HISTORY OF DEEPER LIFE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE TRAINING COLLEGE (DL-IBTC), NOW AUCG

The Deeper Life International Bible Training College, DL-IBTC for short (now AUCG), is the arm of the church charged with the primary responsibility of theological training and development of Christian ministers as a means of providing a stable, rich and dynamic human resource base for the church at large. In its wider application, DL-IBTC doctors, develop, train, prepare and equip Christian workers by offering practical hands-on training that deals with all the phases of the Ministry. It strives to provide a helpful learning environment where the fruit of the Spirit is constantly applied in all areas of Christian living. Graduates are prepared for full-time or part-time service. Our programmes are now open to the public to equip many who desire to do effective and enduring work for the Lord.

The Deeper Life International Bible Training College (DL-IBTC), formerly, International Bible Training College (IBTC) as an in-house training entity, was established in Lagos, Nigeria in 1980. However, in 1983, after producing three sets of students, the College wound up. Back in 1981, the leadership in its bid to reach the elite of the society began a part-time programme for the campus community code-named Short Term Ministerial Course (STMC) to run during the mid-year long vacation. It produced capable hands to effectively carry the gospel to the Campuses all over Nigeria. Sadly, these two co-educational programmes were both suspended in 1983. It should be noted gladly that Ghana was not left out in the training of her ministers and leaders as students were sent to Lagos for the two programmes before the eventual fold-up.

Ghana started hers from 1992-94 as well as 1997-2000 at Pakyi No. 2, Kumasi and Accra respectfully. A third one which started in 2004 and had lasted to date was an idea mooted by our former National Overseer, Pastor Israel Akinsola of blessed memory. In 2003, he brought together what later became the IBTC Implementation Committee – a kind of working Committee tasked with responsibility of examining certain modalities and fashioning out the necessary parameters for the formal establishment of IBTC. Membership of that Committee included the following pastors James Kofi Abbrey, Kwaku Gyeabour-Boateng, Ernest Agyeman Osei-Bonsu, and Archibald Ako-Nnubeng under the Chairmanship of Pastor John Borham, the immediate former National Overseer.

The Committee worked so hard that IBTC was “reborn”. November 6^th to 8^th saw the orientation of the first batch of students at the Conference Hall of the Regional Headquarters Church in Kumasi. By January 22^nd of 2004, the College opened in Kumasi as the sole Campus in Ghana with fifty-seven (57) pioneering students with Pastor Joseph Kwakye as the substantive Registrar. Two of such withdrew later, leaving fifty-five (55).

The challenge of managing such an institution was enormous as expectations were very high. By the turn of year 2005, it became evident that a new Campus needed to be added to cater for the southern sector of the country.

Accra was accordingly chosen with Pastor Edward Kofi Tumsiah as the Registrar. After a short spell, he was relieved of this duty with other Registrars being appointed in rapid succession namely pastors Kwame Owusu Appiah, Archibald Ako-Nnubeng, Joseph Hector Edusei, Charles Owusu, Kwaku Gyeabour-Boateng, Douglas Evans Ocran.

In 2005, both Campuses in Kumasi and Accra were merged with the later as the sole Campus with two batches of students enrolled to offer part-time and full-time programmes. The Campus operated until October, 2015, when leadership reopened Kumasi Campus with Pastor James Owusu-Boateng as Registrar, and established Tamale Campus in the same year with Emmanuel Addo Adonteng as Registrar taking oversight responsibilities of both Accra and Tamale Campuses.

Most of the graduates can be found across the nation in the rank and files of the pastoral cadre of the church. Almost all our Regional Overseers, Divisional Coordinators, Zonal and Group Coordinators, District Pastors and Coordinators as well as our current National Overseer, Pastor Edward kwaku Duodu are products of IBTC both in Nigeria and Ghana.

DL-IBTC is registered with the Registrar General Department and given approval by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to run 1-year Certificate in Theology programme. The University College is also accredited by Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), formerly, National Accreditation Board (NAB) to run 2-years Diploma in Theology Programme.

The College is affiliated to Anchor University in Lagos, the premier University of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, which has responsibilities among which is the award of certificates to graduating students.

The University College since September 2018, has operated from its main permanent facility in Kumasi which now serves as the sole Campus for the College in Ghana.

DL-IBTC is a fledgling institution with its share of challenges but we are prepared to overcome. H.W. Longfellow once said,” the heights great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flights. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” This is our time. Be sprite!