The Nepal District celebrated its first graduation with 12 students from South Asia Nazarene Bible College (SANBC), July 28. The graduates included both pastors and lay leaders mainly from the eastern part of Nepal where there is a focus on effective church planting initiatives.

Prior to the graduation service, there was a retreat for pastors, lay members, the JESUS Film team and Nazarene Compassionate Ministry (NCM) staff, where the chairman of the SANBC board of Trustees, Rev. Diwakar Wankhede, shared a vision for multiplication and integrity for reaching people for Christ. During the retreat, attendees cast vision for continuous education to stabilize quality churches. Rev. Prakash Nemade challenged the graduates to be effective ministers of Christ by letting their lives serve as evidence.

District Superintendent Rev. Dilli Ijam said, “This is the historical event in the life of the district and more pastors and lay people will be trained in the future to build a strong district in Nepal.”

A second set of students will graduate from other parts of the country at the district assembly in March 2011. Rev. Sunil Dandge, principal of SANBC and the field strategy coordinator for India, challenged the graduates to be effective servant leaders and to keep their vision focused on more vigorous mission to impact Nepal in a bigger way.

The students were taught of the holistic gospel and the mission of the church.  The teachers and education coordinators mentor the students, preparing committed men and women to work with the church in the process of multiplication.