The Provost of the West Africa Theological Seminary, Ipaja, Lagos, Dr. Olufemi Emmanuel has reiterated the seminary’s commitment to the founding vision of the seminary which is to train leaders that will raise men and women in holy living and the spread of the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world.
He made the declaration in a statement issued by the seminary’.media department signed by Israel AdeDunai and made available to Church Times
In the statement titled, Renewed WATS, the provost said he is committed to refocusing on the founding vision of the Seminary.while also adding that every action of the seminary will be geared towards fulfilling that vision
He said, training leaders for the church with the intent of raising men and women for Holy living and taking the gospel to the unreached is a goal that can’t be compromised for anything..
According to the Provost the seminary is in a vantage position to. Impact the larger society because of the calibre of people that come forl training in the school.
‘There are people from strategic institutions in Nigeria that come for training here. The military chaplaincies; the politicians; the lawyers, the academic; the police and other professionals come to the Seminary for leadership training. If they all imbibe holiness as a lifestyle, they will definitely go back to their churches, formations, institutions and impact them..’ he said.
He reasoned that “Until Christianity begins to impact the society, it has not started. And that is our main objective”
In the new drive, the Provost said that effort is being put in the right places to train as many as 4,000 students each year. ‘Our intention is to engage the church which is the catchment area and Christians in the market place to take advantage of the training in the school. We have more than enough resources to accomplish this task
WATS theological leaning
Dr. Emmanuel posits that the overall WATS Theological leaning centres on Wesleyan and Hermannean doctrine on holiness as a way of life.
He said it had been an error over the ages for humanity to consign holiness to the activities of the church.
Rather, he said that holiness is life itself. It is a culture and a lifestyle that people of all walks of life must live and reflect on in their daily routines.
The Renewed WATS he affirmed, will take the gospel to the unreached while explaining that ‘the unreached are those who have not heard the gospel and those have been hearing the gospel but have not embraced it. The day they embrace or accept the gospel is the day they are reached.’
WATS has been a leading multi-denominational and cross-cultural Seminary founded about 40 years ago by an American, Rev. Professor Gary Maxey, a missionary who has naturalised as a Nigerian
