God s People - Doing God s Work

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3 West Africa Theological Seminary God s People - Doing God s Work To train men and women for holy living, for carrying the Gospel to the unreached, and for catalyzing national spiritual awakening WATS was founded in 1989 with the goal of training Christian pastors, teachers, missionaries and Church leaders, and it has grown to a student body of 650 on it s campus in the Lagos Nigeria suburb of Ipaja. Students 650 from across West Africa; called of God; leaving family to travel hundreds or thousands of miles; often to another country; to be educated, equipped and empowered for the task to which God has called them. Most come without money or job trusting God to provide. WATS has students on campus from 80 denominations, 40 native language groups, and 12 countries. There are over 2000 graduates serving as pastors, missionaries, church leaders and seminary and Bible College teachers throughout West Africa and around the globe Administration & Faculty 35 dedicated professionals who have chosen to obey the call of God to educate, equip and empower the leaders of God s church in West Africa. Support Staff 25 support, maintenance, security and office staff labor under extreme conditions, yet always with the joy of the Lord on their lips and a smile on their face. Without them, God s work at the seminary would suffer greatly.

4 God s People William Udotong, PhD. WATS Provost (President) Dr. Udotong, a Nigerian, has been with the seminary for the past 20 years in various capacities. First as a lecturer, and then in various administrative positions. From , he studied at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY where he received his Masters and Doctoral degrees. He along with his wife, Victoria, and their five children (4 girls and 1 boy) returned to Nigeria in December of He was installed as Provost (President) in January of Dr. Udotong is God s man - in God s time - to lead God s people at West Africa Theological Seminary. Ikenna Ezeoke WATS Graduate & Chief Protocol Officer I came to Christ as a young adult. My father had died not long before. I felt the call of God on my life for a number of years, but because of the pressure of providing for my family, I did not respond. Finally at age 26, I completely surrendered my life and accepted God s call to be a minister. When I came to WATS, my mother asked me how I was going to pay for it, and I told her God will pay my fees. I was so excited when I then got word that I was to be the recipient of a full Scholarship. I have now completed by Bachelor s Degree and have begun my Master s program in Biblical Studies. I was so blessed to be ordained as an Anglican Priest this past December.

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6 God s work Educating -to know o BA in Religion through the University of Nigeria at Nsukka o BA in Theology o Master of Divinity Training pastors, evangelists and missionaries o Masters in Intercultural Studies Muslim evangelization & discipleship o Masters in Christian Leadership Training Episcopal level leadership o Masters in Biblical Studies Training in Biblical proficiency Equipping - to serve o Internship Practicum s in ministry o Evangelism Film evangelism o Compassionate ministries working with inner city poor, refugees etc. o Spring Board Summer missionary experience o Mentoring and Discipleship in holy living Empowering - to go o Sent out to be pastors, missionaries, evangelists, disciplers, and leaders in the church, business and government. o Taking the Gospel to the unreached.

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8 Friends of WATS The Vessels of God s Provision We ask you to Join the Journey of becoming the vessels through which God will provide for His PEOPLE and His WORK at West Africa Theological Seminary. Consider these 3 key areas: Prayer, Service and Stewardship Prayer The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16 o Become a Prayer Partner - Join hands and hearts with a Student, Staff or Faculty member at WATS. Pray for each other and God s work in Africa and in the US. o Be an Intercessor Join with others who will set aside specific time to intercede on behalf of WATS and the Friends of WATS. o Praise and Prayer Letter Join with us in telling the stories of God s goodness, answers to prayer, and praying for the needs of the seminary through our monthly Praise and Prayer Letter. Service... to prepare God s people for works of service. Ephesians 4:12 o Become a member of the team Join with others as a supporter of the seminary by volunteering and otherwise giving of your time and talents.. o Mission Trips - Help organize or join us on a short term mission trip to WATS where we join together with the WATS family for: construction, medical/dental, water purification, evangelism, and other projects..

9 Stewardship Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth...but store up for yourself treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 PEOPLE Join us in supporting God s PEOPLE at WATS by providing an annual sponsorship to a Student or Faculty member. o Student $100 per month [$1,200/year] will pay the tuition for one student for a full year of study. o Faculty $400 per month [$4,800 /year] will pay the salary for a faculty member for a full year. PROJECTS Join us in supporting God s work at WATS by participating in a number of projects o Power $4,000 per month is needed to keep the power on at WATS. $1,300 per month is needed to pay for Internet Access. o Construction Monthly support of funds and materials is needed for ongoing improvements and maintenance of the campus. o Emergency Fund As with any ministry, there are constant personal emergencies for which funds are needed

10 Biblical Principles One of the primary objectives of Friends of West Africa Theological Seminary is to help our ministry partners think from a biblical perspective. This includes how we ask our ministry partners to help Educate, Equip and Empower the men and women of WATS to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. GOD OWNS IT ALL (1 Chron. 29:14) God has provided us with all of our time, wealth, possessions, and resources. God owns everything. These resources are His gifts to us, which God will use to accomplish wonderful things for His Kingdom. 2. WE ARE TO MANAGE GOD S RESOURCES (1 Peter 4:10) Since God owns everything, Christians are called to be managers or stewards of all that God entrusts to them, to honor and glorify Him. 3. OUR GIVING IS TO GOD (Rom. 12:1; Phil. 4:17) Giving, then, is a worshipful, obedient act of returning to God from what He has provided. Your giving should be directed to God and His work, not to an organization. Therefore, giving is a spiritual decision. 4. GOD IS WATCHING OUR GIVING (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Luke 16) From God s Kingdom view, our giving becomes a tool to further God s work on earth, a test to see how much responsibility we will be given in heaven, and our giving serves as a trademark of our lives as Christians. 5. GOD IS THE FUNDRAISER (1 Chron. 29:9; 2 Cor. 9:7) When needs are shared, the response is from the heart. God is the only One who stirs hearts and moves spirits. 6. WHAT IS FWATS ROLE? ( 1 Chron. 29:9; Ex. 35:21; 2 Cor. 8-9) Friends of WATS responsibility is to share the need, provide opportunities for stewards to respond, and allow God the opportunity to stir hearts and move spirits.

11 of Giving From a biblical perspective, then when Friends of WATS asks you to give, our greater purpose is for your accountability to God. Our primary concern is to provide opportunities for you to lay up (or send ahead) treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21), and a secondary motive is to have you further God s work by giving of your time talents & treasures to West Africa Theological Seminary. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth...but store up for yourself treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 As a result of honoring God with a biblical approach to our giving and asking practices, we believe that in God s time, He will supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19). In addition, we believe that as we honor God in doing things His way and relying on God to stir hearts, the resulting joy-filled generosity will fully fund God s work (Ex. 36:3-7).

12 West Africa Theological Seminary Dr. William Udotong, Provost 36 Olukunle Akinola Street P.M.B. 003 Ipaja, Lagos NIGERIA Friends of WATS Dr. Mark Leavell, Executive Director 238 Stockbridge Road, Jonesboro, Georgia (770) office (404) cell