A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article, with pictures from the October 1, 1983, meeting at Cote des Neiges Church in Montreal, appears below. Martin Geleynse is the coordinator of Institut Farel.
If the word “miracle” means: the power of the living God mightily intervening in the lives of people and of communities, then this is how you spell “miracle”; F-A-R-E-L, for the INSTITUT FAREL in Quebec City is a living demonstration of this mighty power of God at work.
When in September 1978 we stood and sang: “To Thee be the glory” (in French to be sure!), we really did not have the slightest idea what we were getting into with our decision to, among other things, establish an institution of pastoral formation and lay-training for francophone churches in Quebec. But we saw the doors opening before us and we firmly believed that this was the hour for us to follow the call to enter. So we did, standing hand in hand with heads high and spirits soaring. And we have never had time to look back.
When in January 1982 we finally were able to welcome a full-time coordinator, loaned to us at full salary by the Christian Reformed Church, our institution of pastoral formation and lay-training still only existed in our minds, and we were very much aware that the few courses taught at the time by David Craig, John Miller and Daniel Racine, really did not constitute a theological faculty in the proper meaning of that term. But we went ahead and announced to the world the birth of INSTITUT FAREL, Faculté de Théologie Reformée de Québec (which means in English: Reformed Theological Faculty in Quebec City). Our vision had not dimmed and our faith had not diminished and we still believed that the Lord was leading us on and calling us to answer the needs of young Quebecois who seek the will of the Lord.
There are so many of them! Young men and women, singly or in groups, who come and ask us to teach them, what it means to be a Christian in this world. How can I live my biblical faith in practice in my profession? What does it mean for my people that Jesus Christ is Lord? What does the Bible say in the life of a nation? What is the Christian view of history? How can I equip myself to better serve the spiritual and moral needs of the Quebecois nation?
INSTITUT FAREL sees it as its calling to answer these questions and fill these needs.
We do not have an impressive building. Our Institute is located in an office building in the city of Ste.-Foy*. We do not have impressive offices either. We share office-space with the Canadian Bible Society and with St. Marc’s Presbyterian Church. We do not have a large library, but count a total of approximately 1500 books, which are available to our students (one third of these belongs to Rev. David Craig and one third to the coordinator). When you come to think of it, we really lack everything a self-respecting seminary or theological faculty ought to have, or so they say. But what we do have are students. Mature students, most of them, who are not interested in credits first of all, but who want to study scripture and what scripture has to say to their particular problems. Many of them are students at Laval University and have their first degree. The average age of our students is approximately 24 years. And we praise the Lord for the eagerness and the earnestness with which these young Christians study the Word of God with its implications for all of life.
The government and other universities do not recognize us yet (and we fully realize that such recognition demands that we prove ourselves as an academic institution). Our professors are not paid and single-mindedly devoted to their academic pursuits. All of us have many other things to do in the ministry and mission of the church. We volunteer our time to teach a course or two at Farel. And our professors do not have the required academic excellence. Most of us work with Master’s Degrees.
But what is a real problem for us (for which we need the prayers of all those who love our work) is the lack of qualified francophone reformed Evangelical faculty. They are a very rare breed indeed. It is necessary for us to create and train our own professors, if we will ever be able to offer a full-time program. It is exciting to know that the first qualified Quebecois professor will “come off the assembly line” (if you will permit me to use this expression) in May of this year. He will teach Old Testament at Farel. Summer 1985 we expect the second professor for Christian Education and in summer of 1986 we expect our New Testament professor to join us. At that point we will have three Quebecois professors who will be qualified to teach which will make it finally possible for us, if the Lord wills it, to offer a full-time program. But until that moment comes, we will have to limit ourselves to the teaching of our courses during the evening-hours or on Saturdays.
INSTITUT FAREL is aiming high. We want to teach our courses at the University level. There are a good number of Bible schools in the province, who offer courses for people with a high school diploma. But there is no evangelical and Reformed francophone institution that can offer a theological formation at the university or seminary level. This high goal means that we are making it difficult for ourselves. We do however believe that this is our calling and we are confirmed in this conviction by our students, who come to us precisely because we offer this kind of formation.
Our programs are varied. As a matter of fact, one might say that our desire to answer the expressed needs of our students, has led us to branch off in different directions. Beside the B.Th and Certificate of Christian Studies programs, we offer a Program of Missionary Formation, which will begin in July 1984 to help those who want to equip themselves for missionary service in francophone countries of the world (including Quebec to be sure!). And we are seriously looking into the possibility of offering a program of training for teachers in the public high schools of Quebec, who want to teach the programs of religious and moral instruction.
All this means that our human capabilities are stretched to the limit. We hope and pray that the Lord of the Church will raise up men and women who will support this mission of INSTITUT FAREL, so that we may be able to attract the people we need to do the work that He has placed upon our hearts. And such a happy burden it is, we assure you. We share it gladly with all those (not a few of whom are members of the Fellowship), who are so faithfully sending us their indications of full moral and financial support. A support that is very crucial to us, since our only income consists in the gifts and offerings of individuals and churches who have caught the vision of what our Lord is so mightily doing among us and through us in this province. What a privilege to be part of this mission on the front line of His Church Militant, which is His Church Victorious, in Him who is already Lord of Lords and King of Kings, to whom belongs all authority in heaven and also on this little area on the globe, called Quebec.
* All Correspondence, requests for information and gifts should be sent to this address: INSTITUT FAREL, 965 Route de l’église, Suite 160b, SAINTE-FOY, Quebec G1V 3V3 – Tel. (418) 651-3199 or (418) 658-1716.