By 'Gbenga Bankole
Christ Apostolic Church Theological Seminary (CACTS), Ile-Ife, Ilesa Campus, Babajide School of Prophets and Evangelists (BSPE), Osun State on Saturday October 8, 2022 held her 29th Convocation Ceremony.
At the convocation ceremony which had in attendance the President of CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele and General Superintendent, Pastor Emmanuel O. Odejobi, the school graduated 266 students, 150 graduates from Certificate, 85 from Diploma and 31 from Degree programmes.
It would be recalled that the school graduated 332 students at her 28th convocation ceremony held last year.
While ministering at the programme on the topic "Qualifications for a Successful Ministry" taking his text from 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7, the President of CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Oladele said there is no doubt that the ministry is the highest calling, it is higher than any vocational calling and that is why many professors and business men and women leave their work to obey the call of God to the ministry.
He further said that today, almost everyone is scrambling to become a Pastor, noting that some people even take their children by force to the ministry because they believe it is a sure meal.
According to Pastor Oladele, the first qualification for a successful ministry is a personal experience of Jesus Christ.
"How can we work for the one whom we do not know? The problem in today's church is that people preach about Christ they do not know. We slander God when we want to work for Him without knowing Him. The problem with us today is that we know so much but we don't know the Lord," he said.
Pastor Oladele told the graduands that they must know the Lord more than what they were taught at the Seminary, explaining that they must know the Lord personally.
The CAC President who stated that two ways Abraham knew the Lord was by tradition and by revelation, said what is needed today in the Christendom is God-taught people and God-taught Pastors, adding that anyone who knows God, will behave differently.
He added that another qualification for a successful ministry is faith in God for the supply of all our needs.
"If you know the Lord, you don't depend on connection. What we need at this time is to know God personally and have faith in Him to supply all your needs. If you want to be successful in the ministry, look unto God, not the church. Every minister who will be successful in the ministry will say 'no' to some gifts or inducement," said President Oladele.
In his speech, the Chairman, CACTS Governing Council, Pastor G.S. Dada told the graduands that they are called to serve others.
According to him, "today, you will receive a tangible reminder of this call to serve. Even as we award you your degrees, remember you are called to Serve. As you go into this world of trouble, bear witness but do so in ways that will help this world to listen. Our hope is not in how loud we are or how many tweets or texts we may send out. Our hope is expressed in an understanding that the person we seek to connect with is a person who is a fellow image bearer of God. When you and I see the world and the people of this world as a prayer away from being a brother or sister in Jesus Christ, it helps us look at them and listen to them with hearts full of love and hope."
"God cares for you and He cares about the people you will meet and minister to in any and all contexts. As you graduate from Christ Apostolic Theological Seminary today, please keep this truth before you. The story of ministry is really the story of hope by the power and the grace of God. God is always calling you to a deeper hope that is always and only centered on Him. We love you. We will pray for you. We look forward to what God will do through you. We look forward to hope coming alive in you and in your ministry," 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. Your purpose is to be 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," he continued.
"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 people, they should take care not 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.
In his convocation speech, the Coordinator of CACTS Ilesa Campus, Pastor Fashina said to the graduands; "you have studied hard and served well, now you have to go out there and show yourself approved unto God as workmen (2 Tim. 2:15), to make the knowledge and instructions gained count. As Christ's representatives, your assignment is to bring transformation through undiluted word of God and exemplary life. The Lord grant you grace to make the light received shine brighter day by day in Jesus name."
Pastor Fashina said his assumption to office as Coordinator is a privilege to serve and to ensure the labour of past leaders do not end in vain, adding that to take the institution to the next level, there is the need for implementation of some innovative reforms in the organization with the aim of improving efficiency.
"The prospect of change is an inevitable factor of life, yet it frequently constitutes an unwelcomed challenge to many people who view it as a fearsome threat to their security and well-being. For many, the concept of change is a frightening one undesirable and certainly unsought. Yet, experience repeatedly confirms that even forced change is often a gateway to greater things in life if faced with the right attitude. Change is not a monster from which we should hastily flee. It is an opportunity to be positively confronted. If we allow ourselves to view it negatively as a threat, it could have the power to paralyze or even destroy us. But if we meet it in faith, boldly confronting it with optimistic confidence, it can lead on to much greater things.
"Some years ago, our President was asked for his vision for Christ Apostolic Church. Curiously, I was waiting for his answer. He said that he has no other vision than that of his leader then. When he became the President, he released his vision for church-Reconciliation, Evangelism/Church Growth, Training and development. I reiterate, all our efforts now are to key into the vision which we consider to be our guiding principle of capacity building for growth," he said.
Among other notable personalities at the programme are, the Chairman, CACTS Governing Council, Pastor G.S. Dada; Provost, CACTS Ile-Ife, Pastor/Prof. C.O. Oshun; Deputy Provost, CACTS Ile-Ife, Pastor Dr. M.O.A. Oluwaniyi; Registrar, CACTS Ile-Ife, Pastor L.B. Akinyosoye; Campus Management Committee Chairman, CACTS Ilesa Campus, Pastor Ajayi Timothy; Coordinator, CACTS Ilesa Campus, Pastor Dr. T.A. Fashina; Special Assistant to CAC President, Pastor T.D. Asokeji and many others.
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