History
One of Few
Nazarene Bible College is one of the ten Nazarene institutions of higher education in the United States. It is one of the two institutions charged by the denomination with the relatively exclusive task of preparing ministers rather than with the broader assignment of providing liberal arts education for both laity and clergy. It is the only U.S. institution of the Church of the Nazarene given the responsibility and funding to deliver multicultural contextual education. Graduates of the four-year Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree, with a major in Pastoral Ministries, meet denominational requirements for ordination to the ministry.
NBC Through the Years
More than sixty years of preparing adults for ministry - the milestones:
The College Is Authorized
The General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene, meeting in Portland, Oregon, authorizes the opening of Nazarene Bible College. Dr. Charles H. Strickland is chosen as the first president, and Colorado Springs, Colorado is selected as the site.
The Doors Open
NBC opens in Colorado Springs, welcoming students who traveled from across the country to study at the yet-to-be-built campus.
The Path to Accreditation
The college is granted applicant status by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), and Dr. L.S. Oliver becomes NBC's second president.
ABHE Accreditation
After candidate status in 1974, NBC is granted full ABHE accreditation - and has maintained it ever since.
President Lambert
Dr. Jerry Lambert succeeds Dr. Oliver as the college's third president.
President Sanders
Dr. Hiram Sanders becomes NBC's fourth president, serving until 2006.
An Online Pioneer
NBC becomes the first Nazarene institution to offer a higher education degree online.
HLC Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) grants regional accreditation, maintained ever since, and Dr. Harold Graves, Jr. begins fifteen years as NBC's fifth president.
Fully Online
NBC becomes a fully online institution and decentralizes its operations, moving the administrative team to the Church of the Nazarene's Global Ministry Center in Lenexa, Kansas.
President Sherwood
Dr. Scott Sherwood is elected NBC's sixth president, taking office in July of that year.
President Pierce
Dr. John C. Bowling, NBC's seventh president, serves as Interim President from March through December; Rev. Doug Pierce is elected the college's eighth president and takes office in December.
The College Opens
Nazarene Bible College, established in 1964 by the Church of the Nazarene, provides the “study of the Bible and Bible-related subjects contributing to individual spiritual growth and understanding and effective Christian service” (1967-68 NBC Catalog). Dr. Charles Strickland, the college’s founding president, together with his team of administrators and faculty opened the doors to what became known as “NBC” in 1967 to students who made their way across the country to enroll and study at the yet-to-be-built facilities on the campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
From the outset, Nazarene Bible College has fulfilled its mandate to provide “ministerial training in the important area of adult education” (1967-68 NBC Catalog). Innovative schedules and teaching methods designed for adult learners have been the standard for the school. Establishing online education in 1998 and becoming a fully online institution in 2017 continued NBC’s legacy of effective adult education. Today, NBC students complete their education wherever their internet connections intersect with the college online.
Maintaining Excellence
Nazarene Bible College was chartered by the State of Colorado as a non-profit educational institution in 1967. It was approved by the Colorado Department of Education to grant degrees under Section 124-21-3 CS ’63 (1965 Supp.) in 1970. The four-year Bachelor of Arts in Ministry (B.A.Min.) degree and the two-year Associate of Arts in Ministry (A.A.Min.) degree have been approved by the state.
In 1970, the college was approved by the United States Department of Justice for the education of foreign students. It has been certified since 1975 by the Department of Education for eligibility to participate in federally-sponsored student aid programs.
Decentralization of the college’s operations began in June 2017. The administrative team moved to the Church of the Nazarene’s Global Ministry Center in Lenexa, Kansas. Campus courses moved to facilities leased from Colorado Springs First Church of the Nazarene. The school’s Information Technology center remained on the college’s original campus. NBC’s students, 95% of whom study online, complete their courses wherever their internet connection intersects with the college’s learning management system.
Today’s NBC
Nazarene Bible College from its beginning has been innovative in its approach to preparing adults for ministry in the Church.
In the fall of 2017 NBC opened an exciting new chapter in the life of the college. The school transitioned to a distance education model with a leaner organizational structure, a relocated center of operations, outsourced support services, and a full-time faculty that serves the college from remote locations.
Nazarene Bible College continues to be a leader in training men and women for ministry. The New NBC remains committed to our mission of glorifying Jesus Christ as Lord by preparing adults to evangelize, disciple, and minister to the world.