West Coast Baptist College

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West Coast Baptist College
Established: 1995
Type: Private unaccredited
President: Dr. Paul Chappell
Staff: 32
Undergraduates: 700[1]
Location: Lancaster, California, USA
Colors: Gold and Burgandy
Mascot: Eagle
Website: http://www.wcbc.edu/

West Coast Baptist College is an unaccredited Independent Fundamental Baptist Bible college in Lancaster California, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees in Pastoral studies, evangelism, missions, church ministries, music, Christian education, youth ministry, and secretarial studies. West Coast opened in 1995, and now has about 850 students.

Contents

[edit] Accreditation

West Coast, which operates in California under a religious exemption from state licensing requirements,[2] is not accredited by any recognized accreditation body. As such, its degrees may not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions.[3] Legal authorization to operate in California should not be confused with recognized accreditation.

West Coast is a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church, and believes it is under the authority of the Church. Paul Chappell states that "as a ministry under the authority of a Baptist church, I believe our utmost credibility is found in being faithful stewards of God’s Word."[4], not from government accreditation.

[edit] Beliefs

West Coast is an Independent Fundamental Baptist college, and is associated with the Christian fundamentalist movement. It is King James Only, believing that the Textus Receptus is providentially preserved by God, and that the most accurate translation for the English speaking people is the King James Bible. It also believes in the premillennial rapture of the Church, a literal seven years Tribulation, and a Millennial reign of Christ.[5]

Before a man is able to graduate fom West Coast Baptist College, he is to undergo a written and oral examination of his beliefs.[6] Many of the senior men enjoy this opportunity and see it as a prepatory time before they undergo an ordination counsel.

[edit] History

Paul Chappell moved to Antelope Valley, California in July of 1986 to become pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church. As his ministry grew, he realized the need for a Bible college in California for the training of new preachers to be grounded in the Christian faith. By Spring of 1988 the first 20 acres of property were purchased and building began. In December of 1993 the church moved to a new 21-acre site, and in September of 1995 West Coast Baptist College officially opened its doors as a college. The college continued to grow and now has 17 buildings on a 61 acre campus.

[edit] Sports

WCBC has a basketball program and is a member of the Association of Christian College Athletics (ACCA) and Pacific Christian Athletic Conference. In the 2007-08 season, the West Coast Baptist College athletics[7] received notoriety from the local newspaper. They followed their journey winning season all the way up to the national finals.

[edit] Campus

The campus of West Coast Baptist College, extending from Lancaster Boulevard to Avenue J, contains a three story educational building complete with a bookstore, coffee shop, six private piano practice labs, a science lab, two computer labs, 21 classrooms, and a two hundred seat auditorium. A library, two separate workout rooms, a mailbox for every student, and other pleasant commodities are found throughout the green landscape of West Coast Baptist College and Lancaster Baptist Church. Because they share the same campus, students experience the local church atmosphere of Lancaster Baptist Church first hand.

[edit] Striving Together Publications

Striving Together Publications is based at West Coast Baptist College, and is affliated with Lancaster Baptist Church. Striving Together Publications is a small publisher that specializes in books on Christian living, and Church leadership. Many of the books are written by the college's president, Dr. Paul Chappell.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ CollegeNet.com profile of West Coast Baptist College
  2. ^ California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education Directory of Institutions - Religious Exemptions
  3. ^ West Coast is absent from the Department of Education database of accredited institutions of higher learning.
  4. ^ Accreditation: Liberal Arts Studies and the Local Church Bible College
  5. ^ West Coast Baptist College Doctrinal Statement
  6. ^ Academic information
  7. ^ Athletics

[edit] External links