Dr. Henry Bast graduated from Hope College with an A.B. degree in 1930, and from Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan, in 1933. His first pastorate was at the Richmond Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, which he served from 1933 to 1939. He was then called to be college pastor and professor of Bible at Hope College, a position he filled for five years. He left Hope College to serve the Bethany Reformed Church of Grand Rapids as pastor from 1944 to 1956. In 1956 Hope College conferred upon him the Doctor of Divinity degree. From 1956 to 1963 he taught preaching at Western Theological Seminary as Professor of Practical Theology. In the spring of 1963 Dr. Bast resigned his seminary position to become pastor of Bethany Reformed Church in Grand Rapids for a second time. Dr. Bast also served on numerous Boards and Committees of the Reformed Church, and was President of the General Synod in 1960-61.
During the last 20 years of his active ministry (from 1952 - 1972) Dr. Bast also served as the speaker on the Temple Time (now Words of Hope) broadcast until he was forced to retire due to ill health. Dr. Bast died in 1983. In 1986 Western Seminary established a preaching program in his honor which includes an endowed chair, the Henry Bast Professor of Preaching.
