Sound Baptist Bible College

Larry:

I don't know about other cities, but where I live in Houston there is a College of Biblical Studies that is accredited, and specifically designed for people who do not have a lot of funds. Check out their financial aid office.......... I've known some of the professors over the years, and I can vouch for the quality of the education. You'll get a great education for about the lowest price available anywhere. I know Texas is a long way from where you are, but being a large city without many municipal restrictions, Houston has many, many job opportunites. It also has a relatively low cost of living. So check it out:

http://www.cbshouston.edu/

 

Adequate resources?

On the one hand, they may offer some good and useful courses for practical Christian training but they do not appear to have the resources to offer college level work. Their courses are lacking for a good undergraduate degree although they may be sufficient for Bible institute diploma and certificates. Definitely, they do not show the courses or faculty necessary for the graduate degrees that they offer. It would be acceptable as a Bible institute but as a college or graduate school, it is obviously overblown.

 

Personally, and this is just my opinion, the school looks weak. Examine their "Master of Theology" program. Also the program does not "seem" to be accredited, unless I missed something. For a local Bible College it maybe just fine, but if someone is looking to attend seminary I would advise them to look at one of the Southern Baptist seminaries, Trinity Evangelical Divinty School, Dallas Theological Seminary, Denver Seminary, or Wheaton College. If a person is looking for quality online programs check out seminaries such as Southern Evangelical, Temple Baptist Seminary, Luther Rice, or Liberty Seminary.

I am not "crashing" this school. There is a local Bible College in my area. The school is accredited by "ACI" (ie...they are not accredited). However the school has a strong relationship with the churches in this area, it has a solid reputation in this area, and alot of local ministers teach courses there. The school only offers certificates, associate degrees, and bachelors degrees. For a short time they offered a Master of Ministry degree but that was dropped. Students who graduate from this school have little problem entering Southeastern, Liberty, Dallas, or Luther Rice (to name a few). Part of the reason for that, of course, is that the founder of the school was friends with the late Dr. John Walvoord. They have also had some "big name" speakers such as Paige Patterson (when he was president at SEBTS) and Norman Geisler (president of SES).

Point? Local Bible Colleges like that are fine. However I don't think I would get a MA/MDiv from one of these schools. For the graduate level I would encourage people to attend one of the major seminaries.

 

Only accredited?

My only disagreement is that your sole criteria seems to be accredited. IMHO, this is not the defining standard. Every school must be judged on all of its merits. Not all accredited schools are great and not all unaccredited schools are "less than wonderful." For example, consider the following unaccredited seminary: http://www.gpts.edu/ Now, Martin, look at this seminary and tell me what you think.

 

==This maybe true, however those who earn a MA from a nonaccredited school may have a very hard time getting accepted into a accredited PhD or DMin program (if that is their goal). In fact alot of schools will not even consider an unaccredited MA degree program as fulfillment of an entrance requirment for a PhD/DMin program. That is just a simple fact of life in the wonderful world of education :laugh:

My criteria was not only accreditation. Many of these local colleges simply do not have the academic standards that a larger school may have. Of course this is not true for all of them but it is a safe assumption. However I must admit that accreditation does pay a large role in my criteria.


Now I familiar with Greenville Presbyterian Seminary and, from what I know, it is a good school. However since they are not accredited a person should carefully consider if that will affect their future goals. Maybe they could get a ThD from Greenville if they wanted to go past the Masters. That is a real option. Do they wish to teach? They need to consider that most Seminaries and Universities will only hire teachers who hold accredited degrees. So that is something else to consider.

Other good nonaccredited schools are....

Bob Jones University
Shepherds Seminary

While both are fine schools (I am not in agreement with all of their doctrinal points) the fact that they are not accredited may very well hinder (Masters) almuni who wish to get a PhD/DMin from an accredited school or who wish to teach. Sure there maybe exceptions (someone has connections, they are in the right place at the right time, etc) but generally attending a nonaccredited Masters program will limit the graduates future options.

 

The last three were fairly easy to get; the first was not. Which Central? Since there are 6-10 of 'em, out there. Pick one? Or just make it easy, and take 'em all? :laugh:

L. C. says my last suggestion of "all of 'em", would not be a particularly bad idea, for low ratings, but I told him to get back out on 'Grammar Patrol'! :laugh: :tongue3:

Ed

 

Thanks..

Ed

 

Why is this name so familiar to me?