Light Still Seen in Tragedy

Fifteen years ago, on April 26, 2006, just south of Ft. Wayne, IN, a truck driver fell asleep and ran his semi across the median hitting a college van full of students and staff.

As first responders descended on the terrible wreck, they found four dead college students with one more just barely clinging to life.

In the confusion of the rescue, two blonde haired girls were misidentified. The one student was dead; the other was helicoptered out, battered with a brain injury, but presumed soon to die.

The dead body was wrongly identified as Whitney Cerak, the true identity of the injured girl. Whitney’s grieving parents had a funeral at their church in Gaylord, Michigan and laid the body to rest.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, the girl that was comatose and covered in bandages was listed as Laura Van Ryn. Her recovery was very slow, but the Van Ryn family stayed by the girl’s side. After over a month, the girl had recovered enough to write. A therapist asked her name, and the girl slowly wrote, “Whitney.” Dental records were checked, and the Van Ryn family was shocked.

The Cerak family could hardly believe the phone call that they received, and they rushed to see their daughter. As they arrived, they realized that their joy was another family’s intense pain.

Both of these families were practicing Christians, and they saw that God was working through all this tragedy to show His Will and Light to the world. Two years later they would together tell their story in a book called Mistaken Identity.

Our theme for the 2021 Graduation Week is Revealing the Light in a Darkening World. In the past year, we have seen a large shadow sweep across our country and throughout the world.

The answer is not reformation, and it will only be found in Jesus Christ. “How shall they hear without a preacher” Romans 10:14b.

We all need to pray, but we also can encourage, direct, and support young people to be trained in the Bible Truths that are taught at Heritage Baptist College.

Graduation Week Events

On May 4 - May 6, 2021, we will hold our thirteenth Graduation Week for Heritage Baptist College. With renewed caution, we decided to shorten the week, and all the programs will be held at the Hopewell Campus. We are excited to see you again, and to have you participate in the events that will take place this week. The schedule of the 9 speakers from 7 different states can be found in the Spring Edition of the Heritage News. Please note the several event changes, including the date of the Fish Fry. Here are the upcoming activities:

Dr. Tom Wallace to Speak at Banquet

Every year, one of the special events of Graduation Week is the Alumni/Graduation Banquet. Dr. Tom Wallace, of Murfreesboro, TN is scheduled to speak at the Tuesday night, May 4th event. Dr. Wallace has pastored three great churches during his ministry, and he has been in evangelism for over two decades. He is one of our favorite speakers, and he will spiritually feed your heart and soul.

This year, we will host the Alumni/Graduation Banquet on the Hopewell Campus, and we look forward to the specially catered meal.

Also that evening, there will be a cameo performance from the Heritage Harmonica Boys.

Come and enjoy Dr. Wallace’s message, along with a night of good food, Christian music, and great fellowship. Please call Heritage Baptist College to make a reservation. (317) 738-3791 or (317) 246-8915.

Graduation Week Fish Fry

Following the morning service on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, we will enjoy our Annual Fish Fry. For several years, Brother Harvey Shilling and the men from Waverly Baptist Church have come to Heritage to fry a wonderful meal of fresh fish. Our hats also go off to Brother Harvey, who catches and cleans the crappie fillets. Dr. Clyde Billingsley began the Fish Fry over 2 decades ago, and he plans to be with us again.

Garvan Walls to Preach During Graduation Week

One of the week’s highlights will be the combined meeting of local churches on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. Dr. Garvan Walls is the pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Oliver Springs, TN, and he will be speaking that night. We will have special singing, and numbers of churches will be in attendance.

Dr. Walls has pastored Mt. Pisgah for 38 years, the church where he grew up as a boy. His work has a worldwide vision with a printing ministry that prints Bibles and sends them around the globe. Brother Walls’ messages are relevant and helpful.

This is our fourteenth year to host this combined service, and we look forward to a special evening filled with great enthusiasm, kindness, and Christian unity among the churches.

Commencement

The final activity of the week is the Commencement Service, on Thursday, May 6th at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Bill Blakely that leads the Berean Baptist Church of Greenwood, IN will close out the week with the Commencement address. The church is celebrating their 50th anniversary year, and Pastor Blakely has shepherded the church for over half of those years.

Come celebrate the completion of our fourteenth year.