Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Coordinates: 41°44′13″N 93°37′30″W / 41.737°N 93.625°W / 41.737; -93.625

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary is a private undergraduate and graduate institution located in Ankeny, Iowa, USA.

History

At the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, William H. Jordan heard Dwight L. Moody speak about the importance of training Christian workers for the ministry. Impressed by Moody's vision, Jordan also was burdened to see schools established that would carry out that objective. In 1921, as pastor of Third Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska, Jordan founded Omaha Bible Institute to educate men and women in the Bible, theology, and ministry.

Enrollment declined and costs increased in the 1940s, and the Board of Trustees considered closing the school. John L. Patten, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Omaha, saw the need for the school continue. In 1947, Patten volunteered to step in as the school's new leader. He served as president until 1965. Under his leadership, the institution changed its name (to Omaha Baptist Bible Institute, and later to Omaha Baptist Bible College) and sought the support of Baptist organizations. In 1956, the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches approved OBBI. To this day, the GARBC remains the school's largest base for student enrollment, though there is no longer any official affiliation or approval system in place.

In the 1960s, OBBC outgrew its Omaha facilities. Relocation to Ankeny took place in 1967, and the school again changed its name to Faith Baptist Bible College.

In the 1980s, declining enrollment at Denver Baptist Bible College caused DBBC and FBBC to merge. FBBC also added the seminary at about the same time.^[1]

Campus

Faith's campus is located in Ankeny, a suburb of Des Moines. At the time of its construction, the campus was the westernmost point in Ankeny. Within fifteen years, residential development surrounded the property.

The campus is built around a large center circle. It consists of 23 buildings. Some of them are:

• Crown Park (2014)
• Jordan Hall (1967) -- administrative offices; formerly known as the Administration Building; renamed for the school's founder William H. Jordan, in honor of the school's 90th anniversary on September 28, 2011
• Benson Hall (1967) -- dining hall, homiletics lab, college and seminary classrooms
• Patten Hall (1969) -- 60,000-volume library, education resource center, classrooms
• Nettleton Center (1974) -- 1,500-seat gymnasium, locker rooms, weight & fitness room, athletic office, student life department, student center, bookstore, music room, health center, classrooms; formerly called the Convocation Building; renamed for Dr. David Nettleton, the president of the college from 1965 to 1980
• Gray Hall—classrooms, computer lab, science lab, faculty offices
• Music Building—practice rooms, faculty studios, classrooms
• Maintenance Building
• Brong Hall—Women's dorm
• Taylor Hall—Men's dorm
• 320, 414—apartment-style women's dorms
• 2 Faculty office duplexes
• Former Dorm 230-apartment-style men's dorm (The dorm was a cherished part of FBBC history and beloved by all who resided there. A Facebook page entitled "Dorm 230" is active today for former residents).

College programs

• Administrative Assistant (A.A.)
• Assistant Pastor (B.S.)
• Basic Bible (One-year certificate, A.A.)
• Biblical Studies & Ministry (B.S., B.A.)
• Christian Education (B.S.)
• Elementary Education (B.S.)
• Missions & Biblical Studies (A.A.)
• Missions (B.S.)
• Music Education (B.S.)
• Pastoral (B.S., B.A.)
• Sacred Music (B.S.)
• Secondary Bible Education (B.S.)
• Secondary English Education (B.S.)

Seminary degrees

• M.A.R. (Master of Arts in Religion)
• M.A. Biblical Studies
• M.A. Pastoral Studies
• M.A. Theological Studies
• M.Div.

Accreditation and affiliations

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. The institution also maintains membership in the American Association of Christian Colleges and Seminaries.^[2]

Athletics

Faith Baptist Bible College is a member the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division 2. They are part of the North Central Region with Providence University College and Theological Seminary, North Central University, and Trinity Bible College. The Eagles compete in 7 sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, track and field, and cross-country. The Eagles also compete in the Midwest Christian College Conference.

References

External links

• Website