Download December 2015 eNews here
1. CONGRATULATIONS — WATS & CBTS GRANTED THE AFFILATE STATUS!!
We in ACTEA are delighted to report the good news that two new institutions in West Africa were awarded ACTEA’s Affiliate Status accreditation in June, 2015, namely, the West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS) in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary (CBTS) in Ndu, Cameroon.
These awards were made following successful institutional assessment visitations by Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chemengich and Dr. Cletus Orgu, Principal of LIFE Theological Seminary (Nigeria) to WATS on 11th to 12th May, 2015, and the Executive Director and Mrs. Florence Kagwamba, Executive Administrative Assistant, to CBTS on 14th to 15th May, 2015.
ACTEA awarded accreditation to the following are the 9 study programmes in WATS:
- 2 Bachelors Programmes: Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Theology.
- 5 Masters Programmes: Master of Divinity; Master of Arts in Biblical Studies; Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies; Master of Arts in Christian Leadership; and Master of Arts in Christian Education.
- 2 Post-Graduate: Post-Graduate Diploma in Theology; and Doctor of Ministry.
ACTEA awarded accreditation to the following 5 study programmes in CBTS:
- 1 Diploma of Theology.
- 2 Bachelors Programmes: Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies.
- 2 Masters Programmes: Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology.
We invite you to join the ACTEA family in congratulating these two new member institutions! Do also pray for each institution and their leadership teams as they seek to be faithful to God’s calling to them, and for an enriching and renewing partnership as they invite ACTEA to be her accountability and support partner in their journey to quality and recognized study programmes. Congratulations to WATS and CBTS, and to God be the glory!
2. CONGRATULATIONS — MKC AND EFGTS GRANTED THE CANDIDACY STATUS
It is with great joy that we share the good news of the Candidacy status for accreditation awarded to both Meserete Kristos College (MKC) and by Ethiopian Full Gospel Theological Seminary. The institutional assessments for ACC and FTC were done on 15th September 2015 and 17th September, 2015 respectively.
Meserete Kristos College, located in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia was awarded Candidacy Status for the Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Christian Ministry, Diploma in Bible and Christian Ministry (English) and Diploma in Bible and Christian Ministry (Amharic) Programme, while Ethiopian Full Gospel Theological Seminary, located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was awarded Candidacy for two study Programmes: Bachelor of Arts in Bible and. The approval and recommendation was done by the anonymous ACTEA Review Panel overseeing these accreditation processes.
The Candidacy Status for both takes effect from 1st November 2015 and is valid for a duration of four years. During this four-year period, both MKC and EFGTS are expected to complete their institutional self-evaluation and submit a Self-Evaluation Report (SER) to ACTEA as the basis for assessment of their educational Programmes for full accreditation. For this reason, it is vital for MKC and EFGTS administrations and faculties to begin familiarizing with the procedures and process of putting together the SER document.
We now invite all our ACTEA stakeholders to join us in congratulating the entire MKC and EFGTS communities and to also encourage them as they embark on the journey of putting together their institutional Self Evaluation Report (SER) and the remaining process toward their successful attainment of ACTEA’s full accreditation status.
It is our prayer that MKC and EFGTS will continue to be inspired by this new status as they continue in pursuit of quality and excellence in general administrative operations, academic excellence, and spiritual formation for all stakeholders of their community. Congratulations to MKC and EFGTS, and to God be the glory!
3. AEA GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The leadership of Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) met in Harare on 27th June to 2nd July, 2015 to draw attention to successes and developments made by AEA, elect new leadership, as well as, spotlight concerns and external pressures facing the Church in the continent and beyond.
The theme for the AEA General assembly was lordship of Christ in all things. The areas of focus was the church and general life specifically the Lordship of Christ in the family, gender, in conflict situations, in business, in politics, in media, and in theological education.
Senior Evangelical leaders also made inputs of possible amendments to the AEA constitution and the relationship between AEA and its service arms (projects and commissions). Much of the focus revolved around a combination of challenges they faced like; threats of extremism to Christians in countries like Nigeria, Kenya and Somalia, impacts of climate change, the Ebola epedemic, need to empower women and youth and practical mitigation frameworks that would direct the AEA in its engagement to the larger Body of Christ represented at the GA.
AEA elected a new president- Dr. Goodwill Shana Dr. Shana takes over from Rev. Samuel Yameogo who had served in that position from 2010-2015. Dr. Goodwill Shana held the Vice Presidency post in AEA from 2010 – 2015. He is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Word of Life International Ministries founded in the City of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1990. Dr. Goodwill Shana is a lawyer by training and a holder of a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Degree as well as an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Antioch Bible College in Columbus Ohio. He has served the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe for the past 20 years at various levels from Provincial Chairperson to President. He is married to Pastor Maureen B. Shana and they have 4 Children.
ACTEA Executive Director attended the AEA General Assembly. In addition to participating in the presentations and assisting in recording session proceedings, he also presented ACTEA Report to participants. The Report was well received and increased ACTEA’s visibility among National Evangelical Fellowships across Sub-Saharan Africa. Many representatives from various countries showed interested and promised to invite ACTEA to their countries to evaluate theological institutions.
4. ACTEA NETWORKING OFFICER- DR. DWIGHT SINGER
Africa is home for Dwight, for he has lived many years in Nigeria with his wife and children. He first traveled to Nigeria in 1989, following God’s call to engage in formal theological education in Africa with SIM (Serving in Mission, known at one time as Sudan Interior Mission).
Dwight first degree is in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware (his home state), he has a (post) Graduate Diploma at Columbia International University, South Carolina, in 1976 (where his roommate was a Kenyan pastor who would become AIC Bishop) and the Master of Theology (Old Testament) at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1983. Ph.D. in Hermeneutics and Biblical Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania, in 2013. One of his mates during some of his WTS years is the current ACTEA Executive Director. Dwight’s.
He has worked as an engineer for several years in the aircraft and fossil fuel industries while serving in the local church as a lay leader. Has served five years as the Assistant Pastor of New Monmouth Baptist Church, New Jersey, with a view towards gaining pastoral ministry experience in his home culture as a foundation for training church leaders in Africa. Dwight was ordained to Christian ministry in 1984 and commissioned for missionary service in 1989 jointly by local churches where he served.
Dwight has been a faculty member of the two oldest ECWA seminaries, Nigeria, for 26 years. SIM/ECWA first posted Dwight to ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja, Nigeria, but he transferred later to ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos (JETS). He enjoys teaching Bible and theology, especially Old Testament Exegesis, Hermeneutics, English OT Bible, and Biblical Hebrew. Through his years at the ECWA seminaries he has served in many administrative offices, including Director of Christian Service, Seminary Chaplain, Academic Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Programmes, Deputy Provost, and Acting Provost.
Dwight’s passion for theological education in Africa still blazes. He will eagerly partner with ACTEA leadership to fulfill the ACTEA mandate for excellent and transforming evangelical theological education unto the glory of God in Africa. He is the husband of one wife, Miriam (for 38 years and counting), who is a R.N. and whose ministries in Africa have included health care, women’s ministries (BSF), missionary member care, and guest house management. They are the parents of three married children, all of whom are walking with the LORD, and two grandchildren. In 2015 Dwight and Miriam have shifted their full-time residence back to U.S. in order to care for their aging parents.
5. ACTEA COUNCIL MEETING 2015
The November 2013 Executive Committee and Council meetings in Nairobi were some of the most important meetings in the history of ACTEA. In September 2015, we meet in Addis Ababa for another set of very important meetings. The meetings this year further defined and cemented the importance of ACTEA. During these meetings, the ACTEA’s constituency renewed its commitment to the growth, development and sustainability of ACTEA.
The council received and approved of the new organizational documents: Financial Manual; Human Resource Manual, and Accreditation Procedures Manual. These will now be the official organizational documents to be utilized by the administration for effective management of the accreditation process and its financial and human resources. The Council received the Audited accounts for 2014 and approved the 2016 budget.
The council had noted the urgent need to revise the current Constitution which was last revised in 2006 in order to reflect current and planned organizational changes, after a lot consultation, discussion and revision, the council approved the newly revised 2015 ACTEA Constitution and its accompanying organizational structures.
Finally, the ACTEA Executive Committee and Council committed to engage in the following: to digitalise all office records,to assist and get involved in raising funds towards the “ACTEA Income-Generating Office Project’ , to develop a strategic plan, to improve ACTEA publicity, and to establish new and refresh old strategic partnerships.
These recent developments reflect the passion of ACTEA to see a revitalization of its operations towards achievement of its mission: “to promote quality evangelical theological education in Africa, by providing supporting services, facilitating academic recognition, and fostering continental and inter-continental cooperation.”
6. ICETE: C-15 CONSULTATION
2015 ICETE triennial took place on the 6th – 11th November 2015 in Antalya, Turkey. The theme for ICETE 2015 was: “Engaged and Effective – The Impact of Theological Education“. The focus of our week was on Measuring Ministry Impact- How do we know that we are effective in what we do? Is it possible to measure the impact of theological education on Church and Society? We have many great speakers who spoke on these issues. During this meeting great friendships and relationships were made and cemented. From the two photos attached you can tell, it was a tremendous week together. The second photos shows the Africa Representatives, ACTEA was very well represented by our institutions.
7. ANNUAL FEES AND REPORTS:
If your institution has not submitted reports and applicable fees for year 2013/2014, please remember to do so as soon as possible. (Note: All ACTEA institutions should have received their annual notices by now!!). This is one way of keeping institutions accountable to the ACTEA Standards we have mutually agreed to maintain. Please complete and send your institution’s Annual Report for 2014, a requirement for ACTEA institutions, and ensure that you make this report a high priority and send it to: adm.ass@acteaweb.org, with a copy to: actea.africa@gmail.com and adm.ass.actea@gmail.com. If your institution has any pending annual reports ensure that you send this Report as soon as possible
For the institution with debts arrears kindly plan to clear as soon as possible.
As you prepare to send your institutional payments, here are a few important guidelines to ensure successful payment transactions without problems: First, it is important to notify ACTEA office by email when funds are sent because it can be difficult to tell the source of a fund wire transfer that appears on the bank account statement. Secondly, you can make payments by cheque or wire transfer, payable to, “ACTEA”. Bank deposits, or Wire transfers, should be made to the following ACTEA bank account details in Kenya:
The wire transfer details are:
Bank Name: CFC Stanbic Bank
Account Name: AEA / ACTEA
Account Number US$ (Dollar): 0100003273557
Branch: Upper Hill Medical Centre
Swift Code: SBICKENX
Cheques can be mailed to: ACTEA Executive Director; P.O. Box 49332-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. If by delivery courier services use the following Physical address: ACTEA Executive Director, AEA Building, Valley Road, Tel.: (254) 020-272-2769/ 0721571549.
8. OUR INSTITUTIONS’ PRAYER CONCERNS:
Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving for Gods faithfulness to us and our institutions thought-out this year.
Accreditation and Re-accreditation: Let us pray for the ACTEA institutions currently engaging in the process of getting their Programmes accredited or re-accredited. We pray for wisdom, renewal of strength and good health of the leadership involved in writing the Self Evaluation Reports (SER).
Financial Stability: Let us pray for financial stability of our theological institutions. Many institutions are also putting up physical structures which need to be completed on time to support various Programmes. May the Lord provide resources immeasurably for the continuity of the gospel and theological education in Africa.
Peace: A good number of African countries are not politically stable. We pray that the Lord will give Africa peace and an end to wars and conflicts. May we be instruments of peace in Africa, and let us continue to love each other as Christ has loved us and maintain peace among each other.
Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS): MYS just lost their Academic Dean Mr. Gedion Adugna, who was murdered on his was home from his office. Gedion was currently working and leading in the Self Evaluation Review for MYS who we will be Re-accrediting in February. He was a great brother, friend, colleague and potential leader of the Mekane Yesus Church at large. We in ACTEA will miss his services and friendship! Please lets us remember his young family and the entire MYS community in our prayers for Christ’s grace to abide and strengthen, Amen.
9. UPCOMING ACTEA EVENTS & DIRECTOR’S 2015 TRIPS
Note and pray for the success of the following upcoming meetings:
- Nigerian visits: we plan to visit six (6) institution in Nigeria from 11th January – 21st January 2016
- Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS) Re- accreditation: 14th February- 20th February 2016
- The Evangelical College of Theology (TECT) Re- accreditation:24th April- 30th April 2016
- ACTEA 40 years Celebration: 16th October to 20th October 2016
10. ACTEA LIBRARIANS eNEWS
If you have library news or questions, please feel free to contact David Fitz-Patrick at dfitz@bisa.org.za so that he can include them or help where possible via our ACTEA Librarians eNews.
11. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR 2016!!!
On Behalf of ACTEA family, we wish you and yours a blessed Christmas, and a happy, safe and restful holiday!