April 7, 2025 (The 8th Graduation)Nagaland India
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from Dr. Kwangsong Jeon, President of PIS
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Dear Graduating Class of 2025 in Nagaland India,
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Warmest greetings to you in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Today is a day of great joy, celebration, and sacred meaning. I bring you heartfelt congratulations from the heart of New York to the hills of Nagaland. It is my honor and privilege, as the President of PACE International Seminary, to address you—our five Master of Divinity and six Bachelor of Theology graduates—on this momentous occasion of your graduation.
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You have studied hard. You have labored in prayer. You have wrestled with Scripture, theology, and the call of God. And today, you stand as faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to you—not only degrees, but dreams. Not only knowledge, but a holy calling.
Your graduation is not the end of a journey. It is the beginning of a mission. The world beyond these walls needs what you have received here—truth that sets free, love that redeems, and the bold vision of the Kingdom of God.
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You are not merely graduates. You are God’s sent ones—disciples of Christ, builders of peace, and messengers of hope.
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1. Hold on to your calling with courage.
The ministry will test your strength, patience, and sometimes your faith. But remember—you are not alone. Jesus, who called you, walks with you. The Spirit who filled you at this seminary will empower you in the wilderness. Do not be afraid to go where others fear to go. For God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:7).
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2. Keep your heart anchored in hope.
In a world shaken by division, poverty, war, and despair, you must be people of hope. Not a shallow optimism, but a deep, unshakable confidence that Christ is risen, that love triumphs, and that justice will roll down like waters. Let your sermons, your service, your leadership be soaked in that hope.
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3. Dream boldly. Vision widely.
Do not limit your ministry to what is safe or familiar. God may call you to plant churches in remote villages, to teach theology in seminaries, to care for widows and orphans, to stand for justice where there is none. Whatever your dream, let it be big enough to require God’s power. And whatever your vision, let it always point others to Christ, not to yourself.
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4. Let your theology breathe through compassion.
All your studies—Hebrew, Greek, Systematic Theology, Church History—are not meant to remain in the library. They must become living bread for the hungry, healing for the broken, and light for those in darkness. Be theologians who love deeply. Be preachers who listen. Be shepherds who walk with the sheep.
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5. Live the mission, don’t just preach it.
The mission field is not just across the seas—it is across the street. In every classroom, every church, every village, every pulpit, let your life be the message. Preach Christ not only with your mouth, but with your life.
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Dear graduates, Nagaland needs you. India needs you. The world needs you. You were born for such a time as this. Let the fire of the Gospel burn in your bones. Let the cross of Christ shape your character. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into places you’ve never imagined.
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You are ambassadors of the Kingdom. Go, and make disciples of all nations. Go, and shepherd the flock of God. Go, and love your neighbors as Christ has loved you.
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And never forget—PACE International Seminary will always be your home. We believe in you. We are proud of you. And we pray for you.
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May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
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Congratulations, Class of 2025. The world awaits your ministry. Go in power, go in love, and go in the name of Jesus.
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Amen.