About Us
ABOUT US
Agape College aims at training candidates for the church ministry, mission field, social service in the context of the changing ecclesial, social, religious and political conditions. The College also aims at providing continuing education to the graduates through the Tent-making ministry. It also offers training in vocational education to the students while they are in residence.
History
Theological studies are incomplete unless one understands the implication of what one had studied. After theological studies, the founder president Rev. Dr. Louis Meren Ao committed his life to educate young men and women and prepare them for the ministry of the Lord. It was the founder’s zeal to spread the love of God. In the year 1991, he and his wife Aienla started the Institute and named the college “Agape College.” Initially, the college was started in a rented property in Dimapur Town. Later it was moved to Padumpukhuri when Dr. Maong Aier (IAS), the Commissioner and Secretary P.H.E.D (now retired), Govt. of Nagaland and his family donated a plot of land for permanent location for the college. In the initial stages, the college offered not only theological programs, but it also concentrated on the holistic development of the students. The college felt the need of teaching the students as to how to learn their living. Therefore,
provision on vocational courses such as computer training, animal husbandry, fishery, cottage industries, training etc., were made available. But, gradually the developments became very slow. At one point, the college had very few enrolments and with very few faculty and staff members. At present, the college has shown an incremental improvement in some areas such as the strength of faculty and staff, students’
enrolment, pedagogy, and so on. Steadily, Agape is trying to become better than three decades ago. It aims to become one of the higher seats of learning in Dimapur city in providing a sound theological education with evangelistic fervors with the latest educational library resources both through the books repository and online facilities.
At present, the college has shown an incremental improvement in some areas such as the strength of faculty and staff, students’ enrolment, pedagogy, and so on. With the help of Agape Advisory Board and well-wishers from United States of America, several modern buildings were constructed, and the college library books were increased by several thousands, and a college Jaquess farm is developed for piggery, duck, and chicken layer for college revenue as well as for teaching the students to learn about farming. The biggest donor who helped us build the faculty, men and women’s dorm and the farm is Norma and Bill Jaquess and their family
The Agape Advisory Board members are as follows:
Location
Agape College is situated in Padumpukhuri village in Dimapur district, Nagaland. One can drive or walk from the Monday Bazar (in Padumpukhuri) to Toluvi link road along the Pine Mount School, by lane 1. The college is located in a sprawling area that houses beginning from the chapel, library building, hostels, classrooms, faculty and staff quarters, and the new education building under construction. The college is reachable by taxi and auto rickshaw. It is 15 minutes drive from the Airport, and 17 minutes from the Railway Station.
Ownership
The College and its properties, moveable and immoveable, are owned and governed by the Founder-President, and managed by the Board of Directors and College Administrative Council.
Accreditation
The college is accreditated by the Asia Theological Association for Dip.Th and B.Th study programs since 2007. Presently, the M.Div degree course is under the International Association for Theological Accreditation. Beginning from 2024 onward, the college has sought ATA accreditation for M.Div. degree program.
Church Association
Agape College is associated with the Nagamese Baptist Churches Association (NBCA) since the year 2023. The NBCA acts as the ecclesial authority in the matters of guidance, fellowship, and the future prospects of the graduates of the college.
Mission
The Mission of Agape College is to establish the students with excellent biblical foundation and to equip with sound theological education to impact eternity by God’s love through the church and for the world.
Statement of Faith
We believe that:
1. The Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative written Word of God.
2. He is the only One God, eternally existent in Three (3) Persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
3. In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ in His virgin birth, in His vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His personal future return to the earth in power and glorious rule a thousand years on the earth.
4. In the Blessed hope, the rapture of the Church at Christ’s coming.
5. The only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
6. Re-generation by the Holy Spirit is absolute essential for personal Salvation.
7. The redemptive work of Christ on the Cross provides healing of the human body in answering to believing prayer.
8. Water Baptism by immersion.
9. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2: 4.
10. In the sanctifying power of the Spirit, whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live Holy life.
11. In the resurrection of both the saved the lost (unsaved), the one to everlasting life, and the other to everlasting damnation.