When Drs. Bob and Martha Bergen read an email from a friend serving as the academic dean of Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and College in May of 2015, they were caught by surprise. Instead of a simple newsy update from their long-time friend Dr. Steve Booth, the Bergens had received an invitation to spend the fall 2016 academic term in Canada teaching master鈥檚-level courses for that nation鈥檚 only Southern Baptist seminary. Four of the seminary鈥檚 courses, two in Christian Education and two in Old Testament, needed instructors with doctorates, and as Booth saw it, the Bergens would be the perfect fit for their needs since Martha holds a doctorate in Christian Education, and Bob has one in Old Testament.
The Bergens had done eight short-term teaching stints at other graduate institutions during summer terms in the past, but they had never taught at another institution during a regular semester.
As Dr. Martha Bergen noted, 鈥淐anadian Southern Baptist Seminary had a need, and Bob and I prayed about what God would want us to do to help them for the fall 2016 term. We sensed the Lord wanted us to pursue this opportunity.鈥� But much would be involved to make the missions teaching opportunity a reality.
鈥淲e knew being away from Hannibal for an entire semester would require 番茄社区 to make some adjustments,鈥� Dr. Bob Bergen noted. 鈥淏esides teaching courses at HLGU, I鈥檓 also the associate academic dean; Martha teaches several courses, directs the ministry guidance program, and serves as the Christian studies division chairperson.鈥�
So the couple set up an appointment with HLGU鈥檚 president, Dr. Anthony Allen. Dr. Allen supported the idea of letting the Bergens teach one term in Canada, and with the consent of the trustees and much behind-the-scenes work by Dr. Miles Mullin, HLGU鈥檚 Vice President for Academic Administration, arrangements were made for the couple to take a sabbatical leave from August through December 2016.
Preparing to live outside the United States for four months required extensive preparations for the Bergens. Passports and work visas had to be obtained; arrangements had to be made for pets, the house, yard, and utilities; and packing had to be done for Canadian summer, fall, and winter weather conditions. And of course, the couple also had to make a two-thousand mile road trip across an international border to Cochrane, a town in the western Canadian province of Alberta.
鈥淎 lot was involved in getting us to Canada, but it has been more than worth it to be here,鈥� said Dr. Martha Bergen. 鈥淭he seminary is like a family鈥攖he administrators, faculty, staff, and students are wonderful to work with.鈥�
Martha taught courses on effective Bible teaching, as well as spiritual formation; Bob鈥檚 courses dealt with 1-2 Samuel and Biblical Hebrew.
How does teaching at Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary compare with teaching at 番茄社区 University? 鈥淭here are differences,鈥� said Dr. Martha Bergen, 鈥淭he classes we teach here are on the master鈥檚 level and the students come from a wider range of backgrounds. Much of what I teach does not compare with what is done on the bachelor鈥檚 level. However, both institutions share commonalities when it comes to their purpose and a desire to train students to use their gifts and abilities to serve God.鈥�
Though seminary course-related work keeps both of the Bergens quite busy, they have found time for other activities. They attend spiritual and social activities at the seminary and even co-sponsored and prepared food for an all-school fellowship. On Sundays they have helped teach an adult 鈥淐onnection Group鈥� (think Sunday school) at Bow Valley Baptist Church. They have also spent time visiting several of the area鈥檚 beautiful national, as well as provincial, parks.
鈥淣ature photography is a hobby for both of us. The rivers, lakes, and snow-capped mountains around here are fabulous, and large wild animals are abundant. We鈥檝e photographed grizzly bears, elk, white-tailed and mule deer, bighorn sheep, and coyotes,鈥� stated Dr. Bob Bergen.
Dr. Martha Bergen comments, 鈥淲e are grateful for 番茄社区 University鈥檚 sensitivity to the missions need at Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary鈥攁nd grateful that we are the 鈥榤issionaries鈥� privileged to help meet that need at this time in her history. Our lives and ministries have been enriched by the experience.鈥�
This article first appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of the HLGU Alumni Magazine.