Frankie Rainey knows a thing or two about teaching.
The amiable, warm professor and pastor from Texas has been teaching for almost four decades of his 77 years – nine of that at Cochrane’s Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary & College.
Now, Rainey has won gold in the ‘Best Teacher’ category in the Eagle’s Best of Cochrane survey.
Originally from Houston, Rainey began his studies in 1956 and established his career in the Lone Star state. After reaching retirement, Rainey decided he wasn’t ready to hang up the teaching gloves yet. And it just so happens that Cochrane’s seminary had the opportunity he was looking for.
So in 2006, Rainey was asked to be a guest professor of New Testament and Greek at the seminary for one year, since the school already had another instructor. But another opportunity came to pass: that teacher ended up becoming dean and then president. Rainey, the guest professor, became the newest staff member.
“When Dr. Rainey arrived in 2006 it was a real God-send. Not only did he fill a crucial need on the faculty, but he became a pastor for the entire college and seminary community,” said Steve Booth, the current academic dean and professor of New Testament and Greek.
As both a professor and pastor, Rainey said he took a personal and humane approach to his teaching. “I try to clearly value each person as an individual. That’s very important to me.”
Rainey has mutual admiration for his time in Cochrane: “It is such a wholesome place to work. Everyone’s just on the same page; there’s no feelings of competition or anything like that among the faculty and staff.
“It really is one of the most delightful places we’ve ever been privileged to serve.”
The place has clearly rubbed off on him; Rainey and his wife, Sue, have applied for permanent residency – mainly to continue his practice at the seminary – since their work permits end in a year.
“I really don’t want to sit down and do nothing,” Rainey said with a chuckle.
