Andrew Dyck

Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry

Andrew grew up in Chilliwack, BC, and first came to Winnipeg in 1980 to attend Mennonite Brethren Bible College (one of CMU’s predecessor colleges). Here he grew in his love of Scripture and came to view all of life as service to God. He was married to Martha (Goossen) Dyck in 1980.

After working for 8 years as a physiotherapist, Andrew and his family spent 2 years in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he completed an MA in Church Leadership (congregational worship and music) at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. They then relocated to Abbotsford, BC, where Andrew was a Mennonite Brethren pastor for 16 years (King Rd. MB Church, and Highland Community Church). During these years, spiritual direction became a vital part of his life. From 2011-2012 Andrew was also the executive secretary of the Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission. 

In 2012, while writing his PhD dissertation in Christian spirituality (International Baptist Theological Study Centre and the Free University in Amsterdam), Andrew returned to Winnipeg as an assistant professor of MB Seminary at CMU. In 2021 he became an assistant professor of CMU.

While preparing to become a professor, Andrew identified five threads woven throughout the tapestry of his life: teaching (including higher education), classic music and liturgy, prayer that listens, the church, and family.

Andrew views his role as a professor as someone who not only teaches students, but also curates conversations between students, authors, and community members for the ongoing formation of his students. Andrew seeks to contribute to their spiritual formation, intellectual formation, ministry formation (especially for seminarians), and human formation. He believes that formation happens best when students are active contributors in the classroom, and remain engaged with their church and other communities beyond CMU.

Andrew’s research interests lie at the intersection of church history (especially. the Mennonite Brethren church) and spiritual experience, and in the encounters between Christians of diverse traditions (e.g. Protestant evangelicals with Catholic contemplatives). He sees the gift-exchange of spiritual practices among Christian groups as an overlooked grassroots form of ecumenism.

Andrew is a member of

• Association of Theological Field Educators.
• Evangelical caucus of the Association of Theological Field Educators (he is secretary of the board).
• Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality.
• National Faith and Life Team of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (his focus has been on publishing resources for churches).
• FaithWorks Church.
• Winnipeg's Imago Dei group.

Martha and Andrew enjoy their three sons, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. Andrew’s recreational activities include walking, travelling, and photography.

Areas of Teaching

Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry

Education

PhD Theology 2017, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (through the International Baptist Theological Study Centre). MA Church Leadership (congregational worship and music) 1996, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg. Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation (Physiotherapy) 1986 (gold medalist), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto (ARCT, piano teacher), 1980 (first class honours).

Work in Detail

Teaching

Many of Andrew's courses are designed to help students prepare for various kinds of Christian ministries -- whether as pastors or in other roles. Andrew's training as a spiritual director, pastor, and coach shape his teaching and one-on-one conversations. Most of his courses are offered at the graduate level, but half are also available to undergraduates.

• Anabaptist Spirituality
• Christian Spirituality
• Exploring Christian Spirituality
• Foundations for Christian Ministry
• Issues in Congregational Leadership
• Mission Ministry Experience (partnership with Multiply's Focus Internships [formerly TREK Central Canada])
• Moving Beyond Church Walls
• Pastoral Care
• Prayer
• Senior Ministry Seminar
• Spiritual Formation
• Supervised Ministry Experience
• The Art of Preaching
• Theological Reflection on Ministry
• Vocation and Calling

Andrew supervises graduate students writing master's theses in practical theology and Christian spirituality.

Andrew is an adjunct faculty member of MB Seminary (he was a regular faculty member of the Seminary from 2012-2021). He has also taught as a guest, adjunct, and sessional instructor at Bethany College, Hepburn; Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, Fresno; and Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford.

Click here to hear Andrew speak about one of his undergrad. courses. https://youtu.be/vwMh7L5G7aM 

Research

Andrew's doctoral dissertation, titled Praying Like the Catholics? Enriching Canadian Mennonite Brethren Spirituality through Spiritual Direction, Lectio Divina, and the Taizé Community, focuses on the place among Canadian Mennonite Brethren of practices newly acquired from previously 'foreign' Christian traditions. He maps the spirituality of Mennonite Brethren by studying this denomination's experiences of conversion, reading Scripture, and singing together. Each of these three is paired with a practice that has become present recently among Mennonite Brethren: spiritual direction from the Ignatian tradition, lectio divina from the Benedictine tradition, and singing from the Taizé Christian Community. This research offers  insight into healthy appropriation of spiritual practices between Christian denominations and traditions, and thereby offers a vision for grassroots ecumenism. 

Ongoing research interests:

• the sacramental language used by early Mennonite Brethren for baptism, communion, and preaching;
• the developments and challenges in spiritual life experienced by Christians from late middle age into the early senior years; and
• prayer among Mennonite Brethren from 1860 to the present.

Publications:

Articles in Academic Journals

• "Mennonite Brethren Encounters with Ignatian, Taizé, and Benedictine Spiritual Practices." Conrad Grebel Review 38, no. 1 (Winter 2020): 17-39.
• "Fresh Air for the Good House of Menno: The Holy Spirit among Mennonite Brethren." Direction 47:2 (Fall 2018), 207-228.
• Dyck, Andrew and Ingrid Reichard. "God, Sex, and Church: Why?" Direction. 45:2 (Fall 2016): 122-135.
• Isaak, Jon and Andrew Dyck. "Mennonite Brethren Confessions and Mission." Direction 41:1 (Spring 2012): 34-41.
• "Praying the Blessing of Psalm 110: A Response." Baptistic Theologies 1, no. 2 (Autumn 2009): 17-23.

Chapters in Books

• "Can the Centre Hold? Conversion in Mennonite Brethren Spirituality." In Renewing Identity & Mission: Mennonite Brethren Reflections After 150 Years, edited by Abe Dueck, Bruce Guenther and Doug Heidebrecht, 165-183. Winnipeg: Kindred Productions, 2011.
• "Herb Neufeld: He Opened Doors and Pushed Out Walls." In Leaders Who Shaped Us: Canadian Mennonite Brethren  -- 1910-2010, edited by Harold Jantz, 255-271. Winnipeg: Kindred Productions, 2010.

Book Reviews

• The Scandal of Evangelism: A Biblical Study of the Ethics of Evangelism by Elmer John Thiessen, Direction(awaiting publication).
• The Russian Mennonite Story: The Heritage Cruise Lectures by Paul Toews and Aileen Friesen, Journal of Mennonite Studies 37 (2019), 407-409.
• The Global Diffusion of Evangelicalism: The Age of Billy Graham and John Stott by Brian Stanley, Direction 47:2 (Fall 2018), 278-280.
• "German Baptists in South Russia" by Johann Pritzkau. Direction 44:2 (Fall 2015): 221-224.
• "Guide to 'Treasures Old and New.'" Review of 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus by Paul Zehr (Believers Church Commentary Series), Mennonite Brethren Herald 49, no. 8 (Aug., 2010): 34.
• The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality by Evan Howard, Communio Viatorum: A Theological Journal 51, no. 1 (2009), 106-113.

Guest Editor (incl. editorials)

• Direction 49:2 (Fall 2020) and Direction 50:1 (Spring 2021), "Biblical Hermeneutics I" and "Biblical Hermeneutics II."
• Vision: A Journal for Church and Theology 21:1 (Spring 2020), "Encountering God."

Denominational publications

• Dyck, Andrew, Elenore Doerksen, Jon Isaak, Angeline Schellenberg, eds. Family Matters: Discovering the Mennonite Brethren. Canadian Revised Edition. Winnipeg: Kindred Productions, 2017.
• Cooper, Brian and Andrew Dyck. Ordination: Principles and Practices. Winnipeg: Board of Faith and Life, Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 2017. 
• A More Excellent Way: Christian Marriage in the World (We Believe Pamphlet Series). Winnipeg: Board of Faith and Life, Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 2006.

Articles in Mennonite magazines and other publications (a sampling)

• Pauls, Cheryl, Terry Schellenberg, Andrew Dyck, and Wendy Kroeker. "Living into New Relationships: Canadian Mennonite University and the Indigenous Education Blueprint (an Interview)." Quest for Respect: The Church and Indigenous Spirituality; A Special Issue of Intotemak (Winnipeg: Mennonite Church Canada, Spring 2017), 163-166.
• "Doing Theology as a Spiritual Practice: Re-engaging Ordination." Mennonite Brethren Herald (July 2016), 14-15.
• "Prayer: Who Answers Whom?" The Messenger, July 2015: 10-11; revised in Mennonite Brethren Herald 54, no. 7 (August 2015): 22. 
• "Sowing Seeds or Tossing Nutshells? Speaking of Jesus." Mennonite Brethren Herald 52 no. 10 (October 2013): 14-16. Republished (and revised) in MB Chinese Herald, The EMMC Recorder, The Messenger, and Christian Leader. 
• "The MB Genome Project: Exploring the Evangelical Anabaptist Helix." Mennonite Brethren Herald 51, no. 2 (February 2012): 12-14.
• Guest editorial on Mennonite Spirituality. Roots and Branches: Periodical of the Mennonite Historical Society of BC 18, no. 1 (February 2012): 2.
• "Mennonite Brethren and Contemplative Practices." Roots and Branches: Periodical of the Mennonite Historical Society of BC 16, no. 3 (October 2010): 18-19. 

A blog, "Bringing Gifts," on topics for Christians and the church (2014-2015)

Awards:

Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission "MB Studies Project Grant" -- 2014. Project title: The Place of Contemplative Practices within the Spirituality of Canadian Mennonite Brethren.

Evangelical Press Association "Higher Goals Award" in the category Evangelism Article: third place -- 2014. "Sowing Seeds or Tossing Nutshells? -- Speaking of Jesus" (above).

Study Grant for Pastoral Leaders, Louisville Institute, KY -- 2002. Project title: Villagers in the City: Taking Our Lamp from the Bushel Basket to the Lampstand.

Community

Andrew enjoys preaching and speaking at community events beyond CMU and MB Seminary, including church services, workshops, retreats for leaders and churches, and training events. His talks have included "Introducing the Mennonite Brethren as evangelical Anabaptists," "Studying the Bible Prayerfully," "Speaking of Jesus: Bearing Witness to Our Experiences of Jesus Christ," "Praying with Jesus -- the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:7-15," "Singing as Discipleship: Gifts and Pitfalls," "Reformation Heirlooms (conversion, the living Word, and singing)," "Benedictine Spirituality," "Waging Peace: Ephesians 6:10-20," and "Being With God in Stillness and Scripture." He has recited the epistle Ephesians as a sermon in various contexts.

He offers ongoing spiritual direction to a few people each year.

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