One thousand elders of The Church of Pentecost drawn from the various areas of the church in Ghana have completed the first semester of the Elders’ Training Course at the Pentecost University.
The training programme, which is an important component of the five-year strategic vision of the church (Vision 2023), aims at equipping the officers of the church with the requisite theological and pastoral knowledge to lead the ‘Possessing the Nations’ agenda at the local levels of the church.
The programme adopts both the virtual and in-person lecture model; four weeks of online lectures with three days of face-to-face lectures. The three-day in-seat lecture session was organised in two batches at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) campuses at Gomoa-Fetteh and Kumasi. The on-campus session for the first batch of students was held from September 17 to 19, while the second batch of students took their turn from September 24 – 26, 2021.
Courses treated during the first semester included Old Testament Survey, Church History, Pastoral Studies, Hermeneutics and Homiletics. The students were also taken through some highlights of Vision 2023.
Facilitators for the course are Apostles Dr. Daniel Okyere Walker, Dr. Alfred Koduah (Rtd.), Dr. Ben Ali, Dr. Samuel Ofori, M. C. Asiedu (Rtd.), J. F. Asante-Ayeh (Rtd.), M. M. Kopah (Rtd.), as well as the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Apostle Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua.
The others are Pastors Joshua Yirenkyi-Smart (Rtd.), Henry S. Ako Nai, Jacob Asare, Nimako Boateng, Abraham T. Nortey, Emmanuel Ayisi Mensah, Ebenezer Hagan, Emmanuel Adjei-Nimako and Isaac Ayisi-Kumi.
At the closing ceremony at the Kumasi PCC Campus, the Vice-Chancellor charged the students to be true agents of transformation in every sphere of life. He also challenged them to be implementers of Vision 2023, saying that: “God seeks willing troops who will carry and fulfil the mandate given to the church.”
The Elders’ Training Course is made up of two blocks (terms) of four weeks each leading to the award of a Certificate in Christian Ministry. Beyond this, students who would be able to cope with the academic studies would receive a Higher Education Certificate in Theology and Pastoral Studies offering them the opportunity to pursue higher learning at the diploma and degree levels, where they will be awarded Diploma in Theology and Pastoral Studies and Degree in Theology and Pastoral Studies, respectively.
Report by Overseer Prince Augustine Ababio