Faith Theological College sees off graduates
Dimapur, April 18 (EMN): According to the minister for School Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training, ‘It doesn’t matter what profession you chose for living but the fear of the lord must be put in the first priority.’
Minister Yitachu was speaking during the 8th graduation ceremony of Faith Theological College, on April 18 at the Dimapur town hall in the city.
In his address, the politician said that ‘thousands of theological students are produced each year.’ But, he expressed worry, ‘about where the church is thinking to fit them.’
The minister said to the graduates that going out in the field would be much tougher than what they had learned in the college.
The minister for School Education also talked about the education system ‘going wrong.’
‘How can we progress and have a firm foundation when 2/3 of our society is drop-outs,’ he wondered. He gave the figures of dropouts to be those from between class-IX to class-X. Another reason, he pointed out, is because of the fewer number of science and mathematics teachers in most of the schools especially in remote areas.
The politician said that although it may take 4 or 5 years, he had requested the departments to collect information and data of science and mathematics teachers across the state and to report back.
Further, Yitachu cited an instance about people being from all walks of life be it a politician, businessmen, or even church leaders ‘that we fear our relatives, friends, and families but not God.’
‘After obtaining a degree from the theological college, all will walk out to witness to people who will fear their friends, villagers, and neighbours but will put God in the second option,’ he remarked.
The minister said it was high time for one to address issues concerning the society today.
‘We must engage with our problems soon before it goes out of hand,’ the politician said. He expressed strong belief that the church was ‘the only platform to put stop to all social evils’ in the society today.
Senior Auxiliary Secretary of the Bible Society of India (BSI) in Dimapur, Rev. Dr. Z.K. Rochill also spoke during the event. He stressed on the passage in the Gospel of John 21: 15-19 where Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Do you love me more than these?’
The guest of honour said that he was sad to know that ‘our state is still corrupted after so many theological colleges being established around us and the main reason for all these were because we do not love Jesus.’
To the graduates, Rochill asked whether they were going to ignore Jesus or love him by standing firm in their beliefs when they leave the college. He advised them to not become a liability for the society and remain stagnant in life but to constantly pray.
Also, the founder and principal of Faith Theological College, Rev. Dr.S Gangte thanked God for the ‘good life that God has bestowed on him.’ He said that the year was a year of jubilee for him.
He spoke about how they started the college with correspondence courses and later on added regular courses in 2009. It’s an inter-denominational college, he said and appealed to the people at the event to spread the news about the college welcoming anyone who was willing to study the word of God.
There were 29 graduates, both regular and distance learners, in the 2017 batch who were awarded various degrees including Bachelor’s in Theology, Master’s in Divinity, and Master’s in Theology. There were other awards too such as Thesis award, Best Preacher Award, and Best Sunday School Award that were conferred during the ceremony.
