MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL
Having joined the Hebron family as a member of staff in April 2023, it is a privilege to be called to serve you in the capacity of Principal.
While rumour has been spread that Hebron no longer exists, the mere fact that you read this message serves as testimony to the contrary. Being a former student of this establishment and appreciating the vision of what God has birthed through the service of His faithful servant Dr. Jason Fawcett, I understand why the enemy of our souls would go to great lengths to silence the Pentecostal voice in our generation. I take comfort in the fact that God is on our side and the outcome has been predetermined for He is fighting for us (Rom. 8:31).
Where are we heading, one may ask. Without dwindling on the past and finer detail, I will attempt to give a brief screenshot of where we were and where we are heading.
The Bible teaches that the fivefold ministry has been given to the Church for two main purposes: (1) the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry and (2) for edification of the body of Christ. This is a continuous process until we accomplish two things: (1) the unity of faith and (2) unity of the knowledge of the Son of God. The final objective of it all is to achieve spiritual maturity by growing to the fullness of the stature of Christ (See Eph. 4:11-13).
One of the fundamental aspects of growing is constant change. Greek philosopher Heraclitus rightfully stated that “the only constant in life is change”. Although God is fighting for us and the outcome has been predetermined, it does not mean that change does not come with its own setbacks and challenges. Overcoming all of these we will be more than conquerors through Christ which strengthens us (Phil. 4:13).
Heeding the call of the Lord to provide Pentecostal training to ministers of the Gospel, Dr. Jason Fawcett spent more than 50 years fulfilling his calling. We acknowledge and honour the vision, passion, hard work, and dedication of Dr. Fawcett and his team over the years. Together they built Hebron to become the institution of choice for Pentecostal theological studies.
Having had our course material approved by SAQA, Hebron previously aligned our course material with the Council for Higher education (CHE). All accredited courses must be reaccredited every 5 years. When the time arrived for the reaccreditation of our courses with the CHE, Dr. Fawcett had already identified the need of students to receive more practical and workplace-oriented training without sacrificing our academic standards or Pentecostal ethos.
In keep with this identified need, the Board of Directors calculated the risks and passed a resolution to address the identified need.
The South African education and training system differentiates between strict academic education and training provided for under the CHE and more practical vocational education and training provided for under the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Practical theological training is novel to the South African educational system and to date only two formal qualifications has been approved: Religious Practitioner at Level 2 (for students who has a Grade 10 (old Standard 8)) and Religious Professional at level 5 (for students who passed matric or its equivalent).
In executing the Board’s decision, we were compelled to step away from the CHE and to align our studies with the QCTO. That is also the primary reason why accreditation for our diploma and degree qualifications were withdrawn by the CHE.
We are grateful that God, through divine Providence provided an umbrella to assist us in transitioning from pure academic training to more practical work-oriented training. This gives us the time needed to adjust our academic content align with QCTO standards and requirements.
We are also grateful to confirm that we are currently enrolling our third intake since transitioning from the CHE to the QCTO. Going forward we aim by the grace of God to grow in leaps and bounds to surpass our former glory.
In conclusion I would like to encourage you with the words of king Solomon: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.” (Eccl. 10:9 Amplified Bible).
Stay blessed.
Rev. Adriaan van den Berg