Sydney Missionary and Bible College
Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC) is an independent, evangelical interdenominational Bible college in Sydney, Australia.
 | |
| Motto | Lux in tenebris lucet |
|---|---|
Motto in English | Light shines in darkness |
| Established | 1916 |
Religious affiliation | Evangelicalism |
Academic affiliation | Inter-denominational |
| Chairman | Mr. Geoff Deane |
| Principal | Rev. Stuart Coulton |
| Location | Sydney |
| Website | www |
The college was founded in 1916 by C. Benson Barnett. Its goal is to train people for ministry in Australia and abroad.[1][2] There are two campuses, one in Croydon and another in Croydon Park (opened in 2010).[3]
SMBC opened several new student housing units on its main campus in 2009.
SMBC is Bible-centred: the academic curriculum is dominated by the Bible and a key focus of the college is to train men and women for gospel ministry in Australia and overseas in a missionary context.[4]
David Cook, a former principal of SMBC, retired at the end of 2011. [5] Stuart Coulton was appointed as the principal of SMBC in 2012.[6]
The second campus is named "Roberts-Dale" Campus after two martyred graduates, Fred Roberts (Amazon region of Brazil, 1935) and Stan Dale (West Papua, 1968).
Graduates of SMBC serve in cross cultural gospel ministry, both overseas and throughout Australia, or in Christian pastoral church ministry in various denominations, as Scripture teachers, in tertiary student ministry and educational or hospital chaplaincy, or in their local churches or chosen trades or professions.
SMBC hosts various public talks to give a biblical perspective on current issues such as social media, disability, atheism and miracles.[7]
History
Sydney Missionary and Bible College is the oldest interdenominational Bible college in Australia. It was established in April 1916 by C Benson Barnett, a returned missionary, with a vision for training men and women for Christian service in Australia and overseas.
The College began in a leased building at 43 Badminton Road Croydon. Students from Adelaide, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand were in the early student intake.
Barnett wrote in 1916, "not only are we a Bible College, but we are a Missionary College ... we are taught by Christ, that we are to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He will send forth labourers into His harvest field".[8]
In 1926 the College purchased the leased building it was occupying for £2,500.
Over the years as the College has grown and expanded, additional teaching and residential property has been purchased on Badminton Road. In 2007 a site was purchased in Croydon Park, a few minutes drive from the Croydon campus, to provide new premises to cope with the increasing enrolments. In 2010 this site was officially opened as the Roberts-Dale campus.
In 2016 a centennial history of SMBC was written by the Rev Anthony Brammall, who is the Academic Vice-Principal at the college and a lecturer in New Testament studies.[9]
Accredited Courses
Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC) is accredited by the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology (ACT).
References
- "The Sydney Missionary and Bible College". The Methodist. 53 (36). New South Wales, Australia. 9 September 1944. p. 4. Retrieved 4 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- SMBC Press Catalogue Archived 18 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- About SMBC
- Why Study at SMBC
- David Cook retires
- Coulton Appointment
- Hot Topics Archived 21 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- Memories of God's Great Goodness by Charles Benson Barnett Archived 23 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- The Wandering Bookseller Retrieved 8 June 2019.
- SMBC Press
- SMBC Resources