Mr. Henry Bartsch

Henry Bartsch was born on March 14, 1967, and raised in the Tillsonburg, Ontario area. Having only a nominal Christian background, he first heard the gospel at age nineteen. He came to understand that the essence of the gospel is deliverance from sin by the free grace of God, as opposed to the works of man. Joyfully embracing Christ at that time, he was freed from the burden of seeking to make himself acceptable to God.

Motivated through the reading of the Scriptures (particularly I Timothy 3:1), he desired to enter the gospel ministry. He began his education at Faithway Baptist College and Seminary (Toronto), graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Theology, and later with a Master of Biblical Studies from the same school. It was there that he met his future wife, Tammy Eva Gratton, who had also been claimed by God and brought to Christ out of a non-Christian background. They were married on June 15, 1991.

Henry worked as an assistant pastor in Tillsonburg for three years and then moved to Liscomb, Nova Scotia in 1994 to work as the full-time pastor of the only evangelical church in that community. During his ministry there, and especially during an exegetical sermon series on the book of Hebrews, he became convinced of the historically Reformed position on salvation. As time passed and he moved with his family to care for a congregation in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, his studies showed more and more that he was growing in the Reformed faith.

In January of 2000, he became a full-time student at Haddington House in Moncton, New Brunswick, a school of theology specializing in the Reformed and Presbyterian understanding of the Scriptures. He graduated on April 11, 2003 with a Master of Divinity degree, and was ordained into the gospel ministry in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Canadian Presbytery of the ARP and works in various capacities to advance the gospel in Canada.

Henry has been Mission Developer and Pastor of Trinity ARP Church in Chatham since May 2003, providing faithful expository teaching, and working together with a plurality of elders to give compassionate and wise pastoral care to Christ's church. He is also President of Cornerstone Bible Institute, a correspondence Bible course ministry to prisoners.

Mr. and Mrs. Bartsch have been blessed with six children. Henry enjoys spending time with his wife, motocross riding with his sons, going out with his daughters, reading and buying books, and listening to music. His goal is to live out the justice, mercy, and love of Christ in this world.