•The Sun’s vice chair bags Master’s Degree in Theology
By Chukwuma Umeorah
For Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM), June 1 was a special day. That day, an arm of the church, the Pentecostal International Bible Seminary (PIBS), held its 44th Graduation and Matriculation Assembly in Lagos.
•Rev. Abone with family and friends at the ceremony in Lagos
At the event, Rev. Festus Abone, the vice chairman of The Sun Publishing Ltd, bagged a Master’s Degree. Many hailed him for seeking further knowledge in theology despite his numerous accomplishments in various spheres.
Abone, who was also the student president of the graduating set, highlighted the church’s crucial role in addressing moral decay starting from the family level.
•Graduating Master’s Degree students at the occasion
“The church has a lot of job to do. The family is the foundation of society, and the church has a role to play to arrest the moral decadence,” he stated, referencing his thesis on the impact of family structure on societal values.
He also emphasized the importance of preaching righteousness and holiness, particularly in the light of contemporary moral issues. He said: “We need men of God that will preach righteousness to the people because if the pastors use the pulpit to preach, at least the job will be half done.”
He urged the 75 graduating and matriculating students to continuously adhere to divine principles and to embody and preach the true gospel. “Our focus is not only on the church building; it is to teach our nation and generation what God can do,” he said, reflecting the seminary’s foundational values.
In his welcome address, the Registrar, PIBS, Dr. Ezeakolam O. Ukpabi, said: “The theme, ‘Ministers of God’s Approval’ is a milestone towards the creation of a dynamic and divinely commended army of Gospel communicators, patterned for righteousness and excellence.”
Explaining that to be divinely approved is to have the consent and backing of God, he offered perceptive to the rule of faith, among others.
Ukpabi volunteered: “At PIBS, you will learn beyond the biblical facts and theological systems; you will also learn to study the Bible itself for and into theological reflection.
“PIBS is a place of preparation for Christian service, mental development, acquisition of spiritual maturity, and a closer walk with God. It is a place where an educational foundation meets empowerment to be ready for the task of ministry is given prominence.
“PIBS is preparing ministers for the challenges of the twenty-first century who would address societal problems from biblical stand-point so; your studies will be related to the issues and questions of contemporary society.
“You can see why PIBS is considered an excellent place for fruitful learning, sound theological education, and spiritual impartation, a place of skill acquisition for effective ministry and training with particular relevance to the contemporary world.”
In his message, the rector of the seminary, Prof. Donatus Emmanuel, explained the theme of the convocation while quoting copiously from the Bible. He said: “This title, ‘Ministers of God’s Approval’ is very crucial, critical and needful to keep us from losing sight of our high and holy calling as it is in tandem with the Lord’s greatest warning, as He God will not allow any minister who lives in compromise to stand before Him.
“The value of historical study of doctrine is to help you to distinguish truth from error. Many people could avoid the theological pitfalls if they knew more about the history of doctrine. It is often an over-emphasis on one truth or a reaction to extreme views that brings about false teaching and causes inevitable heresies to arise.
“On behalf of our God-fearing leadership, I want to state emphatically that there is nothing as crucial and germane as having a minister who is holy, who stands for God in holiness l and righteousness (Deut. 10:8; 1Kings 17:1): whose service God will accept (Psalm 29:1-2; Luke 17:8 Rom. 12:1-2; 1Peter 2:5).
“The ‘Ministers of God’s Approval’ are not ‘blind-guides’, who ‘strain at a gnat and swallow a camel’
Matt. 23:24), but men of knowledge, of the seven Spirits of God (Isa. 11:2; Zech. 4:10; Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 4:5). They are those who are free from the popular mentality of foolishness and wickedness like the ostrich (Job 39:13-
18; Isaiah 55:6-9; Lam. 4:3-4; Mark 7:22; ll Thess. 3:2)”
Emmanuel, who posted that “theology is a knowledge superior to any other,” added: “coming to PIBS translates to encountering the combination of letter and spirit which produces life. Those who study in PIBS receive life, minister life, and live the life. They are ‘living stones’ wherever they go. Join us today and take advantage of our God-fearing and experienced leadership, highly skilled faculty, with excellent curriculum, tailored to retain God’s original plan and purpose in this God’s Spirit-driven institution, different and separated from others by her concern for the fear (Prov. 1:29), and the glory of God.”
In a chat with Daily Sun, he also urged religious leaders to avoid partisan politics while engaging in efforts to better society. He stressed the importance of distinguishing between governance and partisan politics.
Emmanuel emphasized that the CPM’s stance on partisan politics aims to ensure that religious leaders remain unbiased and focused on their spiritual duties, promoting ethical governance without aligning with specific political parties.
He stated: “You can pray that God should intervene in the political system without compromising your moral and spiritual integrity. A pastor can exercise his franchise, but you don’t just throw yourself into any group and begin to defend that group, whether what they are doing is good or bad in the name of politics.”
Emmanuel emphasized the importance of rigorous training for pastors to address the spiritual and moral crises facing nations today. “Every nation needs trained men of God and women. The problem we have is that several people are not trained,” he said.
Highlighting the theme of the event, he stressed the seminary’s commitment to producing ‘Ministers of God’s Approval,’ who will lead by example and bring positive change to society and the development of Nigeria. He added that religious bodies like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) needed to do more in fulfilling their mandate.
Emmanuel referenced Isaiah 8, explaining that societal darkness stems from a lack of true understanding of God’s word. “We are training these men so that when they go into society, they will be original men and women of God who will live a different life, underscoring the biblical principle that ‘righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach.”