Merry Christmas from President Nelson
Dear Tyndale Community,
“…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21
The Light of the world was born under a shroud of darkness. The chaos of war, poverty and suffering shadowed the world. The brokenness of sin and death were a constancy. Jesus' miraculous birth, however, shook the countryside. His birthplace was dark – a cold barn in the middle of the night, but light was about to break through. Bruce Cockburn says it well, "Redemption rips through the surface of time in the cry of a tiny babe."
In the midst of it all, a holy miracle poured light into the world. The humble birth of Christ shattered the stronghold of darkness.
At the right time, we are told by the writers of the gospels, Jesus was born. That moment, that birth, that time, was part of God’s grand plan. We feel this sense of destiny at Tyndale. At a critical and strategic time our move to the new campus calls us to a wider vision and a more influential mission. Nurturing the growing formation of a Christian university and a wider impact of our seminary has captured the imagination of so many.
Our sole task is to empower students to live out their faith in a complex and challenging time in neighbourhoods and workplaces both here in Canada and around the world. Tyndale endeavours to create a movement of Christ-followers who are effective in the face of challenge and courageous in the midst of pushback; to be bearers of Christ’s love and light to a world in chaos.
We exist to prepare students with a foundational Christian mind and a formational heart of character so we can launch them into the world of work and vocation they are called by God. In my six years as president, I have come to realize that Tyndale is a special kingdom asset.
Here, a movement of next-generation leaders and followers of Christ find their voice, a solid place to stand and the courage to live faithfully in all areas of their lives. Some people call this resilience, the ability to live courageously and boldly in the midst of chaos and conflict. I believe this resilience comes from building a bedrock of faith in Christ. The culture is changing. Following Christ becomes more and more challenging. We have a generation of students who want to face that challenge head on.
May we all give voice and influence to every place we find ourselves in this Christmas season. May we bring Christ’s light this Christmas to every person, every place we go.
Immanuel,
Dr. Gary V. Nelson
President & Vice Chancellor
Tyndale University College
Tyndale Seminary