A former professor, dean and vice-president of external relations from Briercest College and Seminary is now the new CEO and president of one of Canada’s largest Christian organizations.
David Guretzki became the new leader of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) on Jan. 31 after Bruce J. Clemenger stepped down and became the organization’s senior ambassador and president emeritus.
Guretzki joined the EFC in 2017 as the executive vice-president (EVP) and resident theologian, while he also served on the board from 2008 to 2017.
Born near Edmonton, he spent 35 years of his adult life at Briercest College and Seminary as either a student or employee. He acquired his bachelor of religious studies in theology in 1989 and a master’s in historical theology in 1995, while he completed graduate and PhD elsewhere. He then worked for the college for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017.
Excited and overwhelmed
With a laugh, Guretzki said he was “very excited” and “very overwhelmed” to be named CEO and president but also “very honoured” that the board selected him.
“It’s a big role. There were some pretty big shoes to fill, and I came to realize it’s not my job to fill the shoes of the last president,” he remarked. “We all have our own gifting, so I’m asking God to make it clear what my unique contribution will be to the organization.
Guretzki thought the position would be challenging since this was his first time leading a major organization. Yet, he is enthusiastic about building relationships internally and externally.
It was never Guretzki’s intent to become the leader when he joined the EFC, although he knew God’s hand cleared the way.
After Clemenger announced he would step down, the board worked with a hiring firm and searched for candidates. They approached Guretzki — a strong internal contender — and asked him to apply; after much prayer, he submitted his name.
That decision proved to be the right one.
“I think I’m where I’m supposed to be,” he added.
Prompted by the Holy Spirit
Chuckling, Guretzki said the Holy Spirit prompted him to move to the EFC from Briercrest College.
He explained that the former EFC board chair was leaving in 2008 and recruited him to join that body because of his theological background. He served nine years, and as he was about to step down, Clemenger and the CFO/EVP suggested he apply for the executive vice-president and — new position of — resident theologian role.
“It was kind of (Clemenger’s) vision to have an in-house theologian to think through the issues at a theological level,” Guretzki said.
“At first, I thought it was a crazy idea, but things just aligned. And I really do believe the Holy Spirit led us to consider this because I thought I was going to retire at Briercrest. … it really was a total surprise,” he continued.
College life
Guretzki loved working and learning at the college and interacting with students while helping them learn, grow and grapple with tough questions about life and faith.
“You can’t quite replace life on a college-seminary campus. There are definitely things I miss about that world … ,” he said. “I honestly owe a lot to Briercrest. They really shaped me into who I am and I have a lot of fondness for the school still.”
Guretzki will continue to be involved in academics, including giving lectures at Tyndale College in Toronto and supervising a PhD student.
Rewards and challenges
Working with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada during those five years was rewarding and challenging for Guretzki since he faced many different situations.
“I’m a kind of person that likes that variety and likes the movement and dynamic of change,” he said. “I like a bit of balance between stability and change — I have to have a bit of both — and the EFC fits the bill really well there.”
Becoming the new CEO means Guretzki will shed most administrative work while focusing more on big-picture issues affecting the organization, the Church and the world. He noted that these areas better fit his experiences and theological gifts.
Future goals
Guretzki has three goals he wants to pursue in the coming years.
One is learning more about the 45 denominational partners under the EFC umbrella and their recent triumphs and challenges. He would do this by undertaking a cross-country listening tour. From that, he would develop a strategy to serve those affiliates better.
Another priority is to attempt to bridge divisions and theological disagreements — especially over COVID-19 mandates — by helping partners unite around prayer. He also wants to incorporate more prayer into the EFC’s strategic plan, meetings and staff development.
A third priority is reaching out to the ethnic evangelical community and attempting to incorporate those churches and groups into the EFC. Guretzki noted that of the 650 million evangelicals worldwide, most live in Africa, Asia and South America.
While evangelicalism faces challenges today — especially with the word “evangelical” — Guretzki thought it was important to address the broader picture. This includes working with and learning from international partners and focusing on issues such as wars, international trafficking, economic disparities, global immigration, and the persecution of Christians.
“I’m quite enthused to help us learn the lessons from our global brothers and sisters … ,” he added. “It’s a global movement and I want the EFC to be part of that global movement … .”
