Above: Everardo Borunda, dean of Haskins School, top center, presents the 2021 Haskins School graduating class.

DEL CITY—Fourteen people graduated from the Haskins School of Christian Ministry, Aug. 14, in a ceremony at Del City, Sunnylane Southern. Graduates received diplomas and certificates from the online school in pastoral and church ministry.

Todd Fisher challenged Haskins School graduates to genuinely care for their people.

Students were challenged in a message by Todd Fisher, pastor of Shawnee, Immanuel and current president of Oklahoma Baptists. Fisher preached from the Apostle Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesians (Acts 20:17-38)

“I want to challenge you to go to your place of ministry, your ministry context and serve with humility,” Fisher said. “Listen to what the apostle said, ‘But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.’

“Listen,” Fisher continued, “one of the worst things we see among ministers at times is entitlement. Do not be the minister that thinks that because they have a title of pastor (or ministry leader), that you have something owed to you.”

Fisher said that, like Paul, Christian ministry leaders need to respond to the challenges of ministry in humility, not thinking too highly of oneself. “Nothing in ministry is beneath you,” he said. “We have got to be ministers who genuinely care for our people. Roll up your sleeves; be with your people.”

Luis Carlos Lozano, who is serving as a church leader at Primera Mision Hispana at Pauls Valley, First, received a diploma in pastoral ministry in the Spanish language track of the Haskins School. Speaking in Spanish, he said, since he has graduated from the school, he plans to continue serving as a preacher in his church and hopes to become a pastor one day.

“I am very happy,” Lozano said. “This (graduation) has been a very special event in my life. God is big, and what He is doing among us is big. He is working through our people, so that we can reach more people for Christ.”

Jared Jackson, student and groups pastor at Sand Springs, Angus Acres, earned a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. He said he appreciated the instruction he received from the Haskins School.

“This (graduation) means a lot to me, and I had my family’s support with it,” Jackson said. “Having this school to help me become the best pastor I can be, the support from all the professors and teachers, anytime I needed help, I was able to contact them, and they were there for us.”

Jackson said he plans to continue in student ministry and to grow in his faith.

For more information about the Haskins School visit haskinsschool.org.