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David Hearn, president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada (C&MA), can now add two special letters before his name: Dr. Dave earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Alliance Theological Seminary (ATS), the graduate school of Nyack College in Nyack, NY, founded in 1882 by A.B. Simpson, who also founded the C&MA. ATS is the national seminary of the C&MA in the United States with the historic mission to prepare men and women to “take the whole gospel to the whole world.”

Dave successfully defended his dissertation, about the role of church leaders in both modelling and mobilizing spiritual renewal in their church, on April 12, 2019. It took him approximately one year to conduct research, collect data, interview individuals, and do the writing and revising. Dr. Martin Sanders, who oversees the doctoral program, was Dave’s doctoral advisor. Rev. Dr. Bernie Van De Walle and Dr. Rob Reimer were his first and second readers, respectively.

Dave’s hope is that his dissertation will make an impact on the C&MA. The data collected will be used to increase the effectiveness of the current spiritual renewal happening in C&MA churches. His desire is to gather pastors who are pioneering a new wave of spiritual renewal to form an Alliance Spiritual Renewal Network to be launched in late 2019 or early 2020. The hope is that this, and other spiritual renewal networks, will continue to fuel the flame of spiritual renewal in Canada, going deeper into the breath and life of the Alliance family.

The hooding ceremony will be held on May 9. Congratulations, Dr. Hearn!