King Solomon made very interesting statements about knowledge, learning, and wisdom: “…with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Eccl. 1:18).  But then he adds: “…wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance” (Eccl. 8:1). 

These words of Solomon make sense to me in that the more we learn, the more we get a better understanding of issues and challenges around us, and the more our hearts are troubled by what we see happening.  And it is the troubled heart filled with godly sorrow that looks to God for solutions.  That precisely is what God’s call to ministry is all about.  But at the same time, it is the man and woman of learning who has hope that brightens his or her face because he or she can see beyond the present challenges of life and ministry.

In the last 25 years, NIST has made impressive strides in training leaders who are holding key leadership positions in the African Church and society