Institutional Purpose and Mission
The purpose of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College is to prepare
students to be "thoroughly furnished
unto all good works" (II Timothy 3:17). Pillsbury implements this
objective through a program of
biblical, general, and professional studies that integrate the
doctrinal and ecclesiastical heritage of
independent Baptist churches. This heritage of a Baptistic emphasis on
the local church and its
programs is a controlling factor in determining the educational program
for ministry that Pillsbury
offers.
Furthermore, it is the mission of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College to
glorify God through a Christian
higher education program which imparts a biblical worldview, preparing
students for Christian
ministries in and through local Baptist churches.
The Educational Program
Pillsbury's academic program prepares students through its purpose
and objectives. The academic
program is appropriate to a postsecondary educational institution
seeking to accomplish these
goals, resulting in the preparation of students for Christian ministry.
All students are given an education in the Bible. For those desiring
to enter a phase of full-time
Christian ministry, Pillsbury offers a professional education to equip
them for such vocations. For
those desiring to enter other professions, Pillsbury offers a two-year
Bible preparatory program. A
student desiring general education in the arts and sciences beyond a
Bible major may enter a dual-
major program.
Philosophy of Education
Jesus Christ is preeminent in all things at Pillsbury (Colossians
1:18). Academically, Pillsbury is a
biblical arts college which believes and accepts the Bible as the
foundation for faith and practice.
The Word of God is interpreted plainly and a biblical worldview is
promoted. Pillsbury believes in
salvation by grace, through faith, wrought through the Holy Spirit,
apart from any sacramental
means.
All knowledge comes from God. Subjects are offered in the arts and
sciences, though Pillsbury is
not primarily a liberal arts college. Students are encouraged to
receive their education in a
recognized Christian profession. All students major in Bible and
prepare to serve effectively in
local churches.
The College is a Baptist institution with a separatist frame of
reference and holds to the historic
Baptist distinctives:
-
born-again membership of the local church (Acts 2:47)
-
autonomy of the local church in being self-supporting,
self-governing, self-propagating (I Timothy 3:15)
-
priesthood of the believer (I Timothy 2:5)
-
two offices - pastor and deacons (I Peter 5:1-2, Acts 6:3)
-
individual soul liberty (Romans 14:12)
-
separation of church and state (Matthew 22:21)
-
and the two ordinances - the Lord's Supper and baptism (Acts
16:33, I Corinthians 11:25-26).
This doctrinal position is based on a belief in the absolute
authority of the Bible. The College is an
arm of local churches, emphasizing the New Testament teaching of local
church organization and
supporting its autonomy and sovereignty (I Timothy 3:15).
Since a well-disciplined individual will be a more useful servant of
the Lord, Pillsbury students are
taught in a disciplined atmosphere. Biblical principles permeate the
classroom and campus life. As
a Baptist Bible college, the institution believes in the literal
exposition of all the affirmations and
attitudes of the Bible, as well as the militant exposure of those which
are unbiblical.
We embrace the Minnesota Baptist Convention Confession of Faith as
adopted in 1953, excerpts
of which follow:
- The Holy Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, written
inerrant in its original languages by holy men of God... the supreme
standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be
tried.
- There is one... living and true God, an infinite, intelligent,
perfect Spirit and personal Being... in... three persons, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
- The salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the
mediatorial offices of the Son of God; Who... by His death made a full
atonement for our sins.
- In order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again.
- Sanctification is the process by which... we are made partakers
of His holiness... carried on in the hearts of believers throughout
their earthly life, by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Speaking in tongues is not a manifestation of the Holy Spirit today.
- All real believers endure unto the end; kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation.
- Both Christian baptism and the Lord's Supper are each a memorial,
a symbol, and a prophecy.
- The six days of creation in Genesis 1 were solar days of
twenty-four hours each.
- The first day of the week is the Lord's Day, and is a Christian
institution; it is to be kept sacred to spiritual purposes.
- Jesus rose from the dead bodily... He now exists in His glorified
body at God's right hand.
- The end of the age is approaching... the wicked will be adjudged
to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy. We believe in
the pretribulational rapture and personal, visible, premillennial
return of Christ with the restoration of Israel, and kindred events.
- In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;...
that an adequate program of education is essential to carry out the
work of Christ's church, and that the cause of education among New
Testament churches is coordinate with the causes of evangelism,
missions, and general benevolence, and should receive, along with
these, the liberal support of the churches.
- Every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will of
Christ regnant in his own life and in human society.
Pillsbury's history dates back to March 4, 1854, when a charter was
granted by the Minnesota
Legislature to establish the institution. Known as Minnesota
Central
University, the school was
located in Hastings, Minnesota, until 1868, when it closed. However,
the Minnesota Baptist State
Convention continued to feel the need for a Baptist college and on
September 10, 1877, opened
the Minnesota Academy at Owatonna, Minnesota.
The name of the school was changed to Pillsbury Academy in
1886 in honor of one of its chief
donors, the Honorable George A. Pillsbury of the First Baptist Church,
Minneapolis, and onetime
mayor of the city. Sponsored by Mr. Pillsbury, eight buildings were
erected between 1886-1914.
The school flourished as a coeducational academy until it was made a
boys' military school in
1920. In the last days of Pillsbury Academy, its ownership by the
Minnesota Baptist Convention
was challenged. On December 23, 1955, the Minnesota Supreme Court
declared the Minnesota
Baptist Convention the sole member of the Corporation of Pillsbury
Academy, with the
Minnesota Baptist Convention holding exclusive rights to the Academy.
Under the leadership of Dr. Richard V. Clearwaters pastor of the
Fourth Baptist Church of
Minneapolis, president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, and
chairman of the Academy
Board of Trustees the school became Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in 1957. Dr. Clearwaters
was elected the first president. Dr. Monroe Parker was chosen as the
first resident president of the
new school and began his presidency in February 1958. Succeeding
presidents have included: Dr.
B. Myron Cedarholm, Dr. Joseph Rammel, Dr. Alan Potter, Dr. Gerald
Carlson, and President
Robert Crane, who assumed Pillsbury's presidency in May 1996.
Prior to serving at Pillsbury, President Crane was the pastor of the
First Baptist Church of
International Falls, Minnesota. He has twenty years of experience
pastoring three churches within
the Minnesota Baptist Association and has been a Christian school and
Bible institute
administrator. While a pastor, he served on the Pillsbury Baptist Bible
College Board of Trustees. Before entering the pastorate, President
Crane's background was in engineering.
Academically the institution is known as a professional college,
offering a two-year general course
for laymen and a four-year program leading to the degrees of Bachelor
of Arts in Bible and
Bachelor of Science in Bible.
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