British Columbia: Changes for ACTS at TWU

If things go according to plan, the ACTS consortium at TWU will cease to function as of May 1, 2026 and students will transition their education to a newly formed Trinity Western University School of Theology. Accreditation is being sought by TWU and efficiencies are being considered in conversations between the seminaries. Transitioning the accreditation from ACTS to TWU will allow the university to form its own Graduate School of Theology. This will create a sustainable model for the seminary.

Robert Burkinshaw, in his book, Pilgrims in Lotus Land, traced the emergence of conservative evangelicalism in British Columbia from 1917-1981 with its focus on “conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism” (p.14). He notes that part of the cooperative effort of the evangelical movement resulted in institutions like Trinity Western University and Regent College. He adds (p. 15) that “although evangelicalism’s conservative stance has been its most apparent posture in British Columbia, this should not be allowed to mask the impulse towards innovation and adaptation that also shaped its response to modern society on the West Coast of Canada.”

Trinity Western was the outgrowth of a 1957 vision to establish a “distinctly Christian University in Canada.” David Enarson, an educator and church leader on the committee established by the Evangelical Free Churches of America, was a guiding visionary and the group was able to purchase a dairy farm in the Fraser Valley to launch a Junior College in 1962. Dr. Calvin Hanson (1962-1974) shaped the early vision while Dr. Neil Snider (1974-2006) led the school into full membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. In 1985, the school was granted University status by the BC legislature.

One of the first steps included launching ACTS through a partnership with Canadian Baptist Seminary, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Northwest Baptist Seminary, and TWU. Winnie Liu, director of Public Relations for TWU and a grad of ACTS, notes that “both ACTS and the TWU School of Graduate Studies offer Master’s Education in Scripture and Christian Thought. As for doctoral programs, ACTS offers D.Min degrees while TWU’s school of Graduate Studies offers a Ph.D in nursing.” Alongside these seminaries, Canada Institute of Linguistics and the Vancouver Institute for Evangelical Worldview developed. The collaborative effort also included the John William Wevers Institute for Septuagint Studies “as a hub for Septuagint research, translation, and publication projects.”

Barton Priebe (DMin), current president of Northwest Baptist Seminary, worked for TWU student life for four years, served as a lead pastor for 20 years with Fellowship Pacific, and finished his doctorate through Northwest. He notes that after 30 years in Vancouver, Northwest embraced a common vision for theological education and growth with TWU for a kingdom partnership and moved its campus to the Langley University grounds in 1987 where leadership development could happen in a more sustainable way and where they could conjointly offer degrees.

 As a member of ACTS, Northwest led seminary innovation in 2012, under Dr. Kent Anderson, after realizing the traditional model of campus-focused theological education was not meeting the needs of local churches. The need for character, leadership, and ministry skills would move under the sphere of church campus sites with outcomes-based education. The Seminary featured the Immerse model of competency-based training with academic, field, and ministry mentors overseeing developing students. Their unique model received accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in 2015. This innovation was accompanied by Korean Language programs and in 2020 undergraduate programs were reintroduced under the new model. Through partnerships with more than ten denominations, ministry agencies, and churches in four languages, Northwest Baptist Seminary is on a growth trajectory, placing 75 percent of its graduates.

Evangelical institutions like those at ACTS are lauded for their flexibility in adapting to cultural changes. Priebe says that “with the rise of the internet and globalization in a changing world we needed to respond to churches saying that the seminary was no longer producing the kind of pastors and leaders needed.” They realized that character formation doesn’t happen in the classroom and that competency-based skills were better learned by actually preaching, counseling, leading and learning on the job. “Traditional education was too expensive, and people were not willing to move on to campus for four years.”

Evangelicals have come under increasing pressure as irrelevant in our changing culture. Priebe admits we live in challenging times which makes it “all the more important to train the next generation in their theology, their character, and how they relate to the culture around us. We can’t give simplistic answers to the next generation. What is needed is best offered through on-site mentorships in the places where a supportive faith community already exists and offers opportunity for development.”

“Over the past few years, the ACTS board of directors, in collaboration with member seminaries, has deliberated over what structure will best serve students today and in years to come to ensure the flourishing of their education. The ACTS board of directors has agreed to a plan that will allow each member seminary to grow and deliver excellent theological education through unique models that meet the specific needs of their constituencies while ensuring that students can continue to access course-based theological education through a seminary at Trinity Western University.”

 Next steps from the ACTS consortium started with a Petition for Change in Control or Legal Status filed on April 1, 2024, to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). A task force of member Presidents, Chief Financial Officers, and the Executive Committee of ACTS has been established “to create a transition plan by June 24, 2024. ATS will do a site visit in the fall of 2024 to ensure a smooth transition and care for students to the new TWU School of Theology. In February 2025 ATS will vote regarding the transfer of accreditation. If all goes well, TWU will launch its School of Theology on May 1, 2026.