Atlanta Bible College: History, Programs, and Impact
Atlanta Bible College (ABC) offers a transformative educational experience where faith, ministry, and academics converge. The college aims to cultivate students' faith, deepen their relationship with God, and foster connections with like-minded believers. As part of the Church of God General Conference (COGGC), ABC plays a vital role in pastoral education and training.
The Church of God General Conference (COGGC): A Foundation of Support
Founded in 1921, the Church of God General Conference (COGGC) is a denomination of churches active across North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. The largest concentrations of churches are in Mozambique (400), Malawi (100), and the United States (80). COGGC provides resources and support to pastors, churches, youth, missions, and Atlanta Bible College.
Over more than a century of ministry, the COG has consistently provided a wide range of resources to member churches. These include low-interest loans, funding for building projects, church health surveys, and free background checks for volunteers. Churches also benefit from literary resources, including biblical articles (Restitution Herald), ministry updates (Progress Journal), Sunday school lessons (Adult Quarterly), evangelism tracts, as well as several in-house published books. Additionally, churches can participate in a wide range of events, including Christian Workers’ Seminar, FUEL, and General Conference. Also, the COG keeps track of the history of their churches and noteworthy individuals over the years through maintaining archives, holding the annual Heritage Conference, and publishing a biographical encyclopedia.
The missionary agency of the COGGC is called Lord’s Harvest International (LHI). The organization supports churches and individuals in ten countries around the world. Some of these are war-torn, others are afflicted with chronic governmental corruption, and still others have oppressive policies towards biblical Christianity. LHI sends missionaries on short-term trips, provides resources to build churches, helps with humanitarian support, and supplies translated literary resources, including Bibles, books, and tracts.
Pastoral Education and Licensing
The Church of God (COG) provides pastoral education and training through the Atlanta Bible College. Once prospective ministers graduate, they participate in a hands-on internship program, serving at a local church. Next, they apply for licensing, which involves a comprehensive process that takes into account the applicant’s personal history, doctrinal beliefs, references, and the recommendation of their mentor.
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Atlanta Bible College: A Closer Look
Campuses and Programs
Currently, there are two campuses in Georgia:
- At McDonough, the main building serves as the hub for English-speaking in-person and online instruction.
- At Johns Creek, the Korean extension provides classes in the Korean language.
The goal is to train future pastors and educate anyone who wants to know more about the Bible and Christianity. Students can earn a one-year foundation certificate, an Associate’s degree, and/or a Bachelor’s degree with focuses in Bible, theology, or missions.
Curriculum and Impact
Atlanta Bible College helps students organize their knowledge of the Bible. The curriculum provides a mental map for how the Bible fits together. Classes like Old Testament Survey and New Testament Survey enable students to see the big picture. Basic Bible Doctrine and Systematic Theology provide a framework for understanding different doctrines. The education provides a welcoming community, introductions to lifelong mentors, and an education that students depend on every day. At ABC, like any college, the expectations are much higher. Students will have homework; they will memorize key information; they will write papers.
Experiential Learning and Community
The most exciting week of the year for youth in the COG is FUEL. Held at Manchester University in Indiana, FUEL is a high-energy event with 200 teens and youth workers. Campers participate in sermons, classes, worship, sports, and lots of other activities. Counselors meet with the youth a couple of times each day to develop relationships and mentor them. In the fall and winter, youth can attend reFUEL and the Young Adult Getaway.
Personal Benefits of Atlanta Bible College and the COG
Graduating from Atlanta Bible College, attending COG events, and associating with their pastors have significantly benefited many individuals. The organization balances providing support to those both inside and outside the denomination without controlling individuals or groups.
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Additional Educational Institutions
In 1958 the Interdenominational Theological Center (The ITC) was founded as a joint initiative of four seminaries: the Baptist-affiliated Morehouse School of Religion, the United Methodist-affiliated Gammon Theological Seminary, Turner Theological Seminary (African Methodist Episcopal), and Phillips School of Theology (Christian Methodist Episcopal). John D. Rockefeller, Jr. established The Sealantic Fund to support theological education and this was a major source of financial support. Instruction began in September 1959 with 21 faculty members and 97 students. Gammon’s campus was the home of the ITC until its own facilities were completed in 1961. The combined institution quickly won accreditation from the AATS, which had previously accredited Gammon. Dr. Harry Van Buren Richardson, the president of Gammon Theological Seminary, became the first president of ITC, serving in that position from 1959 to 1968.
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