George Boyd is excited to begin his role as Briercrest’s new seminary dean and assistant professor of pastoral studies.

He lists two opportunities in particular that he especially looks forward to experiencing.

“Obviously interacting with the students is going to be a huge highlight,” Boyd exclaimed. “Then joining a faculty and being able to create a culture where people can excel at being what God has gifted them to be based on their experiences, their gifts and all of that.”

The new position brings Boyd back to his alma mater.

“I did my bachelor’s degree (at Briercrest) back in the early 80s,” he said. “Three years later I came back and began work on a master’s degree.”

It was during his Briercrest experience the Boyd says he found his life’s calling.

“I became really convinced that the best way to influence the world for God was the pastoral ministry – based on who I was as a person,” he explained. “So that began my career.”

Boyd has spent the last three decades as a pastor and a denominational leader in the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada (AGC). Most recently he has served in Ontario as the AGC East regional superintendent.

As his current term as superintendent was nearing a close, Boyd said that he and his wife wondered if a transition was ahead.

“Cynthia and I sensed that we were kind of unsettled,” he explained. “We were talking about it at Christmas time and during that time I discovered that the dean’s position was posted and closing on January 15 . . . So we thought about that and wondered if it was something we should do. I think we actually got (the application) in the very last day. So that began the process.”

Boyd’s career path has intersected several times with Michael Pawelke, Briercrest’s newly appointed president.

“Michael and I go back a long way,” he said. “We first met on third floor Whittaker Hall. They stood up in our wedding. We stood up in their wedding. We’re long-time friends.”

Soon after college graduation Boyd and Pawelke co-pastored a church plant in Winnipeg and later in their ministry careers they merged their two Ontario congregations together to make Compass Point Church.

“Michael was the senior pastor and I came on staff as a congregational pastor for a year,” Boyd said. “Then I became superintendent.”

The new dean says that although his decision to come to Briercrest reunites him once again with Pawelke, their decisions to come were independent of one another.

“God has amazing ways,” he exclaimed.

Boyd says the driving force behind him returning to Briercrest is a “huge love for the church.”

“I think that these positions allow us to serve the church,” he said. “That’s where my heart is. I want to be part of a group that is going to prepare the next people who are going to lead our churches.”