Paul spoke wise words to the church in Ephesus when he admonished them—in Ephesians 5:15-16—to “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The Message paraphrase of the Bible brings even more clarity for us when it says, “So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!”

Indeed, these are desperate times, and time is one of our most valuable commodities. Every day God deposits within our lives a little more time. He expects us to be wise stewards of it and invest it for the purpose of the Kingdom. While it is a valuable commodity, it can also be one of the hardest for young people to fully appreciate its value.

To put it into perspective, here is what Dr. John Mannion had to say: “For the sake of making a calculation, let’s say that eternity is only eight million years long (although after eight million years eternity has only begun). Now, let’s say that you are given a long life and you live to be one hundred years old. Using these numbers, your life compared to eternity would only be a fraction of a second, or 1/30^th of a second. Your life would end before you could say, ‘ME.’ Our lives are here today and gone tomorrow.”

Talk about a sobering thought. The life you are now living will one day be remembered as 1/30^th of a second. That means that what you do with that 1/30^th of a second will determine what you are doing eight million years from now in your eternity. You must also keep in mind that what you do with your 1/30^th of a second could also have a great influence on how countless other people will spend their eternity.

The desire to have a doctrinally sound, spiritually strong Bible college in the state of Texas brought the ministers of the district into a specially-called conference in Bryan, Texas during 1961. After careful consideration of the need for such a school in which to train ministers and Christian workers, Texas Bible College was established by a unanimous vote. Endorsement of the Board of Christian Education of the United Pentecostal Church International was granted in September 1962. Texas Bible College began its operation with the enrollment of its pioneer class in January 1964.

History

Fred J. Foster was appointed president and served in that capacity from June 1963 until January 1970. Upon his resignation, James L. Kilgore was appointed and served as interim president from that date until June 1971. E. L. Holley became president in June 1971 and served until 1977, when he was elected superintendent of the Texas District. President Holley was succeeded by C. E. Lott, Sr., a member of the Board of Directors, who served for two years until June 1979. In September 1979, the Board of Directors appointed T. M. Jackson as president, who served until 1982. At that time, J. R. Ensey was appointed president. He remained until May 1996. James L. Kilgore was then appointed as interim president. At the 2002 District Conference in Lufkin, Texas, James E. Boatman was ratified as the president and served until May of 2005. B. A. Cooley was appointed and ratified as president at the 2005 District Conference and is presently serving.

In May 2002, the TBC campus was moved from Houston, Texas—its home for thirty-nine years—to the Texas District Campground in Lufkin, Texas. Plans for future expansion are being developed.

Guided by its original foundational principles, Texas Bible College has become a leader in the field of developing Apostolic preachers and dedicated workers for God’s great church.

Texas Bible College remains committed to ensuring that Apostolic young people with a call of God on their lives are given the tools, opportunities and experiences necessary to make their life count. TBC has been involved in this process since opening its doors in January of 1964. From that time until today thousands of young people have been transformed through their time at TBC.

The Texas Bible College Vision

The vision of Texas Bible College remains strong. “Truth–Excellence –Spirit” is more than a motto; it is the essence of thought in the TBC process of preparing men and women to serve their generation. Students with a strong desire to serve the Lord will appreciate the TBC commitment to equip them for ministry through academic excellence within the confines of an Apostolic atmosphere.

The Texas Bible College Faculty

The strength of TBC comes from the quality, dedication and leadership of the faculty. TBC instructors bring to their classrooms a depth of knowledge and ministerial experience that allows students to leave the sessions informed, inspired and ready to serve with confidence. The TBC faculty is a blend of full-time and adjunct members, bringing stability and variety to the student to maximize the learning process.

The Fields of Study and Curriculum

Texas Bible College offers courses of study in Theology, Christian Music, Christian Education, Missions and Religious Studies. A student can earn either a two-year Associate’s Degree or a four-year Bachelor’s Degree. The curriculum has been developed over the forty-five year history of the college. With the input of many instructors over the years, the courses have proven to be adequate and relevant. Freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior courses are being offered on campus. Correspondence courses are also available.

The Texas Bible College Campus

The sixty-acre TBC campus offers fresh air, security, beautiful and clean facilities. The student dormitories are located in the 33,000 square foot Ima Kilgore Hall. The music department classrooms and offices are located in two newly remodeled buildings on the northeast side of campus. The chapel and the library are located in the administrative/ cafeteria complex. New instruments, sound, recording and visual equipment, computers and furnishings have been brought into the chapel, music department, lecture halls, administrative offices and library. Dorm rooms are comfortable. Every effort possible is being made to beautify the campus and to supply students and staff with the necessary means to provide a quality education. The campus is the base of the conquest where students are trained to do the work of the Lord.

The Texas Bible College Concern

The challenge to reach our world with the gospel of Jesus Christ can only be achieved through evangelism and discipleship. TBC is concerned and diligently seeking to train and send workers into the harvest field. The dream of our founding fathers to establish truth in the hearts of future generations continues to be the primary concern of Texas Bible College.

The Choice is Yours

The choice of Texas Bible College as your place of development and study should be prayerfully considered. We hope that you will choose Texas Bible College. We will gladly assist you and answer any questions you may have. Texas Bible College is dedicated to your destiny and to you making the most of your 1/30^th of a second.

For further information, please visit our website, http://tbcnow.com/, or contact the main office at 936.633.7799 during regular business hours.