Peace River Bible Institute

The Peace River Bible Institute is a degree-granting college recognized by the province of Alberta. PBRI's Bachelor of Religious Education course was recognized after its establishment in the 1980s by the American Association of Bible Colleges.[1] The Bible college is located in Sexsmith, Alberta, Canada.

Peace River Bible Institute
MottoA College for Life
Typeprivate bible college
Established1933
Religious affiliation
Christian
Academic affiliations
CHEC
PresidentKim Cairns
Students45 (2021-2022)
Location
Sexsmith
,
Alberta
,
Canada

55.3464°N 118.7799°W / 55.3464; -118.7799
Colours   Black & red
Websitewww.prbi.edu

History

The Peace River Bible Institute (PRBI) was founded in 1933 in Berwyn by Walter McNaughton, a graduate of the Prairie Bible Institute, who moved PRBI to its present location in Sexsmith two years later. PRBI's first director was Hattie Kirk, whose work was celebrated in an exhibition at the Grande Prairie Museum devoted to women's role in the history of the Peace region.[2] The college's student numbers have risen rapidly since 1993,[3] with the number of enrolments rising from 60 to 200 over the 10 years leading up to 2007.[4]

Programs

Courses offered by PRBI range between one and four years in length, and cover religious education, church music, pastoral studies and mission work. The college's four-year Bachelor of Religious Education course in "Church Ministry and Community Service" can include fire fighting certification, with training provided through a partnership with the Sexsmith fire department. Some of the students who take these courses become pastors, but others seek employment in other professions.[5]

Discipleship

PRBI is a self described discipleship-focused school. Its website states that "we are in the process of creating a transferable model of disciple-making to be observed and practiced within the student body."[6] As part of their discipleship model PRBI encourages one-on-one discipleship relationships as well as facilitating mandatory discipleship groups called "Community Life Groups" which are led by various Community Life Leaders. Community Life Leaders are selected from upperclassmen who apply and are affirmed by the Campus Life Department for the following school year. Resident Leaders are also considered part of the discipleship model, as they oversee the spiritual and material needs of the various dormitories.

Recognition

A 2004 water balloon fight at PBRI involving 800 participants and 8,000 balloons was recognised by The Guinness Book of World Records as the largest yet conducted.[7][8] The record was exceeded at Sint-Michielscollege Brasschaat in Belgium in April 2005.[8]

Staff and faculty

The current President of PRBI is Kim Cairns, who was promoted from academic dean to become the college's president in 2019. His forerunner was Waldie Neufeld.[4] Kim Carins is also the Intercultural Ministries Program Advisor.

Academics:

  • Brad Cowie – Academic Dean, Registrar & Faculty
  • Jason Gayoway – Program Advisor & Faculty Field Education Advisor
  • Scott Butler – Faculty & Librarian

Student Life:

  • Josh Rigby – Dean of Men
  • Anne Laursen – Dean of Women

For an extensive list of Team Members go to prbi.edu/PRBIteam

Historical list of staff and faculty
YearPresidentVice PresidentChair of Christian MinistriesChair of Global MinistriesChair of PastoralChair of Worship ArtsStudent Campus PastorMen's Campus PastorWomen's Campus PastorMen's Resident DirectorWomen's Resident Director
2005–2006Rod Masterson ? ?Darrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtDean YurkewichDebbie HiggsRyan CampbellBrandi Hall
2006–2007Waldie Neufeld (Interim) ? ?Darrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtDean YurkewichJudy SandifordRyan CampbellBrandi Hall
2007–2008Waldie NeufeldDarrell GerberDarrell GerberDarrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtMark WeiderickJudy SandifordSamuel Minatara & Simon GhaliBrandi Hall
2008–2009Waldie NeufeldDarrell Gerber ?Darrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtMark WeiderickSharon GerberSamuel MinataraBrandi Hall
2009–2010Waldie NeufeldDarrell Gerber ?Darrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtMark WeiderickSharon GerberN/AAutmn Teele
2010–2011Waldie NeufeldDarrell GerberBrad CowieDarrell GerberWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtMark WeiderickSharon GerberN/AAutumn Teele
2011–2012Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtShane DellSharon GerberN/AAutumn Teele
2012–2013Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsWarren CharltonJohn BellDarrel SchmidtShane DellSharon GerberN/AKendra Ford
2013–2014Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJohn BellDarrel SchmidtShane DellShelley MartindaleJustin WorthingtonMeadow Teele
2014–2015Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJohn BellDarrel SchmidtShane DellShelley MartindaleN/ACamille Demers
2015–2017Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJohn BellDarrel SchmidtShane DellShelley MartindaleN/AN/A
2017–2018Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJon OsborneDarrel SchmidtShane DellShelley MartindaleN/AN/A
2018–2019Waldie NeufeldKim CairnsBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJon OsborneShane DellJesse RaugustShelley MartindaleN/AN/A
2019–2020Kim CairnsJeremy JohnstonBrad CowieKim CairnsJason GayowayJon OsborneJesse RaugustJesse RaugustShelley MartindaleN/AN/A
2020-2021 Kim Cairns Jeremy Johnston Brad Cowie Kim Cairns Jason Gayoway N/A Jesse Raugust Jesse Raugust Anne Laursen N/A N/A
2021-2022 Kim Cairns Jeremy Johnston Brad Cowie Kim Cairns Jason Gayoway N/A N/A Josh Rigby Anne Laursen N/A N/A

[9][10]

References
  1. Ronald Wesley Neufeldt (1983). Religious Studies in Alberta: A State-Of-The-Art Review. Waterloo, Ont.: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. pp. 22–23. ISBN 0-919812-18-X.
  2. Mary Nutting (February 2, 2007). "Obstacles and opportunities". The Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta).
  3. Natasha Botha (March 14, 2004). "PRBI growth spurt continues with a record graduation class this year". The Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta).
  4. Derek Logan (March 16, 2007). "New title for a familiar face; PRBI promotes academic dean to president's chair". The Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta).
  5. "Faithfully fighting fires: a prairie Bible college trains dual-purpose pastors". Western Report. March 13, 1995. p. 30.
  6. "Peace River Bible Institute -".
  7. Graham Rockingham (June 17, 2005). "Festival of Friends getting wet". The Hamilton Spectator. p. A01.
  8. Rob Faulkner (July 27, 2005). "Balloon fight boasts are ... ballooning". The Hamilton Spectator. p. A03.
  9. "Home". prbi.edu.
  10. PRBI Yearbooks 2005-11
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