More Than a College: A Legacy of Equipping Kingdom Workers

A Vision for Training Kingdom Workers

When the Church of God General Conference (COGGC) was organized in 1921, one of the primary purposes for forming a conference was “that facilities be provided to aid in the education of those desiring to prepare themselves for the ministry.” Our early leaders had godly wisdom and foresight to realize that as new churches were started and our older ministers died, there would be a need for pastoral leadership.

Just two years later, the COGGC’s Board of Directors asked Executive Secretary, F. L. Austin, to undertake the task of starting a Bible Training Class. A program was organized, and on November 19, 1923, five students (with two more joining shortly thereafter) started their training.

Austin provided most of the instruction, with practical experience gained through the ministry of the local church and other Church of God General Conference congregations in the surrounding area. 

Over the next nine years, with the exception of one school year when no classes were held, 23 men and four women took classes. 13 became pastors, and most of the rest became active workers in their churches.

The Beginning of Oregon Bible College

Because of the Great Depression, the class stopped meeting in 1932. However, the need for workers provided the impetus to get a school started again in 1939. This school was named Oregon Bible College (OBC) after the small town where the college was located.

The school focused its ministry on equipping students to know God and His Word, to apply God’s Word, and to communicate God’s Word. The college doctrinal statement emphasized the distinctive teachings of the Church of God General Conference.

Related: The Church of God General Conference: Our History, Beliefs, and Mission

The Move to Atlanta Bible College

During its history, the college operated in several locations in Oregon, Illinois. In 1991, it moved to Morrow, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, and changed its name to Atlanta Bible College (ABC). This move was initiated for several reasons, including a desire to be in a large metropolitan area where students could experience ministry in a multiracial, culturally diverse environment with opportunities for church planting.

Another benefit of the relocation to Georgia was the opportunity for students to attend Clayton State College, which was adjacent to the Bible college campus. Students were able to take general education courses so that the Bible college faculty could concentrate on teaching Bible and ministry courses. Some students earned a bachelor’s degree from Clayton State while simultaneously earning a Bachelor of Theology from ABC.

Learning Through Ministry

Within weeks of arriving in the new location, students and staff started a new church that met in the chapel of the new administration building. An after-school Bible club was started for children who lived in adjacent apartment complexes. These children also began to attend Bible classes on Wednesday evenings and services on Sunday mornings. A youth program called Fast Forward was also held on Wednesday evenings. Students began to help with an area soup kitchen. Others visited prisons and a nursing home located near the college. Students and staff knocked on hundreds of doors in the area to invite people to church. 

Two years later, a second church was started in nearby McDonough. Students and staff conducted a telephone outreach campaign to identify unchurched people and invite them to the new church. Over about six weeks, students and staff made 25,569 phone calls. A total of 107 people attended the first service. Students reinforced their classroom instruction through hands-on ministry experience.

Expanding to International Students

In 2002, opportunities emerged for ABC to expand its ministry to Korean students, and the college sought approval from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service to admit international students. 

The college established a branch, ABC Korean Extension, offering courses in Korean to students living in the United States as well as international students from South Korea.

This authorization also made it possible for students from other countries to secure visas to study at ABC. Students enrolled from Bermuda, the Bahamas, Moldova, and several countries in Africa.

Because of the expansion of Clayton State College (now Clayton State University), the Morrow campus was sold to the state of Georgia. The Bible college then expanded to two locations: one in McDonough, Georgia, about 15 miles south of Morrow, and a Korean extension about 45 miles northeast that was initially located in Decatur and later moved to Johns Creek. At one point, combined enrollment at the two campuses exceeded 150 students.

Related: A Brief History of the Church of God Movement

A Legacy That Continues Today

The majority of Church of God General Conference pastors today were trained at Oregon Bible College/Atlanta Bible College. For students who did not feel called to full-time ministry, their training equipped them to serve in many leadership positions in their home churches. 

Equipped with Bible knowledge and ministry skills, former students have served effectively as youth directors, worship leaders, Sunday School and small group leaders, elders, and deacons. They have also served on many COGGC boards and committees and on the staff of FUEL, our annual youth conference.       

More than a century after the first Bible Training Class began, the college remains true to its purpose and doctrinal commitment. It has established an enduring legacy of equipping workers to advance the cause of Christ and the Kingdom of God. Through the prayers and financial support of many believers, the college continues to faithfully carry out its mission.         

Editor’s Note: The story of the college continues. In 2027, Atlanta Bible College is scheduled to relocate from Georgia to Springfield, Ohio. As plans for the transition continue to develop, additional details—including the college’s future name—will be announced.