10th Anniversary Celebrations in the CRS @ UTG

Solidifying the CRS Program as a Vital Ministry for the Church of The Gambia

81 attendees, 29 alumni, 24 students, 9 faculty + 19 university & church leaders = 1 faithful celebration of Gambian growth.

10th Anniversary! –  This year marks a decade since the launch of the Christian Religious Studies (CRS) program at the University of The Gambia, the nation’s premier public university. Established in 2015 as the only theological education program in the country to confer an academic degree, CRS has steadily begun making an impact on the Church of The Gambia, various Christian organizations such as Scripture Union, the Bible Society, and Bible schools, as well as in the lives of individuals across the nation. To date, we have graduated 48 Bachelor of Arts recipients through seven graduation ceremonies. In 2024, we expanded the program to include a Master’s degree, which currently enrolls 10 students.

To commemorate this milestone, we invited current students, alumni, faculty, and church leaders to join us in celebrating the 10th anniversary. A total of 81 participants attended the event, including distinguished guests such as the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Pierre Gomez, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, Prof. Herbert Robinson. The presence of many key church leaders further enriched the occasion and affirmed the program’s importance across both ecclesial and academic communities. We believe the celebration helped to solidify the CRS program as a vital ministry for the Church of The Gambia. Attendees contributed thoughtful ideas on how to further strengthen and sustain the program within the university context. We remain committed to advancing this mission, expanding enrollment in both the BA and MA tracks, and increasing the program’s visibility nationwide. With continued dedication and God’s grace, we trust the CRS program will go on to serve not only The Gambia but also the wider West African church.

“As a country of only 2.5 million where 90 percent of the country is Muslim, with only one national university in the capital, this small Christian studies program is vital for the church,” says Global Scholars Canada executive director Peter Schuurman. “I was there last year and I met the students and professors. They are being faithful in teaching and learning, and Dr. Manhee Yoon is ensuring the program continues to develop Christian leaders for the country.”

GSC’s program facilitator, Dr. Glen Taylor reminds us just how truly promising the program is, through personal proofs. “I am almost always touched by the thank-you letters that I bring back to donors from students in the Gambia. They inevitably express the deep impact the program has had on their lives and the new or enhanced opportunities their studies have given them to minister more effectively in their churches, Christian Education classrooms, or other places of service.”