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Boise Bible College (BBC) 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.
History
BBC was founded in 1945 as a ministry of First Church of Christ in Boise, Idaho. The college was housed in the basement of the church building at the corner of 18th and Eastman Streets. Orin Hardenbrook served as the college's 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 and continues to serve in that capacity as of 2006. His tenure has been marked by a tripling in enrollment and substantial improvements in the college's financial stability and campus facilities.
Religious affiliation
Boise Bible College is affiliated with congregations of the Churches of Christ and Christian Churches, which are a part of the Restoration Movement. 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 technically located in Garden City, a small town which is nearly surrounded by the western suburbs of Boise. It is a 16-acre site situated in a residential neighborhood.
Two buildings date to the construction of campus in 1974. One is the Multipurpose Building ("MPB"), housing a gym (which doubles as chapel), 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 1990's. 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 2006 several construction projects are underway. A new residence hall (including a Student Center) is currently under construction; the first of two dormitory wings is scheduled to open for the Fall 2006 semester, with the second wing and the Student Center following in 2007. A wing is also being added to the Library/Classroom Building. This addition, also scheduled to open in 2007, will include a new chapel and additional classroom space.
Student Body
BBC currently enrolls between 175-200 students. Approximately 1/3 of these students come from the Boise metro area, and another 1/3 from western Oregon. The remaining 1/3 come from elsewhere within the Pacific Northwest and the western United States and (in some cases) from overseas. Recent international students have come from Great Britain, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Poland, and New Zealand. About half the students live on campus (varying from year to year).
BBC Post Falls Center
In 2004 Boise Bible College launched the Post Falls Center in cooperation with Real Life Ministries (RLM), a megachurch planted by BBC graduates Jim Putman and Aaron Couch in Post Falls, Idaho. The extension site combines the discipleship process employed by RLM with the Biblical training provided by BBC, resulting in an A.S. in Biblical Leadership. The program allows RLM to credential some of the church's home-grown staff, and also allows students in northern Idaho and eastern Washington who may not have the flexibility to attend the Boise campus to receive ministry training. Similar extension sites may be possible in other regions (such as Colorado or western Oregon) in the future.
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)
- Bible
- Christian Education
- Church Leadership
- Christian Worship
- Missions
- Christian Leadership (available only at the Post Falls Center)
References
Universities and colleges in Idaho | Universities and colleges affiliated with the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ
"Boise Bible College"