Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary
The Center of Theological Education in Africa
Brief History
Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary is an institution created and nurtured under the auspices of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc. During the current academic year LBTS we will continue to celebrate our fortieth year. We were established in March 1976.
When Liberian Baptists formed their convention in 1880 they were intentional in the hope that education would be an important part of their lives. They believed then and now that the Gospel is best served in cooperation of all human faculties: heart, soul, strength, and mind (see Luke 10:27). Steps toward Baptist educational institutions in Liberia began in 1887 with the establishment of Ricks Institute in Virginia. Other schools, primary and secondary in focus, followed.
The Mission of the Seminary
The mission of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary is to provide educational and professional training for men and women called to the vocation for practicing Christian ministry through the local church, and other arenas of Christian ministry.
The Vision of the Seminary
The vision of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary is to cultivate in our students, faculty, staff, and graduates an awareness of the demands of the Gospel that encompass “heart, soul, strength, and mind” (Luke 10:27) that, in turn, encourages a life of discipleship and service, locally and globally.
Our Identity and Faith
- With Christians world-wide we share basic convictions. We worship God. We strive to follow Jesus. We commit to the study of the Bible in which we find the witness to the truths of God’s eternal activity as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. We strive to become the Body of Christ, that is, the church, in word and deed.
- With Baptists world-wide we affirm that every human is competent to approach God and find in God the grace that allows us to lead lives of service and hope. We affirm that faith in God through Jesus the Christ is the source of our being reconciled and, that through faith we are called to a holy vocation to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior” (2 Peter 3:18).
- Therefore, Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary strives to be a free and faithful learning community that
- Worships God; Follows Jesus; Reads and studies the Bible; Engages the traditions in the history of the church; Nurtures the Body of Christ, which is the church; Upholds the prophetic demand to confront the world’s evils with hope; Seeks peace with justice for all; And supports the freedom of all humans to confess or deny faith in Christ.
- We worship God as a dynamic presence in the world that creates, redeems, and sustains through the Godhead of Father/Son/Holy Spirit.
- We strive to follow Jesus of Nazareth, whom we confess to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
- We read the Bible as the authoritative witness to the power of the fullness of God in history in covenant with the seed of Abraham and Sarah, and their descendants, to be a light to the nations, which reached a defining pinnacle in the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We participate in the continuing adventure of being and becoming the Body of Christ, which is the church.
- We know that history confirms the reality of evil in the world and, too, that evil prevails when good people do nothing (Edmund Burke).
- We understand that the Gospel lived demands that disciples pursue peace and justice and, therefore, we strive to identify with the least of these in our one world who, too often, are neglected or devalued.
- We resist efforts of those who would restrict the freedoms of women and men created in the image of God in order to coerce acceptance of cultural, social, and political limits upon a faithful reading of the Bible.
- We embrace the local church as a lively representation of the Body of Christ that can and should join with other local churches in order to work together to bear witness to the Gospel and to promote the Gospel as a certain hope for this world and the world beyond.
- We affirm that God alone is the author of grace and that God alone is judge. For that reason we respect the conscience of others, even those with whom we have significant disagreements. Our goal is to affirm what we believe, to declare it as clearly as we can, and to invite a conversation within our communities of faith and beyond about what the Gospel demands from followers of Jesus.
Governance
- The Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary is an educational enterprise of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc.. The affairs of the institution are administered by the President under the under the governance of the Board of Trustees.
| The current members of the Board of Trustees are, as follows: | |
|---|---|
|
Dea. Amb. Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, Sr. |
Chairman |
|
Judge Eva Mappy Morgan |
Co-Chairman |
|
H. E. Jewel Howard Taylor |
Member |
|
Sis. Ophelia Hoff |
Member |
|
Rev. Francis Horton |
Member |
|
Rev. Arthur Gboe-Wehyee |
Member |
|
Dea. Emmanuel B. James |
Member |
|
Rev. Morris G. Siah, Sr. |
Member |
|
Dea. Abraham Simmons |
Member |
|
Rev. Dr. Calvin Birch |
Member |
|
Rev. Trocon W. Langford |
Member |
|
Rev. Dr. Pearl Browne-Bull |
Member |
|
Rev. Ohato Blama |
Member |
|
Momolu A Massaquoi, PhD |
Secretary |
|
Rev. Dr. Samuel B. Reeves |
Ex.-Officio
|
Also, in 1983, the two-degree programs (Bachelor of Art in Theology, Bachelor of Art in Religious Education) of the Institution were accredited by the Accrediting Council Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA) now the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa.
In compliance with the standards and procedures of ACTEA, The Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary reviews its accreditation status every ten years. Currently, LBTS has a candidacy status with ACTEA and is striving toward full accreditation.