Pentecost University Holds Commencement Service for First Semester

Pentecost University held a commencement service on campus today Sunday, 24th January for the first semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. It took place in the James McKeown auditorium and was attended by both staff and students.

Speaking on the topic “which of the cities do you belong to?” the keynote speaker and Vice-Chancellor of the University Rev. Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua referenced the biblical accounts of the cities of Babylon and the New Jerusalem.  He quoted Genesis 11:3, Hebrew 11:9, and Revelation 21:2 which give accounts of the contradictory motives of the two cities.

Rev. Prof. Agyapong- Kodua told the congregants that “the people of Babel which advanced into Babylon were fanatical about the greatness of their city and its king, so if your motive is about the greatness of self or family name, it is a Babylonian agenda.” He added that “the obsessing of the New Jerusalem, on the other hand, was to glorify God, and as such God glorifies the city.”

Explaining further, Rev. Prof Agyapong-Kodua asked both staff and students to check their motives at all times. He said “the university as a mission of The Church of Pentecost has a motive that overrides individual motives, which is to train people who will influence the thoughts and believes of the world for God, not themselves.” He asked students to “watch out and resist Babylonian agenda that may be set in subtle ways such as theft, exam fraud, pornography among others.”

On his part, the Chaplain of the University Rev. Nelson Adu explained the rationale of the commencement service. According to him “the rationale is to begin the semester with God and pray for his guidance for both students and staff through the ensuing semester.” He added that what stood out for him this year is the “large number of students who participated”, which generally reflects the increased enrolment in the university.

Rev. Adu further admonished students to reflect on “the profound word shared by the VC, and also not let their guards down on the Covid-protocols throughout the semester.”

Some students who shared their views expressed confidence that the words will make an impact on them throughout the semester. According to Jude Nomo, a level 100 student, the part that hit him most is when the VC said that “we should not serve in Babylon but yen for the New Jerusalem.” On her part, Ms. Vered Oware-Tweneboah, also in level 100, said the VC’s elucidation on Babylon and the New Jerusalem has set the path for the kind of influences she should avoid.

The commencement service is part of the Pentecost University’s calendar and takes place at the beginning of every semester. It is one of the initiatives meant to help build upright and ethically sound graduates and work environment in line with the University A+ agenda.