Significant Changes for MBBS

B.C. Centre joins ACTS
FRESNO, CALIF.

The MBBS Board of Directors met April 22-24 and the B.C. MB Conference met April 30-May 1, both giving final approval to MBBS-BC joining the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS) consortium of Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.

MBBS president Schmidt expressed his appreciation to ACTS/TWU administrators and to John Redekop for helping negotiate the new partnership.

Until this summer, ACTS has been made up of Trinity Western Seminary (Evangelical Free Church), Canadian Baptist Seminary (Baptist General Conference of Canada Churches), and Northwest Baptist Seminary (Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches). Along with MBBS-BC, Canadian Theological Seminary (Christian and Missionary Alliance) is joining the consortium this year.

"We look at this is as a win-win-win for MBBS, for B.C. Mennonite Brethren and for ACTS," said Schmidt. "The bottom line is that we are all deeply committed to training more and better leaders for God's Kingdom. This partnership will help us achieve that goal together."

The hope is that MB enrolment at ACTS will reach 40-50 for the fall semester 1999, Schmidt said.--Kent H. Gaston, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary

FRESNO, CALIF.

Mark D. Baker of Ashland, Ore. is joining the faculty of MB Biblical Seminary as Assistant Professor of Theology, Mission and Ethics, beginning June 1. Since 1996, Baker has been a missionary with Eastern Mennonite Missions in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, his third stint in that country. He worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 1989-92, and taught social studies and Bible in Academia Los Pinares, a Christian high school in Tegucigalpa 1979-83. He worked with InterVarsity at Syracuse University and Cornell University 1984-1987.

Baker has a B.A. in Christian education and social science from Wheaton (Ill.) College, an M.A. in biblical studies from the New College for Advanced Christian Studies, Berkeley, Calif., and a Ph.D. in Theology and Ethics from Duke University in Durham, N.C.

While in Honduras he taught at SEMILLA (Latin American Anabaptist Seminary) and the Baptist Theological Seminary of Honduras. He has also taught courses at Calvin College, Duke and the Bible Institute of the Honduran Holiness Church.

He has written a commentary on Galatians for Comentario Biblico Latinoanoamericano and has completed two books soon to be published: Recovering the Scandal of the Cross published by InterVarsity Press (co-author Joel B. Green), and Religious No More: Building Communities of Grace and Freedom also by InterVarsity.

Baker and his wife Lynn have two children, Julia and Christie.

MBBS President Henry Schmidt affirmed Baker's strengths in a commitment to anabaptist/Mennonite theology; a passion for Christ, His Kingdom and leadership development; analytical abilities in terms of biblical, theological and cultural perspectives; relational and communication skills; competence and breadth in theology, ethics and missiology; and a commitment to servant leadership and issues of justice and simple lifestyle.

Baker said he looked forward to the challenge of reshaping leadership training for the church and the world in the new millennium.

Pierre Gilbert, associate professor of Old Testament, has resigned his position at the MBBS-Fresno campus to accept a position on the Concord College faculty in Winnipeg. Up to half his time will be contracted to MBBS for seminary courses to be taught in Winnipeg as part of the emerging Mennonite College Federation, as well as possible courses in B.C. or California.

Gilbert came to the Fresno campus in the fall of 1996, and served one of his three years as academic dean.

"Our hope has always been that Pierre would remain in Fresno long term," Schmidt said. "In the past months, when it became clear that a relocation to Winnipeg would happen, we negotiated a dual appointment with Concord College to retain Pierre as an MBBS teaching faculty member.

"Pierre's relocation represents a major loss in terms of his contribution to the Fresno program. He has been an effective mentor, a valued colleague, an engaging Old Testament professor, and an emerging scholar among us," Schmidt added. "But, his move is also a gain in terms of strengthening our overall strategy to deliver more leadership training in a second major Canadian centre and continuing to utilize his teaching gifts in the larger MBBS core faculty."

--Kent H. Gaston, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary

Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 38, No. 13 Home Page