CLCI Seminary Graduation
From the Field June 17, ’15
The CLCI has requested that the sponsorship enrollment in the seminary be increased to fifty from thirty-eight. What a wonderful bit of good news, that the number of applicants warrants this. The Mission Board has approved a phased in increase over three years to fifty with one third graduating each year. ‘Bulging at the seams’ is a good description of how the seminary program has gone forward. There was even a time in the past when we argued over how to limit enrollment, which was a quagmire the Lord pulled us out of.
The graduation service held on June 15th was a celebration of God’s grace and mercy. There were twelve graduates and their ordination took place at the same time. The celebration consisted of: several sermons, singing, SS children’s song and dance, seminary graduates singing. This was the graduation service for the 17th year of the school’s operation. Around three hundred people attended. A love feast was given after the service.
On May 4th, 1998 Pastor Jyothi Benjamin began his Bible Institute program on a two-year basis at Nidubrolu. Later the training program was expanded to three years. Previously, he had tried on a part-time basis with night classes to train the men. After a three man CLC visitation from ’97 recommended full-time teaching and sponsorship support, the Mission Board gave the go ahead. By June of ’05 the enrollment was at 32 still ‘bulging at the seams.’ Not only were new men accepted, but pastors from the field who had been accepted by colloquy desired to come and study. They were welcomed for this desire to grow more in the Word.
In addition to the seminary graduates, certificates were handed out to correspondence course graduates. Three men and seven women received these. We need to praise our God that Jyothi can carry out this educational venture in addition to his other duties.
In June of 2000 the first two graduates of the seminary were Isaiah and Jacob. Jacob went out to a congregation, while Isaiah served a congregation also and was called as a part-time instructor at the seminary. He is still teaching there.
Pastor Jyothi reported,
“God is good. The 2015 graduates of CLCI Theological Seminary celebrated commencement on Monday, June 15 at CLCI mission campus. We are very pleased to inform you that God has led another 12 students to complete the seminary course successfully. As graduated students, they are sure to have a great measure of satisfaction in leaving the seminary and entering into CLCI preaching ministry. These 12 men committed to the Word, dedicated their lives to do the Lord’s work in those areas with great strength as St. Paul said in the book of Philippians chapter 4: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”