Life Pacific College
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Life Pacific College was originally founded in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, in 1923 as "Echo Park Evangelistic and Missionary Training Institute" by Aimee Semple McPherson. Its name was changed to LIFE Bible College in 1926 upon moving into a newly constructed five-story complex next door to Angelus Temple (LIFE standing for "Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism"). In 1990 the college moved to its current location in San Dimas, California. In the early 2000s the name of the college was changed to Life Pacific College.
LIFE is associated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and serves as the denomination's primary center for the training of ministers, missionaries and school teachers. There was formerly a sister school on the East coast that performed a similar function. It was started in 1957 as Mount Vernon Bible College in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It moved to Christiansburg, Virginia, and changed its name to LIFE Bible College East in 1988. In 2003 LIFE East closed due to financial reasons and its records were transferred to Life Pacific College.
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[edit] Alumni
Alumni have played a significant role not only within the Foursquare church, but also within the Assemblies of God, Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard movement. LIFE's most prominent graduates are pastors Jack Hayford and Chuck Smith.
LIFE has always focused on training men and women in practical ministry and for much of its history few alumni pursued additional education. However, due to the increasing challenges of professional ministry, it has now become common for LIFE alumni to attend seminary or graduate school. Recent alumni have also earned academic doctorates from places such as Fuller Seminary and the universities of Nebraska, Edinburgh, St. Andrews and Oxford. Notable among these graduates are scholars Carl Mosser and Paul Owen.
[edit] Accreditation and Degrees
LIFE is accredited by The Association for Biblical Higher Education and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It offers a 2-year A.A., 4-year B.A. and a 2-year B.Th. (for those who already possess an accredited B.A. or B.S.). As of 2007 a master's level program in pastoral ministry was being developed.
[edit] Sports
Life Pacific College no longer fields or supports collegiate athletics.
[edit] See also
The Foundations of Pentecostal Theology
