S p r i n g 2 0 1 5

TrumpetTrumpetConnecting Students to the

Life–Changing Journey

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President’s Message

In my last article, I began exploring the significance of PRBI’s vision statement and its relevance for our current world and current students. But the article focused only on the main idea of the vision statement (i.e. “to train believers to become disciple-makers”). This article will focus on the three relative clauses that follow the main idea, which are “who know God, model His character, and are able to build into others the life-changing principles of God’s Word.” The vision statement was designed to bring about maturity. We, at the college, have appreciated the work put forth by the sub-committee who originally put the vision statement together in 1998-99. Knowing the challenge of writing a short, coherent, yet complete vision statement, we sure want to thank them. The committee included then president Reuben Kvill, Sharon Neufeld as the Development Director, Harald Heuge also

from the Development Department, and Bob Peters from the Board. This vision statement still crafts our present direction and flavour of the college. Now back to our vision statement, or more specifically, the last three relative clauses. Each relative clause moves staff and students forward in their lives to maturity in Jesus Christ. Since Godcalls us forward to rule and subdue(Ge 1:26-27) and to be in relationship with Him and others (Mt 22:37-39), we must actively engage in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We cannot strongly move into our world or towards God and others, without first moving upward towards God (Mt 22:37-39), then inward to address our self-centeredness (Mk 8:34-35; Ep 4:22-24), and then outward towards God’s mandate (Mt 28:18-20). So our three relative clauses flesh out this maturing process. The first relative clause is “who know God”—an upward movement towards a relationship with

Connecting Students to the Life–Changing Journey

God. Since God is infinite, we can never say we know Him completely. Thus, we focus on bringing them before the Father; to the reality that they are accepted, loved, and belong. A Christian’s first movement is always upward, a call towards God. Jesus stated, that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Mt 22:37), that we are to know Him. The challenge of course is that our first inclination as believers is not upward or Godward, but rather downward, towards the selfish desires of our heart (Ga 5:15; Je 17:9). Though we may put voice to a desire to seek God, our actions betray us and reveal our natural inclination to go against God (Mk 7:20-22). Our earthly responses, our self-centered desires, have driven deep ruts into our minds that take the Spirit’s power and grace (Ro 8:13) to release us and help us create new pathways in our minds (Ro 12:2). The old pathways of the mind take clear identification (2 Co 10:5), a clear choice to

step out of the rut, and a clear faith choice to “put on the new self” (Ep 4:22-24). Paul beckons us onto new pathways. We will not begin to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, without first addressing our first love. Do I love God or do I love self, which gets expressed in numerous ways every day. For this reason, Jesus began exactly with this issue when he first taughtthe disciples. In Mk 3:20-35, especially33-35, after having just selected the twelve,He begins with the whole issue ofwho will do the will of the Father. The question is who will have authority in their lives, themselves or God. He reminds them that “whoever does the will of the God, he is My brother and sister and mother” (Mk 3:35). The love of God, the upward movement, must come first. We believe that time invested in establishing a student’s own relationship with Jesus Christ is crucial for living life well and for serving others.

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aroma and fragrance of Christ among those who are perishing (2 Co 2:14-15). One recent mission rep said to me, our organization needs people who become a faithful presence in the communities where they are planted. But knowing God and becoming a faithful presence also needs to be mixed with adequate training. So third, PRBI’s vision statement calls students to be “able to build into others the life-changing principles of His Word”—an outward movement. We are not done, as the author of Hebrews implied, until they are teachers (He 5:12). Training and equipping is necessary for the equipping of God’s saints (Ep 4:13-16) so they can fulfill His mandate (Mt 28:18-20). The training required to equip the saints for ministry often becomes the focus of what a Bible College does, but PRBI has long since argued that the three-way focus, upward, inward, and outward, becomes very necessary for impacting our world for Christ.

Second, PRBI’s vision statement calls students to “model His character ”—an inward movement. The inward movement focuses on the whole issue of dying tooneself (Mk 8:34-25). And so the battle continues to escalate! Paul identif ied this well when he pointed out, “for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” (Ro 7:15b). The journey of modeling our lives after Jesus Christ begins each day, one step of faith at a time. To model Jesus’ character, we need community to help us expose the inconsistencies inour thinking, actions, etc. (Ga 6:1-2). If I push back against people poking at me, even rightly, I am exposed. Why am I surprised when they push back! Growing in spiritual maturity will always be an ongoing saga. We believe that spiritual growth, becoming more like Jesus Christ,works best in the context of relationships. Jesus chose twelve men to be “with Him” (Mk 3:14) and Paul wrote the Corinthians “To be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Co 11:1). Further, Paul’s words, teaching, reproof, correction, and training (2 Tm 3:16), require some sort of connection with others. A relationship bounded with grace and truth brings the warmth and safety that encourages disciples to grow in their faith. As students, and we, become conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Cl 1:28), students become the sweet

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Would you walk with us as we seek to connect students to the life-changing journey of coming to know God? His transformative power by His Word and Spirit work wonders in student lives, as they engage with Him. You are a vital part of this transforming process. Would you specifically help us through prayer (i.e. that students would be teachable and we would be sensitive to the Spirit) and through your ongoing investment in students. Would you be willing to assist in this transformative opportunity

this spring as we conclude one school season and prepare for another?

Waldie Neufeld, Ph.D.President

We believe a solid understanding of God’s Word, the Bible, has the answers to life and equips us to know God, walk in His truth, and serve others in grace and truth. Students need to get to know the God of the Bible, they need to know how to interpret the Bible, and they need to know how to live the Word. To assist them in this journey, they need authentic mentoring relationships and opportunities to share Jesus Christ, so they can grow in their faith and learn to make God known wherever they go. A life lived following Jesus Christ has lasting meaning and impact. The challenge of course is developing an authentic relationship with Him. As we get to know Jesus, our character grows to be like His and we take on His heart of service. We believe a life of service reflects Jesus’ character and is an expression of our love for Him. At PRBI, we provide students with practical opportunities to explore their gifting, to explore their place in Jesus Christ’s kingdom.

Waldie has been at PRBI for 24 years. He especially enjoys teaching the Gospel of Mark

on disciple-making. He and his wife, Sharon, have four children and 13 grandchildren.

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On the values page of the PRBI website it is stated that, “PRBI is committed to: Teaching the Word of God through strong biblical academics.” Our faculty work hard to provide quality academics for our students; they continue to study in their fields so that they can pass on currentand relevant knowledge. Yet as much as we desire to pass on this knowledge it is not our end goal as an academic institution. Without diminishing the quality of our academics we strive fora larger goal than transferringknowledge. Our objective is alsostated on our website, “Academicsat PRBI are designed to help you establish your relationship with Jesus Christ, understand what it means to become a follower, and learn how to take others through the same process.” How do we achieve this goal? Whatdoes discipleship in the classroomlook like?

It is IntentionalIt has been said, “No plan is a plan.” If the faculty do not plan for discipleship in most cases it will not happen. So then, in addition to reading, writing, and preparing the information for their courses the faculty must consider how they will incorporate discipleship into their lectures and assignments. Dan Ikenouye, one of our adjunct faculty likened teaching in the classroom to a bus tour. To paraphrase him, much is covered in a tour but to make the trip memorable one needs to also get off the bus at times and look around. As part of their courses, faculty must intentionally plan to make stops along the way so that the students have opportunity to take the information from their heads into their hearts. Moving information from head to heart can happen with a good question, a planned discussion or an assignment that takes them beyond acquiring knowledge to application.

From Our Faculty Kim Cairns

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It is Holy Spirit DirectedThe key element of the discipleship-making process is inviting the Holy Spirit into our academics. The effectiveness of discipleship depends on the Holy Spirit’s direction. Without the Spirit’s anointing the class becomes a mere academic exercise. It is not only the faculty who need the Spirit’s anointing in teaching, but the students also need His grace in learning. Faculty must remain alert to the direction of the Holy Spirit as they prepare and deliver their course material. With the Holy Spirit’s participation they will not simply fall into teaching the same material again and again but each class and each year provides a new opportunity to see God at work in the students’ lives. Knowing our material is important but equally important is knowing our students and praying for them. Listening for the question that unlocks a discipleship moment and keeping our office doors

open to their inquiries help faculty build in a discipleship component to the student– teacher relationship.

It is RelationalDiscipleship in the classroom involves more than an effective presentation. It is life on life. The faculty seek to model what they are teaching. Sometimes that means admitting when we are wrong and asking for forgiveness. Once after showing my impatience with a class, I knew I had not represented Christ well in that situation. I asked the class for forgiveness and later I received a note from a student expressing their appreciation for the apology. The student went on to explain that they never had a male authority figure in their life ever ask for forgiveness. Indeed, a humbling moment for me but a reminder that discipleship is more than words, it is also example. The faculty strive to heed Paul’s instruction to Timothy in their teaching.

Discipleship in the Classroom

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Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (I Tm 4:16). Earlier in the same chapter Paul urges Timothy . . . but set an example in life, speech, love, faith and purity (I Tm 4:12b). As a faculty I am acutely aware of how much talking I do in the classroom. It gives me pause to ask, “Am I walking the talk?”

It is Uncomfortable (at times)To my knowledge grading student assignments is not the preferred activity of any faculty and that might be under stating the point! But grading assignments is part of the academic experience that cannot be avoided. In our context it also can be an avenue of discipleship as faculty patiently help students see where they can improve and grow. We can contribute to their discipleship when we encourage their efforts and affirm the direction they are taking in their studies. That is obviously a comfortable experience. Walking with a student in their mistakes and occasional failures also provides a significant discipleship opportunity, albeit sometimes an uncomfortable one. In working with a student our goal is to not only help them raise their grades but we also find opportunities to address other issues they might be dealing with which are affecting their studies. Very rarely is the issue of poor grades purely an academic one. In most cases other life issues are competing for the student’s attention. It might be a broken relationship, a habit that is defeating them or some form of rebellion against God and other authority figures. Wading into a student’s issues may not be the

most comfortable experience initially, and in some cases it takes time and repeated

efforts to overcome, but in most cases we are encouraged by the signs of transformation and progress we witness. The student’s growth encourages us to keep

at the task of discipleship even if it is sometimes challenging.

It is Unexpected (at times)Normally we would expect that the best discipleship moments come out of our Bible courses. It is true that these courses provide some great opportunities, but it has been my experience that discipleship opportunities also pop up in other types of classes. Classes that focus on relationships like Christian Life Development, People Helping, and Family Studies often provide students an opportunity to explore how life and relationships intersect with their faith. The assignments in these courses are intentionally designed to stimulate personal growth in faith, spirituality, and relationships with God and others. An unexpected place where discipleship takes place is in our general studies courses like Sociology, Philosophy, and History. One would not immediately think that these courses would lend themselves to discipleship. However, these courses all deal with worldviews and developing a Christian worldview is fundamental to the life of discipleship. As worldviews are critiqued and a Christian worldview is presented, students are given opportunities to clarify what it means to follow Christ in society. Courses like these help them identify where they have been influenced by a non-Christian worldview and what needs to change to more consistently represent Christ in the world.

“Without the Spirit’s anointing the class

becomes a mere academic exercise.”

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places and with unexpected people God will create the conditions for our growth in discipleship. God’s plan, both inside and outside the classroom, is “to help us establish our relationship with Jesus Christ, understand what it means to become a follower, and learn how to take others through the same process.”

Kim CairnsAcademic Dean

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Kim has served as a member of the PRBI Team since 2009 and as Academic Dean

since 2011. He is married to Kimberly (nee: Tattari, g ‘95) and they have four adult

children and three grandchildren.

A Final ChallengePRBI is “a college for life”. Our goal is to integrate discipleship into all of our academics. We are intentional in our objective but completely dependent on the Holy Spirit’s anointing and guidance to fulfill it. We covet the prayers of our constituency for these God-directed moments in the classroom, the study hall and the office. Pray for our faculty that they will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting as they prepare and deliver courses. Pray for our students that they will be willing to engage the head and the heart in classes and in their assignments. In closing, might I encourage you that discipleship outside the classroom can look very similar to discipleship inside it? Incorporating discipleship into the “classroom of life” requires intentionality. If we do not plan for it in our busy lives it will not happen. It is not merely a human endeavour but only through the direction and power of the Holy Spirit will we grow in our relationship with Christ and our ability to pass Him on to others. It will involve the study of God’s Word but it also requires life on life experiences with other like-minded believers. These life on life encounters will not always be comfortable experiences but sometimes in unexpected

picture: Ask yourself, “What principles fostered spiritual growth at PRBI, and how can I practice those principles in other forms?” Most of all, realize that no one will create a spiritual growth plan for you. You must pursue God through your own initiative under the Spirit’s guidance. You must learn to think creatively, act intentionally, and tap proactively into your local church. Bible school trained you for growth, but now you must put that training to work.

Brad CowieFaculty

Tough Questions

How Do I Grow Spiritually After Bible School?

Call it what you will—bubble, boot camp, greenhouse—Bible school creates a uniquely designed and controlled spiritual growth environment that you will not experience after PRBI. However, while we cannot duplicate the Bible school experience, we can apply the same discipleship principles of growth in other forms. For example, instead of Bible classes, you must find Bible teaching through church, resources, books, podcasts, and personal study. Instead of dorm care groups and staff mentors, intentionally connect with growth-minded people in your church, even if they are not your normal social circle. You might find a mentor, but don’t depend on that—learn to tap into the spiritually hungry community whereverit is available. Hopefully you get the

PRBI Faculty

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Does TruthChange?

I recently read a couple questions that went something like this: At what point (if any) can we stop questioning Scripture in one way or another and stand confident in what the Bible says? How solid is ‘truth’ if it is constantly changing? Let us begin with Scripture. God’s Word is truth (Ps 33:4; Pr 30:5; Jn 17:17). As such, we can stand confident in the knowledge that because God cannot lie (Tt 1:2), that which is written in Scripture is indeed trustworthy and true (2 Pe 1:21), God breathed (2 Tm 3:16), and shall never pass away (Mt 24:35; Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33). What about bias? No one can escape it. In the words of John C. Lennox, “our worldviews are of course shaped by experience and reflection. They can and do change—on the basis of sound evidence, one would hope.”1 In short, “the important lesson is that we should be humble enough to distinguish between what the Bible says and our interpretations of it. The biblical text just might be more sophisticated than we first imagined and we might therefore be in danger of using it to support ideas that it never intended to teach.” 2 3

Dustin BurletFaculty

How Should a Christian Engage With Today’s Culture?Andy Crouch states that culture is what we make of the world, and that which we create, we seek to share with others.4

Unfortunately, in today’s culture a lot of what is shared with others is not in alignment with God’s Word. Regardless, in John 17, Jesus prays for his disciples and specifically asks that the Father not remove them from the world—their culture. In other words, Jesus wanted his disciples, us, to engage with people. In fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 to “go forth into all the nations,”—even to the nations with uncomfortable culture. The balance however, as Paul points out in Romans 12, is that we are not to be conformed to the patterns of this world. In other words, we need not embrace the evil in culture, but we must not neglect the people. Regarding our personal response as disciples, since we are bombarded with our culture, the lure of materialism, promiscuity, even the pursuit of happiness, we must engage by making our own culture based upon God’s Word, and do our best to influence our world for Christ.

Shane DellDean of Men

Email: prbi@prbi.edu to submit your questions.

[1] Lennox, John C., God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?, 13.[2] Ibid., 25.[3] For further reading see Kevin DeYoung’s “Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me.”[4] Crouch, Andy, Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling, 23, 40.

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graduation with a Bachelor of Theology, he was invited to return to Berean, this time as an instructor. During his years teaching at Berean, Reuben continued his education by attending summer school in Otterburne where he completed his Master of Divinity. In 1983, Reuben accepted a position on the faculty at PRBI and moved up to Grande Prairie. His steadfastness and his faithfulness to the word of God earned him the office of President, which he held until 2002. After that, he served PRBI as Chancellor, with many miles travelled for the college. Reuben spent twenty some years of his working life here at PRBI, for which we are very thankful. We also want to thank Rose for her support along the way. More than all his other degrees and awards combined, Reuben was most honoured in 2002 to have conferred upon him a honourary Doctorate of Divinity from Briercrest Family of Schools.

Reuben Kvill Memorial

Dr. Reuben Kvill stepped into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ on December 17, 2014, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, at the age of 78 years. Many people are grateful that Reuben was in their lives. He will be especially missed by his wife Rose, his children Pamela (Jim) Dittrich, Paul (Stephanie), and Eunice (Doug) Friesen, and his 10 grandchildren. He began life on the farm but eventually headed down the path of education. It was at Alberta Bible College in Camrose, Alberta, where he met Rose. They courted through Reuben’s first year at Berean Bible College in Calgary and were married in October of 1963. Following the wedding, he completed his education at Berean. In 1965, they returned to Metiskow, Alberta, and full-time farming. When Reuben felt called “off the tractor and into ministry,” he moved the family to Manitoba to attend Winnipeg Bible College (now Providence University) in Otterburne. Upon his

1936–2014

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We will remember Reuben for a number of things. We will not quickly forget Reuben’s sense of humor. When that grin spread across his face, there was no stopping the tongue till it got out. But we will remember Reuben more for how he always took us to the Word. His Bible was ever ready and his fingers ever willing to turn to passages fo r a n s w e r s . Neither will we forget Reuben’s hospitality when guests came on campus and in his home. He made mission reps and pastors feel at home on campus, creating an atmosphere of hospitality among us all. He would share with them what God was doing with the students and what we were trying to accomplish. Reuben will also be remembered for his redemptive approach to student life, where he sought to match grace and truth. His flavouring in student life philosophy is still very evident today. But Reuben’s greatest legacy is the vision he crafted for PRBI in the fall of 1989, which was formally passed by the Board in the winter of 1990. As he came on as President in 1989, the Board asked him to re-envision PRBI’s future and he proposed the school should focus on our Lord Jesus Christ’s command to “make disciples.” As Proverbs pointsout, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained” or the people perish(Pr 29:18). So we are to plant God’s Word in peoples’ minds which will sprout and take root in the next generation, and soforth (2 Tm 2:2). The vision was not exactly earth shattering, yet in hind sight, profound! As other Bible colleges

set off to gain transfer agreements with universities, Reuben set PRBI on a path to bring students in touch with God, His Word, and His mandate. This one idea has served PRBI well. While other schools have closed, PRBI remains. A future created by a

vision. Two secular authors wrote that organizations who create their own ocean to swim in, called “blue ocean strategy,” will survive.1 Red ocean strategy is doing what every other Bible college does. Further,

two Christian authors wrote, “keep it simple,” that’s the only way people will remember.2 Reuben did both. PRBI’s blue ocean strategy focused on making disciples as Jesus commanded, which was profoundly simple. He saw the need for a solid biblical education along with a practical application of the Word of God in student lives. PRBI swims in a blue ocean of simplicity because of Reuben. Thank you Reuben.

Waldie NeufeldPresident

[1] Kim, W.C. and R. Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy (Boston: Harvard, 2005), 12.[2] Rainer, T.S. and E. Geiger, Simple Church (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2011), ix.

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Development Message

In the last Trumpet I wrote about 7 kingdom resources we simply must manage; our body (1 Co 6:19), mind (Ro 12:2), tongue (Ja 1:26, 3:1-10), emotions (Ep 4:26-32), time (Ep 5:15-17), spiritual gifts (1 Co 12:4-6), and finances (1 Tm 6:17-19). I proposed the idea that as disciples every kingdom resource decision is a spiritual one, so we must decide how God wants us to manage and use what He has given us in a way that honours Him and impacts our world for Jesus Christ (1 Pe 4:10-11). As a young child I was known amongst my family of seven as the one with the generous spirit. I was the kind of kid who would give or do anything for anyone. I remember, like it was yesterday, wanting to take my older brother’s punishment of having to go to bed early upon myself so that he did not have to endure it. I do not say this to boast, that’s just the kind of kid I was. As I entered my teenage years my generous spirit seemed to wane. I changed, and

not for the better. I became stingy. Self centered. Inconsiderate. I became a scrooge. Scripture such as, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Ga 6:10), no longer reminded people of generous little Jeremy like it once had. Whereas before I would give my toys away to my younger siblings, now I sold them – entrepreneurial yes, but not generous! I remember my mom saying to me “You used to be so generous, what happened?” To be fair, I was still young. But, to be honest, it has not been until recently—this past year—that the Lord has begun changing my heart in this area of my life. I am beginning to realize that the problem with abundance in any amount is that mismanagement of our treasure can quickly lead to a carnal heart (Lk 12:34). Further, I am beginning to realize that I have been blessed so that I can bless others and that my treasure is in heaven

Jeremy Johnston

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We are Blessed to Bless Others

(Mt 6:2-4; Lk 12:33). This has been hard for me to accept, but oh so good for my heart. I recently watched a video series by Bill Hybel’s called Simplify. One of the featured stories was about a married couple who was financially blessed. While their friends and co-workers would go on elaborate vacations and buy bigger and better things, they did not. They simplified, even though they could afford it! Instead, they set a budget for each month (seemingly less than half of what they made) and stuck to it. They still had more than enough, but did not spend frivolously. They paid off their house and car and did not upgrade to newer bigger models. The money that was left over was used to give away to those in need. They believed so strongly that theywere blessed not to bless themselves, but to bless other people, and that is what they did—that is how they lived—that is what they modeled to their children. To me this is remarkable and worthy of

imitation. As disciples, this is what we are called to. But just like the Rich Young Ruler (Mk 10:17-27), this too can be hard to accept. One of the great joys of working at PRBI is seeing our students wrestle through and learn that we are truly blessed to bless others! This does take a reorientation of our heats. Our desire is to train Christ-following disciple-makers, who have a significant impact in their communities, churches, and families for Jesus Christ. We seek to provide unique opportunities for our students to accomplish this vision. That is why we do the Winter Carnival in February, and one of the reason we do Circle of Friends in January, Service Projects during Global Ministries Conference in October, Field Education and Practical Work Experience year-round so that our students learn to serve and become generous with their kingdom resources.

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—“God has taught me that I can serve him in many different ways and it has been great to be able to get involved with our community. Serving on the fire department has helped me find joy in serving our community, and needless to say has given me valuable training.”

— C.J. Wicker

Through the last 80 years, PRBI has been blessed by those who know that they are blessed to bless others! I would like to both thank you for your partnership with us, and invite you to continue investing in the lives of young people at PRBI by giving of your kingdom resources. Your investment in our student’s lives is yielding growth for God’s kingdom!

Jeremy JohnstonDirector of Development

Jeremy (g ‘09) has been on staff at PRBI since 2009. He and his wife Leah have a

one-year old son, Jasper.

One group of PRBI students that have learned what it means that we are blessed to bless others has consistently been our students who serve on the Sexsmith Fire Department. PRBI has an ongoing agreement with the Sexsmith Fire Department that gives qualified students the opportunity to train and serve as volunteer firefighters while attending PRBI. Here is what a couple of our student Fire Fighters had to say when asked about learning to serve:

—“God has taught me that being a blessing to others requires commitment, sacrifice, and a lot of hard work. You really need to put yourself aside to serve others wholeheartedly. Serving at the fire hall has taught me how to love those around me in a much deeper way and provides an excellent opportunity to be a light in people’s lives. It has brought to life what we are taught at PRBI.”

— Megan Deal

—“One of the biggest things I have learned is that being a blessing one day and not the next, just does not work out very well – especially in firefighting. Firefighting has also provided me an opportunity to put to use what I have learned in the classroom and model Christ to non-Christians.”

— Kyle Gulayets

Fill out the survey on the envelope to help us make the Trumpet even better!

2014-2015 Graduates

Please pray for the Graduates of 2014-2015.

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Financial Update

Income Annual % of Budget

Revenue To Date Budget To Date

Student Fees & Other Programs 593,409 1,084,300 55%

Sales & Non-Program Fees & Services 50,507 35,650

Rental Income 127,685 241,224 53%

Donations - Undesignated 437,326

Donations - Designated 62,767

Total Donations 500,093 712,800 70%

Special Projects 17,100

Interest Income 17,776 13,000

Total Revenue 1,306,570 2,086,974 63%

Expenses Annual % of Budget

Expenses To Date Budget To Date

Academics 251,648 416,999 60%

Student Life 162,757 271,917 60%

Food Services 155,386 272,727 57%

Promotion & Development 188,099 296,162 64%

Admissions 98,827 157,842 63%

Administration 342,184 527,466 65%

Facilities & Maintenance 69,851 141,232 49%

Special Projects 17,100

Total Expenses 1,285,852 2,084,345 62%

Net Income (Loss) 20,718 2,629

Excludes Amortization Expense

Peace River Bible Institute

Statement of Operations and Budget

July 2014 - January 2015

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church attend Bible College for at least one year and has made it his mission to passionately share this vision with other parents and youth. He is now bringing a large group of students to eView and his son is planning on applying. Our God is at work. He is the one that goes ahead stirring hearts and by His Spirit, drawing many to Himself. May we each be faithful to what He has called us and to rest knowing His Spirit is the one at work.

Sandra FordAdmissions Manager

AdmissionsAs we go about recruiting for PRBI it is easy to get caught up in the ideas of trying to do it better, present a new way, communicate more frequently, and in general try to be more effective. Although these things are not wrong in nature, it is easy to take them on as the determining factor as to whether students choose to attend PRBI or not, and forget that the Spirit is the one at work. Last fall I was on the road for a week representing PRBI at various schools, churches and youth groups. During this trip God used situations almost daily to show me how His Spirit is the one at work, and that in all things He goes ahead of me. These are things I know, but seem to need reminding of on a consistent basis. Funny how that works, call me an Israelite! During that trip, I shared about PRBI with a grade 11/12 class. After my presentation, the teacher advocated for Bible College in a strong way. When the class was over he shared with me that earlier that week they as a class had been discussing the value of pursuing time at a Bible College. One of the students had even said to him “I don’t really know of any schools”. Needless to say, we all left encouraged from that meeting! God is at work. Later that week I met with two teens who had emailed me (with no previous contact) wanting to meet so they could ask questions. Both of them are now coming to eView and plan to apply for September! God is at work. My final meeting of the week was with a church. A Dad had contacted me asking if I would share with the youth about the value of Bible College. He has a desire to see each of the youth in his

Coming to a Town Near You!Our Admissions Team would love an

opportunity to share about PRBIwith your group or individual(s).

Contact admissions@prbi.edu or1-800-959-PRBI (7724)

March 27 – April 2 Central Alberta

September 22 – October 5Central/Southern Alberta

SaskatchewanOctober 26 – 30 Kelowna and area

November 4 – 15Central and Northern BC

After graduating from PRBI in 2007, Sandra worked at the college for two years and then

returned in January of 2012. Sandra loves being an auntie to her five nieces and three nephews!

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CIRCLE OF FRIENDSCircle of Friends was a night filled with excitement for all who attended! The dramas, varied music, Waldie’s speech (to listen, visit: http://www.prbi.edu/ChapelMessages), student testimonies, and of course the food were all noted as highlights. If you were unable to attend, make sure to mark us on your 2016 calendar. You will not want to miss it!

This year we had nearly 40 sponsors who gave over $19,000 to make this event possible. In addition, we received over $50,000 in donations that evening! We are so thankful to God for how he continues to provide for PRBI.

CAMP DAYSCamp Days is one of the ways we continue to partner with Bible camps specifically by connecting them with our students for summer ministry. The Camp Reps are telling us that PRBI’s Camp Days is one of the best that any of the colleges put on.

College News

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SPORTS TEAMS UPDATEOur sports teams continue to play at competitive levels in Grande Prairie. Here are a few highlights from each team this year:

Men’s Hockey – The team has experienced success in both hockey skills and character development. They have 18 wins, 5 losses, 1 tie, and are going to Salmon Arm, British Columbia, for a tournament at the end of March.

Women’s Basketball – This is a determined group of ladies, and because of this there has been significant growth on and off the court.

Men’s Soccer – This team, made up of alumni and students, is currently in the quarter finals of the playoffs.

Women’s Soccer – This group of students and alumni have come together to help grow each other in their walk with God. Their record is 10 wins to 14 losses.

MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT DAY On February 14 we hosted our second Marriage Enrichment Day on campus with Waldie and Sharon Neufeld. We had couples from as far away as 108 Mile House in British Columbia, as well as La Crete and Ponoka in Alberta. It really was a great day!

Mark Your Calendar — The next seminar is planned for Winnipeg, MB, on May 23, 2015, at New Hope Community Church of the Nazarene (9:00 a.m. –4:00 p.m.). Cost is $30 per couple which includes a catered lunch. No child care provided (nursing babies only). Street parking only. Visit www.prbi.edu/MarriageDay to register.

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EVIEWeView is our annual campus visit event for anyone in grade 10 or older. It is an intentional three days of experiencing life as a college student. Prospective students stay in the dorms, eat in the Dining Hall, attend classes, join a care group, and then decide for themselves if PRBI is for them.

This year, we were excited to once again be able to include a Friday night youth rally which several of the local youth groups also attended! Overall we hosted 70 visitors and, since eView, another 6 applications to attend PRBI this fall have been received.

GYM PROJECT UPDATEAs a college we are thrilled to announce that we will begin construction on our new gym this April—once the ground thaws. Our contractor, K & M Building Contractors, has asked us to prepare the building site, so we have already had to say goodbye to some of our trees.

To help fund this project, we have approached a number of organizations for financial support and have seen some great results. Just recently we received $10,000 from Canadian Natural Resources Limited. We thank CNRL as well as many of you who have already given towards this project.

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PERSONIFYPersonify, our music and drama ministry tour team, will be traveling through Alberta and British Columbia promoting what God is doing at PRBI as well as encouraging Christian youth in their faith. Here is their itinerary to date:

If you are interested in hosting one of our teams this spring or in the next school year, please email prbi@prbi.edu or call the college (780-568-3962) and ask for Jeremy.

Date Church Location

April 19a.m. Rolla Bible Baptist Church Rolla, BC

p.m. Buick Gospel Mission Church Buick, BC

April 20 p.m. Nechako Community Church Vanderhoof, BC

April 21 p.m. Edson Baptist Church Edson, AB

April 22a.m. Yellowhead Koinonia Christian School Edson, AB

p.m. TBD

April 23a.m. Cherry Coulee Christian Academy Bow Island, AB

p.m. TBD

April 24 p.m. Bow Island Evangelical Free Church Bow Island, AB

April 25 p.m. Fort Macleod Alliance Church Fort Macleod, AB

April 26 a.m. Fort MacLeod Alliance Church Fort Macleod, AB

April 28a.m. Prairie Christian Academy Three Hills, AB

p.m. Wainwright Evangelical Free Church Wainwright, AB

April 29 p.m. TBD

April 30 p.m. Church of the Open Bible Ponoka, AB

May 1a.m. TBD

p.m. Elk Point Baptist Church Elk Point, AB

May 2 p.m. New Sarepta Zion Evangelical Missionary Church New Sarepta, AB

May 3a.m. New Sarepta Zion Evangelical Missionary Church New Sarepta, AB

p.m. TBD

May 4 a.m. Slave Lake Koinonia Christian School Slave Lake, AB

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SUMMER MISSIONS TEAMBethany Gulayets (student) and Rebekah Brisbin (staff) will be joining a team from Action Ventures led by Mark and Cheryl Sorell. August 2–28 they will participate in the ministry “Arts with a Purpose”. The team’s ministry focus is to share the gospel effectively through service and performance in orphanages, the streets, schools, and sports events in Kigali and Gulu, Uganda. Pray for them as they raise support and prepare to go.

WINTER CARNIVALOur 5th annual Winter Carnival held on Family Day proved to be a great opportunity for our students to connect with the community. Nearly 700 guests, many who are non-Christians and would not normally set foot on our campus, attended our free Carnival sponsored by local businesses! It was so encouraging to see the happy smiling faces of both children and parents. Many parents expressed their appreciation for such a well-organized event and the town was also very appreciative for a family focused event on a day when many dads were able to join their family.

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VIEWBOOK AND PROMO VIDEOOur brand new Viewbook and Promo Video have arrived and they turned out great! To watch our new video online visit our wesbite. Email admissions@prbi.edu to get your free copy of our new Viewbook.

ALUMNUS HONOUR AWARDSince 1985, at our graduation ceremony, PRBI has honoured various alumni orfriends of the college who have made significant impact on PRBI, our country and our world for Jesus Christ. This year, Paul Chamberlain will receive the AlumnusHonour Award and will be our speaker for the graduation weekend. We are always looking for new alumni to honour each year. If you have any suggestions, pleaseemail president@prbi.edu. Listed below are our honourees:

2001 Mrs. Charlotte Driediger

2002 Esther (Wiens) Schlichting

2003 George Cathcart

2004 Harold Norman Throness

2005 Paul Balisky & Bob Ried

2006 Henry Penner

2007 Terry & Marcy Balisky

2008 Sid Warren

2009 Marvin Thiessen

2010 Ruth Foxall (SIM)

2011 Warren Larson

2012 Mark Landis

2013 Reuben Kvill

2014 David Schmidt

2015 Paul Chamberlain

1985 Harold Peters

1986 Daniel Wiebe

1987 C. Wilfred Johnson

1988 Donald Masterson

1989 Walter McNaughton

1990 Aaron Goertz

1991 Ralph Balisky

1992 Oswald Throness

1993 Jean Balisky

1994 Arnold Erickson

1995 Sylvia Advent

1996 Herb Heppner

1997 Phyllis Lawson (SIM)

1998 Gordon Creighton

1999 Henry Werner

2000 Dr. Carl Tracie

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Alumnus Honour RecipientTWU. TWU is located in Langley, B.C. Paul pastored before his time at TWU and also worked with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for a time while teaching at TWU. His education includes an MDiv from Trinity International University, in Deerfield, IL, and a PhD from Marquette University, in Milwaukee, WI (PhD in Ethics, Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion). Paul’s passion is to call Christians to live out and express their faith to the

people around them. He seeks to equip believers to communicate the message of God’s love to their friends and neighbours in a way that i s a cc u r a te , credible, and relevant to their lives.

He also is an accomplished author with the following books: Why People Don’t Believe: Confronting Seven Challenges to Christian Faith (2011); How To Talk About Good and Bad Without Getting Ugly: The Art of Moral Persuasion (2005); Whose Life Is It Anyway? Assessing Euthanasia and Other End-of-Life Issues (2002); Final Wishes: A Cautionary Tale About Death, Dignity, and Physician-Assisted Suicide (2000); and Can We Be Good Without God?: A Conversation about Truth, Morality, Culture and a Few Other Things that Matter (1996).

The Board of PRBI has chosen Dr. Paul Chamberlain as our Alumnus Honour recipient for the 2014–15 school year. He not only has spent time here on two occasions but he also has a long family heritage at PRBI. First, he studied at PRBI in the 1973-74 school year and then returned as faculty for the 1983-86 years. Second, his father Art (and Helen) Chamberlain served on faculty here in the 1950s and his grandfather Henry Wiebe served on the Board for many years too (1950s through early 1960s). We also had Paul come and speak at our Graduation Ceremony for our 75th anniversary celebration in 2009. On a side note, he and his wife Gail have a lways been wil l ing participants in helping us present PRBI to the people in the Langley and Abbotsford area of B.C. Paul and Gail have two sons: James and Tyler (also a PRBI alumnus) who is married to Raechel, and they have one daughter. When Paul is not teaching, he enjoys swimming outdoors, camping, motorcycling, and other outdoor activities. Currently, Paul serves as Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Director of Trinity Western University’s (TWU) Institute of Christian Apologetics, Program Chair of the Master of Arts in Christian Studies degree, and Program Chair of Diploma in Christian Studies at

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BIRTHSANDERSON, Scott (g ‘07) & Leah (nee: Budd, g ‘06) and brother Corban welcomed Cheyanne Joanette Anderson into the world on June 14, 2014, weighing in at 7 lbs 1 oz. She is healthy and happy. The Andersons are currently living in Clairmont, Alberta, and attend the Grand Prairie Alliance Church. Scott works at Surepoint, while Leah enjoys being a stay-at-home mom. They continue to enjoy sports, Scott on a Grande Prairie basketball team and Leah on the PRBI soccer team.

RETZLAFF, Sam & Vanessa (nee: Peters, g ‘08) On July 6, 2012, I married Sam Retzlaff, with his now 9 year old son Gabriel! We live in Sexsmith and attend Grace Bible Fellowship. On August 8, 2014 our son Marshall was born! We are embarking on a big change; we will be selling our house and moving onto the PRBI campus, while Sam attends PRBI this fall. We are trusting in God’s provision and direction as we take this step.

UPDATESBURLET, Dustin (g ‘07, Staff, ‘11-present) & Rebecca After four short years of being a faculty member at PRBI, Rebecca and I have made the decision to go to Hamilton, Ontario, in order for me to pursue my PhD at McMaster Divinity College under the tutelage of Dr. Gus Konkel, Dr. Mark Boda, and Dr. Stanley Porter (among others). It has been a joy and a privilege to have been able to serve at PRBI. Thank you!

GERBER, Darrell (Staff ‘95-present, Medical Leave) I continue to take part in the trial drug program. It is hard to believe it is already 1 1/2 years since it began. There has been some minor shrinking of the many tumors in my liver, and I continue to battle with lack of energy. Yet in the midst of this I still see God’s hand in my journey, particularly of late in regard to travel safety as I have made some trips to Edmonton in pretty bad weather. Pray that I will continue to see God’s hand and plan in my life.

Alumni & Staff News

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POTTER, Luke (g ‘05) & Kate (nee: Jahnke, g ‘02, Staff, ‘03-present) I have been blessed to be a part of God’s work at PRBI. I also have exciting personal news: I am expecting!! Maternity leave will start in July and then planning to be a stay-at-home mom for Jude and his new sibling after maternity leave ends. I will miss working at PRBI but look forward to new adventures. We are still planning to stay in the area as Luke is the Associate Pastor at our church, Webster Community.

WEDDINGS

JOHNSTON, Daniel (g ‘14) & Hailey (nee: Worthington, g ‘14) were married on October 11, 2014. They are currently living in Sexsmith. Danny is currently serving at Bear Lake Bible Camp as Assistant Director and is looking forward to a great summer of ministry, and Hailey is working at a hotel in Grande Prairie. They are enjoying their new life together.

NEVILLE, Simon & Brianne (nee: Yurkewich, g ‘09) were married June 28, 2014 in Calgary, Alberta. We are currently living in the city while Simon is at Mount Royal University in the nursing program and Brianne is working as a dental assistant. We are enjoying the community of our church and seeing the Holy Spirit teach us more about what it means to carry our crosses daily, and turn more of ourselves over to serving Jesus! God is good, all the time!

SURBEY, Brett (ug ‘14) & Kayleigh (nee: Corfe, ug ‘14) were happily married on September 20, 2014, in Sexsmith where they are currently living. Brett is presently working for a landscaping company in Grande Prairie and plans to return to PRBI this fall to finish his BRE-Pastoral Major. Kayleigh is working at ATB Financial in Grande Prairie and is looking forward to what the future holds. Both feel a call to return to Malawi, Africa, at some point and are very excited to see what God will do through their ministry.

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WITH THE LORDPARAS, Alice Alexandra (nee: Zaichowsky, g ‘43) Our beloved mother departed this earth December 14, 2014, in McLennan, Alberta. At peace, she entered eternity to worship her dear Lord and Saviour, be reunited with husband Bob, son Samuel, and many other family and friends who preceded her. At the age of 93 she was the last of her immediate family. Alice was born February 11, 1921 near Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan and from there the family moved (1928) to a homestead in the Woking area of Alberta. Alice attended PRBI and after graduation she married Robert (Bob) Paras (June 5, 1943), and immediately went into Ukrainian Mission Work in the North Peace (rural districts). From there they moved to Armstrong, British Columbia, and for two years helped to care for Bob’s young siblings, Rose and David. As the family grew they moved to Clairmont, from there to High Prairie (a year after Samuel’s death). In 1967, the family moved to McLennan, Alberta where they established ‘Bob’s Royalite’. Alice remained there until her death. A woman of innate dignity, wisdom, determined character and compassion she lived a remarkable life that centred on trust in the love of God. She is survived by grateful children: R. Elaine, Elgar (Fran), Dean (Pat), Dwight (Ann), James, Ed (Anita), Carey, Lee (Paulette), eighteen beloved grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; three sister and one brother-in-law as well as many nieces and nephews along with their families. She also leaves spiritual children, those who came to know and love Jesus through her diligent teaching and example. Known as ‘the hat lady’, lover of butterflies, her creative flair--decorating wedding cakes, gardening, and reading. Alice so appreciated her ‘angel’ neighbours, the local church community, the influence of PRBI, and long-time friends throughout the Peace Country.

HUEGE, Harald (Staff, ‘98-’01) Harald was born in Schwenningen Am Neckar, Germany, on August 5, 1957, and came to Canada in 1959. Harald attended Westwood Collegiate and later Winnipeg Bible College where he received his Bachelor of Arts. He continued his education at Red River College and earned a degree in Business Administration. He also received a Master of Divinity from North American Baptist Seminary and then pastored for 18 years. Harald then joined the PRBI staff and worked in the Development Department from 1998 to 2001. He also worked at the Kidney Foundation for

two years, and then Revenue Canada for four years. He enjoyed sports—especially the Bomber and Jets games. He will be lovingly missed by his mother Kathy; brother Gordon; three daughters, Nadia, Kristianna, and Sonja. He was predeceased by his father Joachim.

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April 18Graduation Ceremony

May 23Day of Marriage Enrichment — Winnipeg, MB

October 22–23Global Ministries Conference

February 5, 2016Circle of Friends

COMING EVENTS

LOVETT, Irela Betty (nee: Haddon) Irela was born on July 3, 1932 in Twickenham, England. Irela married Ron Lovett in June 1953. In March of 1966 the family moved to Canada. Ron went to Briercrest Bible Institute where he completed a three-year diploma. From there God led them to Peace River Bible Institute for four years. Irela was kind to everyone she met. She was generous even though she had very little material wealth. She was loving even when those around her were unlovable. She forgave because she knew what it was like to be forgiven. She was patient, no matter what the circumstances. Irela was appreciated in her role as a pastor’s wife during the years Ron pastored at Grace Bible Fellowship in Sexsmith. Living her last years in Stony Plain, Alberta, Irela went home to bewith the Lord on February 12, 2015. She was predeceased by her husband, Ron, of59 years in 2012. She is mourned by her children: Anita (Ed) Paras, Hilary (Tracy) Newton, and Paul (Donna) Lovett, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Irela also has two surviving brothers, several in-laws, and many nieces and nephewsin England.

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About PRBI:PRBI is a Canadian Degree Granting Bible College in Sexsmith, Alberta, founded in 1933. PRBI is known for quality academics and its highly relational culture that purposefully fosters an atmosphere of spiritual growth. PRBI has a distinct commitment to train students in a thorough knowledge of the Word of God and to train students to become disciple-makers whether at home or abroad. PRBI’s educational model purposefully integrates the academic learning experience withan experiential learning component making us a Bible College for life.

Vision Statement:To train believers to become disciple-makers who know God, model His character, and are able to build into others the life-changing principles of God’s Word.

The TRUMPET is the magazine of Peace River Bible Institute that is comprised of contributions from faculty, staff, alumni, and students who are passionate about making disciples in their churches and communities. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible (Copyright 1995 by The Lockman Foundation). All rights reserved. If you would have any comments please email us at development@prbi.edu. Printed in Canada.

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Peace River Bible InstituteBox 99 Sexsmith, AB T0H 3C0

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