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Independent Baptist Colleges

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Independent Baptist Colleges are typically related to local Baptist churches. These colleges tend to be evangelical or fundamentalist in theology and have a narrower curriculum than secular universities or denominationally affiliated seminaries.

Before the 1950s the primary Independent Baptist college was Tennessee Temple College, founded in 1946 by Lee Roberson of the Highland Park Baptist Church of Chattanooga, TN. This college is now known as Tennessee Temple University and offers a variety of courses of study, along with a seminary which was founded in 1948.

In September of 1950, several Baptist preachers including G.B. Vick started Baptist Bible College - Springfield, Missouri. This college is the main training institution within the Baptist Bible Fellowship International.

Characteristics[edit]

There are three distinguishing characteristics of such colleges:

  • Control is in the hands of the parent church, a board appointed by the parent church, or in a group of pastors
  • Courses of study are typically limited to those which bear direct relation to full-time ministry work. Example of some courses include, Church Ministries, Pastoral Theology, Elementary and Secondary Education, Secretarial, and Missions.

The church and college often become a hub for a network of Independent Baptist churches that recommend it to their young people.

Local control[edit]

Independent Baptists hold to the autonomy of the local church while rejecting outside interference. They also believe that Christ's promise of victory to the church (Matthew 16:18) means that for men and ministries to be effective, they must function under the umbrella of the local church. Thus they avoid ministries that are considered "para-church" as not being entirely within the Bible plan, although they acknowledge the good these ministries may do.

Thus their colleges are usually placed under the control of a local independent Baptist church. Since most independent Baptist churches have strong pastors, this often translates into a situation where the pastor is in command of the college. Usually a president or other administrative leader is tasked with managing daily operations.

Because of this arrangement, and the emphasis that is typically placed on practical ministry, students are often required to perform mandatory ministry service within the church. This may include music, Sunday school bus routes, or any other ministry at the church.

Also, the student will be required to adhere to the church's beliefs on music, dress, entertainment, dating, and doctrine. Any prospective student of an independent Baptist college would be wise to closely and thoroughly examine the position of the church and college in question before attending.

Academic focus[edit]

Independent Baptist colleges generally train students for ministry. Courses of study offered will likely be limited to the categories of Theology, Missions, Music, and Education. These colleges also almost always offer a secretarial program that may be completed in two years (although some require four years for this as well). Master's degree programs may be available. Doctoral programs are rare. The faculty tend to have four-year degrees; some have master's degrees. Earned doctorates are very uncommon; honorary doctorates are somewhat more frequently encountered. They are usually not accredited and cite religious reasons for not seeking accreditation. They generally accept theology credits from other Independent Baptist colleges, but not credits for religion courses from secular institutions.

Relationships[edit]

Independent Baptists have put aside denominational ties, and many independent Baptists are even wary of regional fellowships. A church that hosts a nationally known independent Baptist college will often become a central point of fellowship for churches that send their young people to that college. Most independent Baptist pastors have one or two schools they recommend. The pastor trusts the school usually because he has either been there himself, or he knows a few of the staff there and is comfortable with their philosophical position and doctrinal stand. This, combined with the "traffic" of parents and children to and from the church and college in question, fosters a working relationship between the two churches that can include attending conferences and promotion of materials. This type of networking typically expands, eventually creating a cadre of churches that stand with each other and with the pastor and church of the college in question. Multiple groups have been created in this manner. Hyles-Anderson College (Jack Hyles (deceased) / Jack Schaap), Crown College (Clarence Sexton), and Pensacola Bible Institute (Peter Ruckman) are examples of colleges that have formed their own groups. Not all colleges have such groups form around them.

Career for Graduates[edit]

Graduates of Independent Baptist colleges are most commonly employed in Baptist churches, especially independent Baptist churches. Degrees from Independent Baptist colleges are typically not accredited. They are not designed to further a secular career and may be of limited applicability in some career choices.

External links[edit]

This article contains content from Wikipedia. Current versions of the GNU FDL article Independent Baptist Colleges on WP may contain information useful to the improvement of this article WP
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