Objectives

IBC's goal is that, through the Grace of God, the teaching design of the courses, and the required and suggested practical experience in ministry, students will be academically, spiritually and practically prepared for vocational Christian ministry in local churches and para-church ministries.

The curriculum is designed:

• To enable students to gain a working knowledge of the Bible and recognize its authority over all areas of learning.
• To stimulate within students a spirit of inquiry and godly discernment.
• To enhance students' awareness of their own and other cultural heritages.
• To involve students in Christian ministry through field experience.
• To help students apply Christian principles to the private, social and professional areas of their lives.
• To furnish competent workers for local churches and para-church agencies.
  

IBC Student Body

The school was designed for a twofold mission.

First ....

The Indian Bible College, was to meet the need of Indian pastors for the growing number of Indian-administered churches with no missionary or denominational direction. The training of Indian believers for vocational Christian ministry was seen as imperative because Native American Indians are missiologically designated as a "burned-over" or "resistant" mission field. A burned-over field is a field that has had a number of missionaries working in it for a number of years (in this case both numbers are large), but that has remained "resistant" to a large degree, to responding to the Gospel message. Indians continue, in general, to be resistant to Anglo-American missionaries.

Training Indian believers in local indigenous churches, in mission ministries, or in an institution such as Indian Bible College to witness and minister to their own people is the most effective way to "sow the Word" in a "burned-over" field with any realistic anticipation of an abundant harvest.

Quoting from the 1974-1975 catalogue, page 7,

"Missionary methods used until a dozen years ago are no longer effective and new methods must be developed.

It is our conviction that the native missionary will be the active worker on the field and that the white missionary will become more and more of a specialist in teaching and training."

The situation since 1975 has only validated this conviction to the present board of directors and staff of the Indian Bible College.

Second ....

The School of Missions, was to be an inter-cultural training center for missionary candidates, from Indian, Anglo, Latino and other backgrounds for ministry to the Indian tribes of North America. It was designed to provide advanced training in missionary procedures and practical field training for missionary candidates who have applied for service for one of the mission boards serving the American Indians or other minority groups, or for missionary candidates not yet committed to any particular mission who wish to explore their fitness for missionary service either in America or abroad. The program permits the mission to observe the activities of the candidate under actual field conditions and to correct any problem traits before the candidate is placed in a permanent field situation.

"Flagstaff, Arizona is strategically located for the administration of a candidate training program.

It is the geographical center of a large number of tribes in all stages of acculturation. Most of these people still use their tribal languages, and traditional tribal rites are practiced among all of them. In addition, there is a sizable population of Spanish speaking Mexican Americans." (1964-1966 catalogue, page 11)

It has been some years since this second emphasis has been offered. A program of two semesters and one summer has been approved by the school's Board of Directors.

Please contact our Registrar to express interest in or get information about this program.