By Iddi Yire
Accra, Aug 15, GNA – The Good News Theological Seminary has held its 21st graduation ceremony at Oyibi near Accra.
The event on the theme: “Being a Faithful Servant of Christ in an Ever-Evolving and Dynamic Society”, which was the first post-COVID-19 pandemic graduation ceremony to be held by the Seminary, witnessed 50 students graduate from various programmes.
Of the total number, 13 were awarded Bachelor of Theology, while another 13 received Diploma in Pastoral Ministry, whereas 24 had Certificate in Pastoral Ministry.
Reverend Professor Thomas A. Oduro, the President of the Good News Theological Seminary, in his report, noted that the Seminary had recently published a 566-page book titled History of African Independent Churches.
He said the book contained two biographies and fifteen histories, beliefs, and practices of some African Independent Churches written by students.
He encouraged all those who wanted to know more about African Independent Churches to purchase copies from the Seminary and other platforms.
Rev Prof Oduro went further to mention some projections for the Seminary in the ensuing years, and asked for support from all well-wishers to help them become a reality.
Some of the projections he mentioned were funds to complete a staff duplex, which was the only building that needs completion on campus.
Others are the establishment of a Research Fund, the creation of the Centre for African Instituted Church (AIC) Studies, and Funds to buy metal shelves to shelf piled up books at the Seminary’s main library.
Rev Prof Eric Nii B. Anum, the Vice-Chancellor, International Leadership University and Professor of New Testament Studies, who was the Guest Speaker at the event, reiterated that the theme for the Congregation, which was in line with the mission statement of the Seminary (to produce servant leaders for Africa), as stated in its statutes was very relevant for the present times.
He said the fact that societies require not just leaders, but leaders who were faithful servant leaders.
He specifically mentioned that there were only two types of leaders, and the graduands could be either one; adding that they could either be “faithful or faithless leaders, genuine or fake, faultless or faulty, true and false, accepted or forsaken leaders.”
Rev Prof Anum, therefore, urged the graduands to do self-evaluations in order to situate themselves within the description that best suits them.
He urged the graduands to position themselves for success in their various endeavours.
He appealed to them to make themselves available and accessible to their communities, and to be abreast with current strategies for reaching the market place to win souls for Christ.
He also advised the graduates to be creative and innovative in their Ministries and callings.
Rev Dr Jonathan Adjabeng of the Cross Mark Baptist Church in Accra, who was the Commissioner at the event, charged the graduands to be faithful stewards in the various societies they were called to and privileged to serve in.
By so doing, he remarked that they would be giving good accounts of their stewardship, and thus prove that they had received holistic training.
Rev Father Ellis of the St Johns Anglican Church, Ashale Botwe, Accra, who deputised for Rev Dr Daniel Okoh, the Chairman of the Governing Council of Good News Theological Seminary, as Chairman for the event, urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
The Edwin Weaver’s Memorial Award for Academic Excellence (Bachelor of Theology) was awarded to Kweku Benjamin Adrah whereas the Edwin Weaver’s Memorial Award for Academic Excellence (Diploma in Pastoral Ministry) went to Chinonso Godswill Nwokolo.
The Hebert Amoah’s Memorial Award for Spiritual Maturity was awarded to Ifeanyi Bright Osita and Daniel Chukwudumebi Abuah.
The Good News Theological Seminary, formerly known as Good News Theological College and Seminary, was established in 1971 to provide a sound Christ-centred and contextual biblical and theological education primarily for African Independent Churches (AICs) within Ghana.
Member churches of the then Pentecostal Association of Ghana, now known as the Council for African Instituted Churches (CAIC), collaborated with the Mennonite Mission Network, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana, Trinity Theological Seminary and some distinguished church leaders/scholars to establish the Seminary in 1971.
It is the only interdenominational tertiary theological institution in Ghana sponsored by African Independent Churches to offer training to their leaders and members in Ghana and other African countries.
GNA