All around the world, the Church is learning (and often re-learning) to be the Church. One of its growing edges is learning again how to train Kingdom leaders who are grounded in Bible and theology all the while being unapologetically on-the-move in mission and service. Quebec is a great place for some of that learning to happen, a place where together Church and school are listening, questioning, dreaming, praying and launching forth to ensure that the Gospel be “loud and clear“ as it must be, first in Quebec, but also beyond.  With its 100 Bible and Theology students (30% Master’s level), 25 professors and lecturers (almost all pastoring in the Montreal area) and an unequalled cohort of servant-minded personnel, ETEQ is smack in the middle of all this learning.     

For more than 10 years, I have had the privilege of walking alongside and working with  Kristen Corrigan.  God gave her a dream for Quebec, her-seemingly-forgotten province of birth, and then a call.  She responded by immediately leaving her adopted land to join our Quebec Theological Education team here in Montreal.  She has been a witness to and a part of almost yearly, historic God-happenings that have placed ETEQ in a privileged position to serve the Evangelical Church in Quebec, under the vision and guidance of two audacious and generous Church families: The Mennonite Brethren and The Christian and Missionary Alliance. 

When Kristen arrived, “life as usual “ ended, both for her and for us.  Her faith-filled leadership has brought Quebec Evangelical Theological Education to a whole new level and relevance. But one of her greatest accomplishments has been to inspire the minds and hearts of many «other Canadians» to become the new financial partners that have made it possible, in this God’s timing, for ETEQ to greatly increase in numbers over the last 6-7 years. 

On July 1st, I will enter into Kristen’s shoes. I am confident that the seeding done by Kristen over the years will continue to bear a great harvest. Much seed has fallen on good soil, the hearts of Quebec men and women committed to Christ and his mission, but also in the hearts of donors across Canada who continue to sacrifice so that the Church in Quebec may learn yet more to be the Church in a Church-less and Christ-less society. I will continue to regularly share with you about the seeds (yours!) and the crop they are producing, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Please never hesitate to contact me.  I would love to get to know you and share lots more about all that is happening here and share with you some of the more personal needs we are facing here at ETEQ.  Needless to remind you that your prayers for me and the rest of our ETEQ team are totally necessary!