Golden Gate Seminary’s Winter 2013 Commencement


"The Hope of the World"

An Olympic swimmer, a church planting couple, and a former electrical engineer were among 67 students who received degrees Friday evening, December 13, at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary’s 2013 winter commencement ceremony, held at Dominican University of California in San Rafael, California.

Paul Kingsman, a 46-year-old New Zealand Olympic medalist, received a Master of Theological Studies degree. In addition to his bronze medal for the backstroke in the 1988 Olympic Games, Kingsman also earned four Commonwealth Games medals and twelve New Zealand national senior titles which capped his successful  swimming career. Currently, Kingsman serves as teaching pastor at aCross Marin Christian Fellowship in Novato, CA as well as an advisor, speaker, and executive coach in the financial services industry.

It took Kingsman eight years to complete his degree. “I count it as an exceptional education. I had the opportunity to learn from people who have made it their life’s work,” he said. After attending his first class, Introduction to New Testament taught by Dr. Rick Melick, Kingsman “knew that this is what I wanted to do, to complete my seminary education at Golden Gate.”

Nicolas and Azucena Pacheco are a church planting couple from Oakland, CA. They both earned diplomas from the Seminary’s Contextualized Leadership Development program (CLD). Nicolas received a Diploma in Theology and Azucena received a Diploma in Christian Ministries. Nicolas works 50 hours a week in the collection department of a financial corporation. Azucena is a domestic violence counselor. During the past two years they planted a Spanish-speaking church in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Oakland, founded four missions in Mexico, and established a ministry to prostitutes while working on their diplomas. The Pachecos have young three daughters.

Raymond Hsu, a New Testament professor at China Evangelical Seminary North America, received a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Originally from Taiwan, Hsu has lived with his wife and family in San Diego, CA for the past 20 years. He retired from his high tech job as an engineer in 2010 to become a full-time seminary student. Forty-nine-year-old Hsu said, “Golden Gate’s doctoral program was perfect because I could easily commute without having to relocate.” He also noted how “God prepared me for seminary and my dissertation work with my background in technology and analysis.”

Graduates came from the Seminary’s five campuses, as well as from several of its CLD centers across the country. The graduates represented 11 states and six countries. Nine types of degrees were earned among the graduates: doctor of ministry, doctor of philosophy, master of arts in educational leadership, master of missiology, master of theological studies, master of divinity, master of theology, master of theology, and diplomas in Christian ministries and theology.

President Iorg, in his commencement message, offered words of hope to the graduates. “We are a hope-filled movement. Our hope is not based on a spiritual pep talk or emotional fakery. We have hope – for meaningful life now and eternal life later – resting in the God we serve and his accomplishments.” He noted that the message of hope is interwoven throughout the Christian message: “faith, hope, and love.” He encouraged his listeners to “discover tonight, during this Christmas season, fresh hope for the future and renew our commitment to share our hope with every person in the world.”

Referring to selected verses, Iorg described five sources of hope.
  • We have hope because Jesus Christ has overcome death through the resurrection and the promise that he will return.
  • We have hope because the Holy Spirit is at work through us, and the power of the Holy Spirit will sustain us.
  • We have hope because the Bible, as God’s Word, is true.
  • We have hope because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • We have hope we can share with the nations.
“I challenge you, graduates, to continue to find in the Scriptures the hope of the Gospel,” concluded President Iorg. “There is hope tonight because you are Gospel-centered. You have found the hope of the Gospel, and you have hope because of what Jesus Christ has accomplished in your life. After all, Jesus is the hope of the nations.”

Golden Gate Seminary is a Cooperative Program ministry of the Southern Baptist convention, operating five fully-accredited campuses – in Northern California, Southern California, Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and Colorado. For more information: www.ggbts.edu.