ALLEN TIMILEHIN OLATUNDE
APRIL 2011
INTRODUCTION
The Training Division of the Global Missions Board (GMB) is the training arm of the missions Board of the Convention. This division is principally established to train and retrain missionaries for our mission fields both at home and abroad. It also trains mission staff in the GMB office and gives guidance to staff on the appropriate training for better performance. The division accomplishes this ministry through the following units: Schools of Mission Unit and Orientation and Staff Development Unit.
THE SCHOOLS OF MISSIONS
The schools of missions unit supervises all the mission schools run by the board. It recruits trains and supervises the mission students towards implementation of the mandate the Great Commission. At present there are two kinds of schools of missions. We have School of Missions for less-educated individuals and the one for professionals. The former runs during some period of the year and the latter on weekends. The Schools of Missions are located at Oke-Bola, Ogbomoso, in Oyo State; at Minna and Guffants in Niger State; at Gidan Ahmadu in Katsina State; at Pobe in Republic of Benin and Abidjan in Cote D’voire. The Orientation Unit introduces new missionaries and staff to their various responsibilities. The idea of school of mission studies was first considered in November 1999 by a committee under the chairmanship of Rev. E. A. Udoh. In 2002, the Global Missions Board and the Nigerian Baptist Convention finally approved this training department, and named it Center for Missionary Development and Research (C.M.D.R.), after its establishment took over the Dry Season School of Missions which the Diaspora Ministry has been organizing since 2001. Initially, the Dry Season School was begun to provide capable leadership to about 120 Churches under the Diaspora Ministry scattered in Ogbomoso, Abeokuta, Oyo, Iseyin, Ido and Benue areas. This became imperative because funding from the Baptist Mission of Nigeria, which has afforded the services of about 75 student pastors to these Diaspora Churches ceased in late 2000 as a result of new budgetary regulations and new directions in missions. Capable members were selected from some of these churches to begin the first session of the Dry Season School of Missions which ran from 15 January to 20 March 2001. This first set made up of fourteen Students graduated with the Certificate in Missions in March 2003.
OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOL OF MISSION IN OKEBOLA
In the village of Okebola, Ikoyi Ile in Ogbomoso outcast, the School of Missions by Global Missions Board was started by Rev. Davidson in 2001 with few lectures that were candidates in Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso and it was established basically for Diaspora Mission Training of itinerant farmers, subsistence and meager hired farmers that came from Benue State in particular. The training makes them a trained missionary among the people even outside their tribal boundary. The center was located in the interior farm settlement purposely to create an atmosphere resembling their former localities; to mirror out background of rural area of the people and to reduce or minimize city distractions. It was also located to create a situation for learning how to cope wildly in rural setups. The strengths of the center are to training and develop church planters; to equip evangelist; and use them as missionary for Diaspora Ministry among Egbede, Idoma, Tiv and others.
The success of the programme in Okebola is that most trainees get a place to serve and there is improvement in mission works in their respective fields. The School of Mission has heritage of good leadership which creates good atmosphere for leadership training, not words alone but action. The leaders work with the trainees both in school and on fields. Nevertheless, the school is facing some challenges of jealousy from the society and reaction from Baptist churches. The issue of why training another Baptist evangelist; what will be their certificate, salary scale, title, and where to work. Another challenge is the placement of the trainees in the church. There is no concrete affiliation but only support from GMB, churches and societal organizations in Baptist churches. Support for the training School has come from local churches and individuals.
Students are trained for nine weeks each year during the dry season, when there is no farm work, for three consecutive years. The first contact session was held from 15th January to 2nd March, 2001. The second session was held 8th January to 4th March, 2002 and the third session commenced on 14th January and ended 14 March 2003. At the close of each session, students are challenged to go and evangelize and plant at least a church before the next contact session. They are also challenged to begin discipleship classes and to organize leadership meetings to raise assistants. Presently, the students on ground (2011) are 54, with 22 graduates. There are 5 trainers living in the school premises and few numbers of invited lecturers.
The School of Mission was formerly funded by Rev. Dr. Paul Davidson but at his exist, Global Missions Board took on the system. Therefore, the students that are admitted paid tuition which is about N25,000.00. Scholarship grants are not certain for students but some churches assist through donations to GMB. The student’s home church, family or self business is the major source of funding. The students rely mostly on what they bring when session starts.
The Center has some challenges. There is no library; no chapel built within the premise but only Okebola Baptist Church which was the original Center for the programme from inception. The School has 3 classrooms, 12 rooms’ hostel and hectares of land unused (neither for farming or building of structures). Oriire Local Government sank a borehole water system within the school premises.
The School faces a lot of challenges from the community or reality and abstract. Spiritual challenges from the underworld spirit actually prepare them for the task ahead. It makes them firebrand in prayer. There is no market within or around the school. They have to trek 8 to 9 miles before reaching Ikoyi Ile’s market. The school admits students of diverse language in which communication somehow becomes a barrier. There is no religious attack in the area.
The School of Mission Okebola has leadership structure of principal and lecturers. The student has Students Body Executive nominated by appointment on virtues and skills. Instructions come from GMB to the principal officer, Rev. Olaniran on the process and procedure for school administration.
ASSESSMENT OF THE SCHOOL OF MISSION LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Leadership training in the School of Missions encompassing the art of making mission works a lifestyle with the resources available. The students are trained on most of the theological courses in Seminary. The NBTS lecturers come to the school to educate and train the trainees. The training involves both theoretical and practical aspects of mission. The leaders are made not for mission alone but to be vocationally able. They are able to use their hands to work in order to sustain their homes. Tent making and mission are combined as ways of reaching the people group. The farming as vocation among the Idoma, Egede and Tiv is used to prepare room for the mission. The School of Mission also develops the trainee in the areas of intellectual development and communication. The mission studies expose them to intercultural system among non tribal men. Ability to cross culture with mission is taught. However, the leadership style applicable to diverse situations is practically taught in the school.
In conclusion, the assessment of the Diaspora Ministry in the School of Missions shows that rural system of mission among the strangers in Diaspora that came in search of greener pasture has future if and when the Centre is maximally funded with material and human resources.
WORKS CITED
First Convocation Programme Booklet, of 22nd March, 2003.
http://www.nbcgmb.org accessed on 15th March 2011 by 3.45pm.
Interview with one of the students, Bro. Jospeh Angbagh from Markudi, Benue State, on 5th March 2011 at the School of Mission, Okebola.
Interview with one of the students, Bro. Kehinde Pomile Yinka from Imeko, Ogun State on 5th March 2011 at the School of Mission, Okebola.
Interview with one of the trainers, Miss Grace Olabiyi, on 15th March 2011 at the School of Mission, Okebola.
Seventh Convocation Programme Booklet, 28th March 2009.
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