by Tony van der Hiele

Did you know that each year on the first Sunday in March some of our students travel from coast to coast in Canada to share about CBT?  This year, from Inverness, Nova Scotia, to Victoria in BC, several students plus staff and faculty took the opportunity to represent our school and serve at CNBC churches across the country. 
 
Barry Nelson, VP of Institutional Advancement, quoted Jesus’ words from Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” He commented, “in many ways, this is what we do on CBT Day.” Some of our students are already well-versed in serving churches with their God-given gifts. For others, this day was one of the first steps. Regardless of where CBT students were on their leadership journey, it was a day to seek and to serve God. The two Wednesday chapel services following CBT Day are always filled with God stories from the participants, and this year was no exception! Watch their testimonies here.  
 
One student shared how he struggled with sermon preparation. While he didn’t have clarity, even on the morning of, he trusted God and was awestruck by God’s faithfulness in how everything came together. “A good reminder that it is not about my abilities but about our God, who is faithful and at work!” Another candidly shared how God showed him that his exegesis of a particular biblical text wasn’t entirely correct. The experience made him grateful for grace and the many growth opportunities at our school. CBT Day created other experiences as well. Going to a different region in the country made yet another student aware of the vast lostness. “I saw the need for the gospel. My heart bled for what I saw there.”  
 
As students and staff travelled near and far to serve churches, the time spent with church leaders outside the church service proved just as impactful. “It was really encouraging hearing their heart for ministry and their love for their people,” commented one student. For another, it was a wonderful experience to rub shoulders with a pastor and wife who faithfully served the Lord with the same flock for over forty years. A third student was greatly impacted when local church leaders shared about the growing relationship between their church and its surrounding community. 
 
God still moves by His Word and His Spirit, as was evident by the stories shared. Churches were exceptionally welcoming, and students were grateful for the opportunity to minister. After hearing the CBT Day testimonies, President Rob Blackaby responded with these words, “At CBT, training leaders for tough places is not just academic education. It is the practical learning in between classes that will develop the character, competence and calling that is honouring to Christ.”  
 
Ultimately, it is God who matures and grows our students. The staff and faculty and our family of churches have the privilege to participate in that. At CBT, we are grateful for the churches that partner with us in this endeavour by welcoming CBT students, continue to support our school in so many ways!  
 
To hear these exciting testimonies, please tune in here.