Forty-one (41) Pastors and Church leaders graduated in Kampala after successfully completing their Master’s Degrees from Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary and Graduate School (LBC | Capital) whose headquarters are in the United States. The graduates were from the Classes of 2020 and 2021.
The event occurred 29 May, 2021, through LBC | Capital’s partnership with the Pastors Discipleship Network (PDN), which aims to equip ministry leaders across Africa to proclaim the gospel and to better serve their churches and communities.
LBC | Capital President Dr. Thomas L. Kiedis gave the charge to the graduates via video, while two leaders provided commencement addresses to students and their families.
Pastor Peter Kasirivu, M.A., Founding Pastor of Gaba Community Church, Founder and President of African Renewal Ministries and Founder and Chancellor Africa Renewal University also graced the occasion.
“I have been a pastor since 1988, so that makes 33 years since I became a preacher of the Gospel. I cannot thank God enough for the opportunity I have had to be a minister of the gospel of the Kingdom,” he said in his speech, later revealing how he went back to Bible College after 27 years of being in Ministry.
“When I look at you, men and women, who are graduating, I cannot thank God enough for you, because, you are doing what very few Ugandans have done. You are doing what very few African leaders have done,” he said.
He encouraged steward leadership, urging that ‘to whom much is given, much will be required.’ (Luke 12:48). “You have a responsibility to use your training to help other people in your Church, in your denomination, in this nation.”
“It is one thing to start, and another to finish,” Pastor Kasirivu said.
Dr. Richmond Wandera, PDN Founder and President, who also holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Leadership from LBC | Capital, was one of the commencement speakers at the event.
Dr Richmond is unwaveringly committed to theological training for pastors in Africa; discipleship and spiritual formation for all believers. He said in his speech that over 5 countries were represented at the graduation ceremony.
Like Ezra in the book of Ezra 7:1-28, the senior pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Kampala, encouraged the graduates to devote themselves to study, obey and teach the Bible.
Robert Blanks, LBC | Capital Program Director for Pastoral Ministry and the Master of Arts in Contextualized Pastoral Ministry, bestowed the Servant Leadership Awards and Pastor Peter Kasirivu presented the candidates for graduation.
