Extension School Catalogue

Introduction by Principal of NGCS
I wish to take this opportunity with much pleasure to introduce the revised NGCS Extension School Catalogue. I’m greatly excited to be part of this noble ministry. We at NGCS have an inspired team which is committed to promoting the Gospel through training programs. As a result, churches are empowered to carry on with their mission as well as preserving the Lord’s church heritage.

Brother George Onchangwa, the Extension Program Director, and Brother Shawn Tyler of Messiah Theological Institute, Mbale, Uganda, took the worthy challenge and combined efforts to come up with this work. I’m hopeful that with the cooperation of other Extension Directors, this edition will be helpful to extension school students and instructors in making this training more relevant and instrumental in achieving the desired goals.

It is important to appreciate and give honor and recognition to the pioneers of this great work through whom this training program in the Churches of Christ become a reality. These are none other than Jim & Laura Reppart, whose efforts and those of other missionaries and African church leaders led to the birth of NGCS in 1989. Other missionaries who had a dream and contributed to the vision of the extension program includes Ken & Anne Bolden. I recognize the efforts and contributions made by all the servants of the Lord as a result of which we have the
Extension Program today. With the sacrifice and support of the missionaries and the African church leaders NGCS Extension Program has become the most effective ministry in the Church of Christ in Africa.

It is worthy mentioning the Director who saved the extension program from collapsing – Dr. Bill Searcy. Dr. Searcy came to NGCS when the institution was struggling financially and the extension program in danger of collapsing. When Bill took over as the Director, he quickly found a way forward. It is from the background of this remarkable contribution to the extension program that we are where we are today. Dr. Bill Searcy who is the current chairperson to the NGCS Board of Directors continues to be the main consultant on our training programs.

There is yet another distinguished contributor to this special program in the name of Dennis Okoth the immediate former Principal at NGCS. Other servants of the Lord who have made tremendous contributions to the NGCS Extension program include: Bob & Michelle Bentley, (now outreach minister at Singing Oaks Church in TX), Mark Nicholas, Timothy & Rebecca Talley, Ken & Patricia Beckloff, David Tonui, Ian Shelburne, Michael Mutai, Grace Nyanga, Charles Ngoje, Dan Crum, Fielden & Janet Allison and all current and former Extension Coordinators and Principals in our 18 East Africa campuses. With the introduction of new courses and the increase in the number of compulsory courses in this catalogue, we are hopeful that those who look forward to joining this program will have their needs adequately met. As a Theological College with a commitment to serve, we’re committed to providing quality training by equipping the saints for ministry training. We believe that with our combined efforts we can train church leaders who will take the Lord’s church in Africa to higher levels of maturity, unity and growth.

Daniel Chengo
NGCS Principal
March 2008