SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary of Evangel University (AGTS) has moved its annual Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies to mid-August, due to COVID-19 and the cancellation of campus events this spring.
A total of 65 scholars from 27 states and four foreign countries completed their degrees from AGTS in 2020, including 29 doctorates and 36 Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees.
The Baccalaureate & Awards Service is moved to Friday, August 14, 2020 at 10 a.m. It will feature the gathering of the Seminary community for worship, hooding of graduates, awards and special speakers.
AGTS is located at the corner of Glenstone and Division in Springfield, Missouri. The public is invited.
The service and related events will be under the leadership of Dr. Timothy Hager, dean of the seminary and vice president of Evangel University.
Baccalaureate speakers
This year’s baccalaureate will highlight two 2020 degree candidates.
- Alex Levine Bryant, Jr. (Masters of Leadership and Ministry) serves as the student life coordinator for the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Pastor Alex and his wife, Angie, have been in ministry together since 2004, serving as the assistant student ministries director with James River Church in Ozark, Mo. (2004 – 2006); college and young adult pastor with First Assembly of God in Ft. Myers, Fla. (2006 – 2013); senior pastor and Dream Center director in St. Louis, Mo. (2013 – 2015); executive pastor with New Life Church in Oak Grove, Mo. (2015 – 2019); and founder and president of Alex Bryant Ministries (August 2019 – present).
- Darnell Keith Williams, Sr. (Doctor of Ministry) serves as lead pastor for New Life Church International in Lima, Ohio. He is the secretary-treasurer of the International Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God in St. Joseph, Mich.; vice president of the Assemblies of God National Black Fellowship in Springfield, Mo.; trustee for Evangel University in Springfield, Mo.; and executive presbyter for the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Mo.
Doctoral events
- On April 29, the AGTS Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies Project Defense was held with five graduates defending their research projects virtually before IDS faculty, family, friends and colleagues.
- On April 30, the AGTS Doctor of Ministry Symposiums were held virtually with fourteen graduates presenting an overview of their doctoral research projects and more than 200 viewers in attendance.
* * *
- On August 13, four Ph.D. in Biblical Interpretation & Theology graduates will give brief presentations of their doctoral research at 2:00 p.m., onsite, at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
- On August 13, the 2020 Intercultural Doctoral Studies Investiture will take place at 2 p.m., with five graduates presenting, also at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
The Baccalaureate & Awards Service and the Investiture will be live-streamed at agts.edu . The public is invited to attend the events on August 13-14, as well as the Commencement Celebration on August 15.
Commencement in August
The Seminary’s 47th Annual Commencement Celebration will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at 9:30 a.m., in conjunction with the 62nd Annual Commencement Ceremony for Evangel University, in the Central Assembly auditorium, 1301 N. Boonville in Springfield, Missouri.
The two schools were consolidated in 2013 and combined their graduations in 2018.
More than 2,000 family and friends from around the world will celebrate more than 500 graduates earning associates, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees at that time. The public is invited to attend.
The Commencement 2020 ceremony will be live-streamed at https://www.evangel.edu/commencement/
About AGTS and Evangel University
AGTS serves the larger Pentecostal and Evangelical traditions with 21st-century leadership for the Church and its mission. AGTS is accredited by The Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission.
As an embedded seminary, AGTS with Evangel University serves more than 2,300 students from all 50 states and numerous countries, offering more than 65 undergraduate majors, and 19 master’s and doctoral degrees.
For more information about AGTS go to www.agts.edu; and for more about Evangel, visit www.evangel.edu.
###