wfn.org | TCN: PCT seminaries commission new graduates to offer their lives to God’s service

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>2991 Edition

>June 22~28, 2009

PCT seminaries commission new graduates to offer their lives to  God’s service

>Reported by staff

>Written by Lydia Ma

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) seminaries held convocations  this month and

commissioned new graduates to faithfully serve at churches and  organizations they will

>minister for the rest of their lives.

>Yu-Shan Seminary Update

Convocation at Yu-Shan Theological College and Seminary had a  distinctly aboriginal

flavor. It also happened to be the last time that seminary Vice  President Chen Nan-jou

would participate in the school’s convocations because Chen  will retire this year.

A total of 38 students graduated from Yu-Shan seminary this year.  The university also

awarded 2 doctorate degrees on this occasion to two New Testament  scholars, Tai

>Ming-sheng and Chiou Shu-bin.

Tai is the first aboriginal in Taiwan to receive a doctorate  degree in theology and he

uses new methodologies to interpret difficult biblical passages.  Chiou did her

dissertation on how the Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Good News  to

disadvantaged people and applied it to evangelism among  disadvantaged groups in

>today’s Taiwanese society.

According to Tai, earning his doctorate degree is an important  affirmation of his

academic research efforts and will boost his academic teaching and  his credential in

academic journals. He is very thankful to God for the honor of  being the first aboriginal

>to earn a doctorate degree.

Chiou said she really liked interacting with aboriginal students  at Yu-Shan and

appreciated the seminary’s teaching environment. She has no  plans to relocate for the

moment, though her parents live in Kaohsiung city in southern  Taiwan. She hopes to

stay and use her credentials to help the seminary in obtaining  government

>accreditation.

>Taiwan Seminary Update

Taiwan Theological College and Seminary held its convocation on  June 16th. A total of

59 students graduated from the seminary this year, including one  student who received

>a doctorate degree.

During a thanksgiving service, the speaker encouraged students by  pointing out that

graduation was a stepping stone in their ministries and urged them  to remain faithful

servants of God by carrying out God’s will, justice, and  mercy on earth while

courageously proclaiming the gospel. He also encouraged them to  press on by

reminding them of Paul’s admonition about not being ashamed  of the gospel and

God’s promise that He would care for the oppressed, weak, and  outcasts.

>Tainan Seminary Update

Tainan Theological College and Seminary held its convocation on  June 17th and 48

students graduated this year. Since PCT Moderator Leonard Lin was  on an overseas

trip, Vice Moderator Lai Hsien-Chang delivered a sermon in  Lin’s place during the

ceremony. Lai used Moses’ burning bush encounter with God to  urge students to offer

their lives to God’s work. He also encouraged them to  remember to serve God with all

they had in them whenever they faced difficulties and to remember  the passion in their

>hearts when they first began this journey.

Tainan Seminary President Wu Fu-ya emphasized that discouragement  was inevitable

during one’s ministry and warned students against acting  contrary to what their spiritual

convictions during those times. She also urged them to re-examine  their faith anew

>throughout their lives.

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