By Ed Malik, A | ed@ddnewsonline.com | posted 29th July, 2025
It was a day of celebration and inspiration as friends, family, and admirers gathered to honour Caroline Ameh, a renowned Abuja-based journalist, who was among the graduating students of the Berean Bible College (BBC), Abuja. The 3rd Convocation Ceremony of the college, which held on Saturday, July 26, 2025, drew a remarkable turnout, highlighting the significance of theological education in today’s world.
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Ms. Ameh’s inclusion in this year’s graduating class was met with applause and admiration, as she joins a growing list of media professionals expanding their influence into faith-based service and scholarship. Her journey through Berean Bible College adds a significant dimension to her already impactful career in journalism.
The event was marked by a stirring address from the President of the College, Rev. Yomi Kasali, a distinguished Christian theologian and founder of the Fountain of Life Church. In his keynote speech, Rev. Kasali charged the graduating class to remain ethical, morally upright, and doctrinally sound, emphasizing the need to “rightly divide the word of truth” in an era increasingly challenged by theological distortions.
“There is no other time more important for theological training than now,” Kasali asserted. “The Christian faith is under attack—not just by external forces, but by hybrid teachers and popular but shallow doctrines, especially those influenced by Calvinist ideologies like ‘once saved, forever saved.’”
He traced the roots of Calvinism to John Calvin, the 16th-century Reformer, whose teachings are summarized by the acronym TULIP—Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Rev. Kasali warned that these doctrines are experiencing a resurgence, often without the necessary soteriological scrutiny, and called on the graduates to critically examine such teachings in light of biblical truth.
“Some even say that everything Jesus taught was from the Old Testament, ignoring the significance of the New Covenant and Christ’s role as the Testator whose death activated the will of God for mankind,” he said
The President of Berean Bible College (BBC), Abuja, called for a reinvigoration of theological education in Nigeria. Speaking at the recent graduation ceremony of the college, he urged seminaries to shift from a predominantly academic approach to one rooted in rigorous scriptural engagement.
As part of this push, Kasali proposed increasing the theological component of Berean’s curriculum from 40% to 50%, citing the urgent need for sound doctrinal teaching. He stressed the importance of teaching the Bible in its original languages, advocating for stronger Greek and Hebrew programs across theological institutions.
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Kasali further emphasized reinforcing key doctrines such as hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) and soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), which he said are essential for addressing enduring theological debates, including the tension between Calvinism and Arminianism.
“Soteriology teaches us which part of a person is saved. Is it the spirit, the soul, or the body? Can a man lose salvation? Can the soul be renewed? These are issues we must not shy away from,” he noted.
Lamenting a trend of intellectual but morally compromised ministers, Kasali warned against producing clergy with trained minds but undeveloped hearts and hands. He stressed that theological training must equally prioritize ethical integrity and spiritual formation.
“How can you be theologically sound and morally deficient? That’s a paradox. We must raise believers who are balanced theologically, morally, and ethically,” he urged.
To address the rise of misleading doctrines, Kasali proposed that Berean Bible College pioneer a National Christian Debate Series in Abuja. He suggested a well-organized theological debate on the theme “Once Saved, Forever Saved: True or False?”, inviting scholars, pastors, and students from various theological backgrounds to engage in respectful, scripture-based reasoning.
President of Berean Bible College (BBC), Abuja, Rev. Yomi Kasali
“Let us organize a Christian debate two for and two against, invite the public, record it, and stream it. Let’s engage minds the way Apostle Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogues using the scriptures,” he said, referencing Acts 17.
Kasali challenged Christian institutions in Nigeria to embrace this open, scholarly engagement and not see doctrinal disagreement as enmity. “You can disagree with someone’s theological stance and still not make them your enemy. That is maturity,” he said.
Rev. Kasali also encouraged the institution to build a digital presence through platforms like YouTube, where faculty can reason from scriptures and discuss theological concepts to reach wider audiences.
He underscored the need to develop character in ministry, noting that too much attention is placed on personality rather than on godly character, saying “By their fruits—not by their leaves—you shall know them. Personality is not the same as character. Christ judged people by their fruit. We must do the same,” he declared.
Kasali concluded with a three-fold charge to the graduates and faculty, which includes to engage with Scripture; be open-minded and humble, reason from Scripture; challenge thoughts with sound doctrine and grace to disagree without hostility maintaining Christian love in diversity.
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He emphasized that Berean Bible College must continue to equip Christian leaders to influence society with integrity, humility, and sound theology, stating, “We are more than a Bible school we are a place where the mind, heart, and hands are trained to glorify God.”
As the ceremony concluded, guests were reminded of the college’s mission to equip men and women for effective ministry through sound theological education. The occasion stood as a powerful testament to the convergence of faith, intellect, and ethical responsibility in shaping the next generation of Christian leaders.