Dr. Michael B. Pawelke
My daily routine begins like many of yours - with a piece of toast, a robust cup of coffee, and some conversation with my family. But before I launch into the work before me, I open my Bible. This practice has been an indispensable part of my life since I first trusted Jesus as a young teen. Every time I open the Word of God I learn something about God, something about life, and invariably, something about me. The response in my spirit is always the same,"But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10).
God has visited me with such grace. Growing up in a home that was far from God, God broke into my world through a little Gideon New Testament. I was welcomed into a wonderful church where I was quickly adopted by all kinds of spiritual moms and dads. Though lacking in confidence, I was brimming with vision. I wanted to serve Jesus with my life and so I was encouraged to consider Briercrest. My Briercrest experience would profoundly shape my life. It was here that truth was integrated into life. I grew spiritually, intellectually, and socially. I grew in character and in competence as a leader. The outcome of this experience was that God gave me a wonderful wife, two incredible children, and thirty years of rich pastoral leadership. I love my wife and children. I love the church. And I love the transformative power of the Gospel in lives and in our world.
God's grace has continued to this day. I am now entering a new season as Briercrest's sixth President and God is allowing me the opportunity of having a part in the education of the next generation of followers of Jesus. While I have left the church that I have loved and served for some 19 years, I am passionate about what Briercrest is called to do. Our mission is to equip our graduates to be men and women of character and influence. We are producing quality leaders for the home, the church, the marketplace, government, and society. I thank God for his grace and I thank you for the opportunity to serve in this way. I invite you to join me in this excitement and in this calling.
