Life Pacific College was founded in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, in 1923 as Echo Park Evangelistic and Missionary Training Institute by Aimee Semple McPherson. Its name was changed to LIFE Bible College, LIFE standing for "Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism", in 1926 when it moved into a newly constructed five-story complex next door to Angelus Temple. In 1990 the college relocated to its current home in San Dimas, California. In the early 2000s its present name was adopted.
LPC is associated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and serves as the denomination's primary center for the education of ministers, missionaries and teachers. There was formerly a sister school on the East Coast that performed a similar function, started in 1957 as Mount Vernon Bible College in Mount Vernon, Ohio. It moved to Christiansburg, Virginia and changed its name to LIFE Bible College East in 1988. In 2003 LIFE East closed for financial reasons and its records were transferred to Life Pacific College. Along with six traditional degrees offered at the San Dimas campus (A.A. in General Studies, B.A. in Biblical Studies, B.A. in Transformational Ministry, B.A. in Business Administration, B.A. Human Development & Psychology, B.A. Worship Arts & Media), it also offers two non-traditional programs (M.A. in Strategic Leadership, B.A. in Ministry & Leadership) Life Pacific College now also provides an A.A. degree in General Studies at LPC Ignite on the Christiansburg campus.
Alumni
Alumni have played a significant role not only within the Foursquare church, but also within the Assemblies of God, Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard movement. Life's most prominent graduates include pastors Jack Hayford, Chuck Smith, Ronald D. Mehl, Ricky Temple, Jim Tolle, Chad Veach, Irene Poupore and the African American actor, pastor and academic Otis Young.
LPC has always focused on educating men and women in practical ministry and for much of its history few alumni pursued additional education. However, it has now become common for Life alumni to attend seminary or graduate school. Several alumni have also earned academic doctorates from institutions such as Fuller Seminary, Regent University, and the universities of Nebraska, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Aberdeen and Oxford.
Accreditation and degrees
LPC is accredited by The Association for Biblical Higher Education, and with Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It offers a two-year A.A. and 2 four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees: Biblical Studies and Transformational Ministry Majors, a two-year Bachelor of Theology, and an 18-month degree completion Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and Leadership. For those who already possess an accredited B.A. or B.S. a master's level program in Strategic Leadership with an emphasis in ministry. Two new degree programs, the Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration and the Bachelor of Arts: Human Development launched Fall 2014. The Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts and Media launches Fall 2015.
Sports
Life Pacific College students are very involved in intramural sports within the community of San Dimas including soccer and co-ed/men's league softball and football. In Fall 2015, LPC returned to intercollegiate competition with a men's basketball team and a women's volleyball team. LPC also offers a cross county team for both men and women. Life Pacific College joined the NAIA and the Golden State Athletic Conference for the 2017-18 athletics season.
See also
- The Foundations of Pentecostal Theology
External links
- Life Pacific College Homepage
- History of L. I. F. E. Bible College
- Life Pacific College's Master Program Information
- History of LIFE Bible College East
- The Foursquare church in Guatemala, Central America -- La Iglesia Cuadrangular (Foursquare) en Guatemala, Centroamérica (Español & English)-Guatemala
References
