By 'Gbenga Bankole
A total number of 90 students graduated at the 24th Convocation ceremony of Christ Apostolic Church Theological Seminary (CACTS) Ile-Ife, Ibadan Campus held on Saturday September 10, 2022.
At the convocation ceremony held at Aperin Oniyere, Ibadan, Oyo State, 90 students comprising 46 Degree Students, 18 Diploma Students and 26 Certificate Students graduated.
The ceremony had in attendance the President of the Church, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele, represented by the General Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel E. Mapur, the Chairman, CACTS Governing Council, Pastor G.S. Dada, the Provost CACTS, Pastor/Prof. Christopher O. Oshun, Deputy Provost CACTS, Dr. Moses O. A. Oluwaniyi, CACTS Registrar, Pastor Lawrence Biola Akinyosoye, the Zonal Superintendent of Orisun-Ife Zone, Pastor J. Olu Makinwa and many others.
While ministering at the programme, the President of CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele, represented by the General Secretary Pastor Emmanuel E. Mapur urged the graduands to imitate Christ in all their doings.
The Chairman, CACTS Governing Council, Pastor G.S. Dada in his speech told the graduands that ministry will be wonderful and will be hard.
He further said to them that they need to do ministry in old ways and throw out the old ways of doing ministry, saying that the Church needs more poets like David and the last thing the Church needs is another poet.
"Go, lead the Church to be more like Jesus than most have imagined a Church can be. Go, lead the Church to learn the stories of faith for the purpose of becoming faithful followers. Go, lead the Church to care for one another, share their hopes and dreams and become sisters and brothers in Christ. Go, lead the Church to overcome the boundaries of race and economics, filled with warm hearts and open minds. Go, lead the Church to honestly look for truth because we are looking for the one who is truth. Go, lead the Church to take the past seriously because it takes the future seriously, to call for authentic worship, costly discipleship and genuine ministry. Go, lead the Church to become better followers of Jesus," he said.
While delivering his address, the Provost CACTS, Pastor/Prof. Christopher O. Oshun told the graduands that as they leave the Seminary for the wider world in pursuit of your God’s given mission in life, is to be a worthy Ambassador of Jesus Christ and to bear true allegiance to Him in all situations, saying they should be true Alumni of the Seminary.
"Let this charge serve as a constant reminder to you of your noble calling, training and commission. The proof of the pudding, they say, is in the eating. Or, as Jesus says of His would be disciples or followers, and this still holds good in any situation, age, or place, 'by their fruits you shall know them.' Prove your calling, training and commission, therefore, in your conduct so that men may see Christ live in you and give God the glory.
"In particular, the Lord sends me to warn you about the 'little foxes that spoil the vine.' You find reference to this in Songs of Solomon chapter 2 verse 15. These, in spiritual terms are the predators of the soul and above all, the Kingdom of God. Foxes come to plunder the vineyard and the vine fruit, '[because the] vines have tender grapes,' that is, they are ripened (v. 15), and because the tender grapes give good smell, or scent (v. 13b.). So, watch out for spiritual predators and guard against moments of spiritual vulnerability," he said.
According to Pastor Oshun, it is very essential that as the graduands go out into the world to serve in God’s wider world and, among His widely dispersed peoples, they should take care neither to endanger the ministry of saving souls, nor the flock of God that may be placed in their charge, adding that they should avoid a wasted effort, or opportunity.
Pastor Oshun disclosed that a proposal is before the Church Authority to start the Executive Masters in Theology (EM. Th.) programme for interested candidates at Lagos Campus of the Seminary.
"Recently, the Church Authority, upon the recommendations of the Senate and the subsequent approvals of Council ratified the following programmes for inclusion in curriculum of the Seminary: B. A. Bible Translation and M. A. Bible Translation. These new programmes are to be domiciled in the Main Campus at Opa, Ile-Ife, and will commence from the 2022/ 2023 session. In addition, the following programmes are pending before the Church Authority sequel to the recommendations of Senate, and approvals of Council, respectively, for its concurrent ratifications: Masters in Theology (M.Th.) and Executive Masters in Theology (EM.Th.)," he revealed.
The Coordinator of CACTS, Ibadan Campus, Pastor C.S.G. Titiloye urged the graduands to hold on to the sound theological training that they have received.
"Be diligent in God’s service, preach the Gospel in season and out of season, and live by it. Be good ambassadors of Christ Jesus everywhere you go. See yourself as salt and light of the world. Obey the Church Authority and the leaders under whom you serve. Whenever you find yourself at a crossroad, ask for God’s leading and direction in prayers, supplication and meditation. If you have faith like mustard seed, you will move a mountain," he said to them.
He said with dedicated and seasoned team of lecturers, the Ibadan Campus offers the following courses at various level:Certificate of Theology, Diploma in Theology, Bachelor of Theology and Christian Education, Evangelism and Mission and Adult Education.
Photo speaks ! (Photo Credit: Pastor Jackson Emmanuel)
