Boise Bible College
Encyclopedia
Boise Bible College is an accredited institution of higher learning which specializes in training students to serve in variety of ministry careers. Located in Boise
, Idaho
, BBC serves churches primarily in the western United States
.
Kenneth Beckman, minister of First Church of Christ and a member of the college faculty, became president of the college in 1949. He served in this capacity (while still preaching and teaching) until 1973. Beckman (who received the first honorary doctorate granted by BBC, awarded in 1995) continued to teach at the school even after stepping down as president and later retiring from preaching; as of 2006, he continues to teach an introductory theology course taken by most first-year students.
In 1974 Boise Bible College separated organizationally from its founding church, becoming an independent institution. Richard Ewing was appointed president, the first man to serve in that capacity on a full-time basis. Ewing made it his mission to strengthen the college's faculty and curriculum, and he guided BBC through the process of receiving accreditation through the American Association of Bible Colleges (now called the Association for Biblical Higher Education) in 1988.
Dr. Charles Crane became president in 1990. His tenure was marked by a tripling in enrollment and substantial improvements in the college's financial stability and campus facilities. Dr. Crane retired on June 30, 2007, at which time Terry Stine became the new college president. Stine previously served at BBC's missions professor and is the longtime director of Niños de Mexico, a mission for children in Mexico City
.
. Because these churches have no denominational structure or hierarchy, BBC operates independently as a non-denominational college. Approximately two-thirds of BBC's student body and the vast majority of its support come from Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, but the college admits students from all Christian denominations.
Two buildings date to the construction of campus in 1974. One is the Multipurpose Building ("MPB"), housing a gymnasium, cafeteria, student lounges, and music facilities. The other is a small dormitory, which also contains the Head Resident's apartment and at one time housed the chapel and three classrooms. (A twin to this dorm was demolished in 2006 to make way for a larger dormitory.)
Two new buildings were added to campus in the early 1990s. An Administration Building opened in 1993; prior to this time all college offices were located in the lower level of one of the dormitories. The Library/Classroom Building was completed in 1995, which allowed the library to move from its cramped quarters in the MPB into a modern facility and provided needed classroom space for the growing student body and expanding programs of the college.
As of 2008 several construction projects are either underway or have recently been completed. A new residence hall (including a Student Center) is partially complete; the first of two dormitory wings opened for the Fall 2006 semester, with the second wing and the Student Center scheduled in the near future. A wing has also being added to the Library/Classroom Building. This addition opened for the Spring 2007 semester and includes a new chapel, two auditorium-style lecture halls, and additional classroom space.
. The remaining 1/3 come from elsewhere within the Pacific Northwest
and the western United States, a small handful of students from Eastern United states, a good sized group from Alaska
and (in some cases) from overseas. Recent international students have come from Great Britain
, China
, India
, Pakistan
, Zimbabwe
, Poland
, New Zealand
and Australia
. About half the students live on campus (varying from year to year).
Associate of Science (64 credit hours)
Bible Certificate (28 credit hours)
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, BBC serves churches primarily in the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
.
History
BBC was founded in 1945 as a ministry of First Church of Christ in Boise, and housed in the basement of the church building at the corner of 18th and Eastman Streets. Orin Hardenbrook served as its first president.Kenneth Beckman, minister of First Church of Christ and a member of the college faculty, became president of the college in 1949. He served in this capacity (while still preaching and teaching) until 1973. Beckman (who received the first honorary doctorate granted by BBC, awarded in 1995) continued to teach at the school even after stepping down as president and later retiring from preaching; as of 2006, he continues to teach an introductory theology course taken by most first-year students.
In 1974 Boise Bible College separated organizationally from its founding church, becoming an independent institution. Richard Ewing was appointed president, the first man to serve in that capacity on a full-time basis. Ewing made it his mission to strengthen the college's faculty and curriculum, and he guided BBC through the process of receiving accreditation through the American Association of Bible Colleges (now called the Association for Biblical Higher Education) in 1988.
Dr. Charles Crane became president in 1990. His tenure was marked by a tripling in enrollment and substantial improvements in the college's financial stability and campus facilities. Dr. Crane retired on June 30, 2007, at which time Terry Stine became the new college president. Stine previously served at BBC's missions professor and is the longtime director of Niños de Mexico, a mission for children in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Religious affiliation
Boise Bible College is affiliated with congregations of the Christian churches and churches of Christ, which are a part of the Restoration MovementRestoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. Because these churches have no denominational structure or hierarchy, BBC operates independently as a non-denominational college. Approximately two-thirds of BBC's student body and the vast majority of its support come from Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, but the college admits students from all Christian denominations.
Campus
The campus of Boise Bible College is located in Garden City, a small town which is nearly surrounded by the western suburbs of Boise. It is a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) site situated in a residential neighborhood.Two buildings date to the construction of campus in 1974. One is the Multipurpose Building ("MPB"), housing a gymnasium, cafeteria, student lounges, and music facilities. The other is a small dormitory, which also contains the Head Resident's apartment and at one time housed the chapel and three classrooms. (A twin to this dorm was demolished in 2006 to make way for a larger dormitory.)
Two new buildings were added to campus in the early 1990s. An Administration Building opened in 1993; prior to this time all college offices were located in the lower level of one of the dormitories. The Library/Classroom Building was completed in 1995, which allowed the library to move from its cramped quarters in the MPB into a modern facility and provided needed classroom space for the growing student body and expanding programs of the college.
As of 2008 several construction projects are either underway or have recently been completed. A new residence hall (including a Student Center) is partially complete; the first of two dormitory wings opened for the Fall 2006 semester, with the second wing and the Student Center scheduled in the near future. A wing has also being added to the Library/Classroom Building. This addition opened for the Spring 2007 semester and includes a new chapel, two auditorium-style lecture halls, and additional classroom space.
Student body
BBC currently enrolls between 150-175 students. Approximately 1/3 of these students come from the Boise metro area, and another 1/3 from western OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The remaining 1/3 come from elsewhere within the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
and the western United States, a small handful of students from Eastern United states, a good sized group from Alaska
and (in some cases) from overseas. Recent international students have come from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. About half the students live on campus (varying from year to year).
Degrees and programs
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science (128 credit hours)- Christian Ministry (with majors available in Preaching, Youth Ministry, Children's Ministry, Family Ministry, Worship Ministry, Missions, and Cross-Cultural Ministry)
- Biblical Studies
- Helping Professions (designed for students who plan to enter a graduate-level Christian Counseling program)
- Christian Teaching (designed for students who want to achieve teacher certification)
Associate of Science (64 credit hours)
- Bible
- Christian Education
- Church Leadership
- Christian Worship
- Missions
- Christian Leadership (available only at the Post Falls Center)
Bible Certificate (28 credit hours)