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Press Release                                                                                    For Immediate Release       

AGTS celebrates retiring Byron D. Klaus and 2015 graduating class

 

 

Springfield, Missouri---April 21, 2015---The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary will celebrate its 42nd annual graduation activities April 30 through May 2, 2015. In addition, the seminary will celebrate retiring president Byron D. Klaus and his 16 years of distinguished service at AGTS. Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 2 at 10 a.m., Central Assembly of God Springfield, Mo. 

 

AGTS will award 21 Ph.D.s and other doctoral degrees along with 56 Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees. The public can leave messages and photos for individual graduates here.

President Klaus will retire late this summer. He and the graduating class of 2015 will be honored at a banquet on Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m. at the White River Conference Center (buy tickets here). Klaus is the seminary's longest serving president. Under his leadership, AGTS added 3 doctoral programs, a Master of Pastoral Leadership, a Master of Theology and 12 certificate programs. His commitment to shaping servant leaders has empowered the ministry of AGTS alumni, who in turn, have influenced tens of thousands of people around the world. 


Evangel president, Dr. Carol Taylor, said of Dr. Klaus' leadership:

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Dr. Klaus has been a tireless and visionary champion for seminary education and for the benefits of an embedded seminary where ministerial education can now be provided from baccalaureate through doctoral levels. I have had the privilege of seeing Dr. Klaus' leadership and faith up close. One only needs look no further for an extraordinary example of sacrificial, servant leadership deeply rooted in the best of Pentecostal heritage of the Assemblies of God along with an inspiring vision for the future.

Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God and chair of the AGTS Board also reflected on Dr. Klaus' seminary leadership:

Byron has a sure and steady compass and passion for graduate and undergraduate ministerial preparation and has set AGTS and Evangel's School of Theology and Church Ministries in a direction that will thoroughly prepare the next generation of ministers for effective Spirit-empowered service. The Assemblies of God owes Byron a huge debt of gratitude for his tireless services, and I am grateful that AGTS has had such a godly leader at its helm for these past 16 years. 

To recognize Dr. Klaus for his exemplary leadership, AGTS has established the Byron D. Klaus Leadership Fund to strategically invest in influential, proven ministry leaders. Through scholarships of $5,000 per recipient, this fund will help AGTS attract top-tier leaders seeking to enhance their ministry through doctoral studies. Donations are accepted here. The public is welcome to leave messages and photos for Dr. Klaus here.

 

President Klaus will deliver this year's commencement address with student speakers and video.

 

Doctoral candidates and their work will be honored during a series of public events on Friday, May 1, including a Doctor of Ministry Symposium and an Intercultural Doctoral Studies Investiture at 12:30 p.m., a reception at 1:45 and a Celebration service at 2:15.

 

Graduation events will also include a golf tournament, benefiting student scholarships, on Thursday, April 30 at Rivercut Golf Course. Visit agts.edu/golf for more information and to register for the event.

The Commencement ceremony, Intercultural Doctoral Studies Investiture and the Celebration Service will be streamed live at agts.edu

 

AGTS serves the larger Pentecostal and Evangelical traditions with 21st-century leadership for the Church and its mission. It is a unique graduate-level educational institution embedded within the larger structure of Evangel University offering doctoral degrees and masters degrees. For more information visit agts.edu or call 1-800-467-AGTS.

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Contact: Jennifer Hall  

Phone: (417) 268-1024

Email: [email protected]

Fax: (417) 268-1001 (ATTN: Jennifer Hall)


 

The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary 

1435 N Glenstone

Springfield Mo 65802
1-800-467-AGTS
(417) 268-1000 

[email protected]www.agts.edu