Calvary West Africa Bible Institute trains more pastors

The Director of the Calvary West Africa Bible Institute, a non-denominational Bible College in Bolgatanga, Rev. Atiah Robert Asaakurigo, has disclosed that the institute has trained and graduated about 300 people as pastors, since its establishment in 2007.

The institute, with support from some missionaries from the US, is offering free theological training to individuals who have the calling to teach the gospel. The students have free accommodation and free meals, in addition to free tuition.

In order not keep people who are desirous of teaching the gospel in school for too long, the management of the institute has crafted an eight-month intensive course instead of the three years, and has three graduations each year.

Although the establishers had in mind that only Ghanaians were going to be enrolled, foreigners from Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria, and Niger have also started patronising the institute.

At the graduation of nine-newly trained pastors last Saturday, Rev. Asaakurigo indicated that currently, there were more Francophone students than Ghanaians. Last week's graduation was the 13th since the establishment of the school.

According to him, at the end of every year, former students of the institute are brought together to share their success stories and challenges with the continuing students. Missionaries also come annually to visit communities where old students have churches to do evangelism in order to win souls for Christ.

Some of the courses taught at the institute include Inductive Bible Studies Method, Practical Theology, Holistic Ministry, and Christian Leadership.

During his sermon, Rev. Asaakurigo said Africa can only be transformed by the word of God. He bemoaned the increasing cases of corruption on the continent, and warned its leaders to desist from acts of corruption, because it was destabilising their economies.

The foreign graduates were Yariwire Diarra, Joseph Kourouma, Caroline Conlibay, and Esdras Coulibay from Mali, Alexis Nebnoman Savodogo and Jonathan Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso. Those from Bolgatanga included Linda Agambire and Rose Azaare, while Bismark Ananoya came from Kumasi.