Bethany College (formerly Bethany Bible School), located in the town of Hepburn, in northern Saskatchewan, was founded in 1927. For a number of years the school offered a two-year elementary course, increasing it in 1934 to an intensive four-year course. In 1935 it became an active member of the Evangelical Teacher Training Association. A two-year college course was offered 1939-1945. Since then it has again offered the regular intensive four-year course in Bible, Christian education, and missions.

At first the school was owned and operated by the Bethany Bible School Association, consisting of members who paid the required fees and who pledged its support, but later the association consisted of Mennonite Brethren churches which appointed their representatives on the school board, which guided and directed all the affairs of the school. In 1949 there were 16 board members representing 9 churches.

In 1948 all property was turned over to the Mennonite Brethren Church of Saskatchewan. It consisted of the main school building with four classrooms, an office, a library, and an auditorium; a girls' dormitory with offices, laundry, kitchen and dining-room facilities; a men's dormitory with residence for one teacher and family; two other teacherages; and a campus of approximately six and one-half acres.

The school had an average attendance of 50-60 students in the late 1940s. Most of these came from Mennonite Brethren churches of Saskatchewan, but annually the school had a number of students of other churches, as well as from other provinces.

At least one third of the graduates were active in full-time Christian work and were serving as missionaries in India, Africa, South America, and North America, and as pastors and Bible school teachers.

The school presidents during the years have been D. P. Esau, 1929-1934; J. B. Toews, 1934-1937; G. W. Peters, 1937-1942; G. D. Huebert, 1942-1945; J. H. Epp, A.H. Wieler, Corny Braun, Ike Bergen, Cliff Jantzen, James Nikkel, Doug Berg and Rick Schellenberg. 

In 1958, the Herbert Bible School amalgamated with Bethany. After Coaldale Bible School closed, the Alberta and Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren conferences joined together to sponsor Bethany in 1968. In 1995, the Saskatchewan Conference of Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church joined as a third co-sponsor of Bethany.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Bethany College website

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