A total of 278 students graduated from the Living Word School of Ministry (LWSM) in Accra on Saturday with certificates and diplomas in various disciplines.
Their areas of study included certificate and diploma in Christian Ministry from their six campuses namely Calvary Temple (CT), Christ Temple (ChT), Faith Temple (FT), Ho-Bankoe Assembly, Holy Ghost Temple (HGT) and Transformation Temple(TT).
Out of the number, 20 pursued Certificate in Christian Ministry while 258 offered Diploma in Christian Ministry.
Addressing the 15th Congregation, the General Secretary of the International Gospel Church (ICGC), Mr Morrison Appiah said the life of ministry was the life of learning, growth and further deepening , and encouraged the graduands to learn and research a lot, despite all they had learnt in school to fully prepare them for God’s work.
According to him, all that they had attained from the school were the necessary tools to approach the life of ministry saying, “take them to heart and keep learning.”
Mr Appiah advised them not to see those they would be working with in the ministry as competitors but their allies and asked them to learn to appreciate and encourage them as well.
He indicated that they would require co-labourers in their ministerial journey adding that “Paul the apostle throughout his ministry acknowledged the critical need to work with others so he thanked and encouraged those who laboured with him for the gospel.”
Mr Appiah urged them to love the people they served and to give them the best they had in response to what God had given them.
Mr William Tsinigo, Director of the LWSM said the school was established by Dr Mensa Otabil in 1998 to produce well trained, practical-oriented and biblically sound shepherds to care for the flock of Jesus Christ.
He noted that the school had graduated more than 1,500 students in both certificate and diploma programmes over the years, saying “A great number of charismatic pastors and church leaders we have in the country have passed through the school,” Mr Tsinigo stated.
Mr Tsinigo disclosed that the LWSM was graduating its last batch of students because the school was integrating with Daniel Institute, another educational wing of Central University that was purposely training Christian and church leaders.
”Daniel Institute is beginning its academic year with this special review and improved curriculum in five different programmes with effect from November 1, this year at CT, HGT, ChT, FT, and TT campuses,” Mr Tsinigo noted.
He stated that the programmes were certificate in Christian leadership, Christian Council, Pastoral Outreach and Missions saying, “A five-month study in any of the above disciplines will qualify the student to continue in higher diploma and also pave way for top up programmes at Daniel Institute.”
In addition, Mr Tsinigo said, the institute was in the process of seeking accreditation with the national accreditation board to enable its prospective students pursue advance programmes even at the PhD level.
BY ABEDUWAA LUCY APPIAH
