Organization:Life Pacific College
 The Hicks Center | |
| Established | 1923 |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | International Church of the Foursquare Gospel |
| President | Angie Richey |
| Location | San Dimas , , United States |
| Website | lifepacific |
Life Pacific University (LPU) is a private Christian bible college endorsed by the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and located in San Dimas, California. LPU serves as the denomination's flagship institution for higher education. The college also operates an extension site, LPU Virginia, in Christiansburg, Virginia.
History
The school was founded in 1923 as Echo Park Evangelistic and Missionary Training Institute by Aimee Semple McPherson in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. [1] The name was changed to LIFE Bible College, LIFE standing for "Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism", in 1926 when it moved into a newly constructed five-story complex next door to Angelus Temple. In 1990 the college relocated to its current home in San Dimas, California. In the early 2000s the name Life Pacific College was adopted and in 2019 the institution was renamed and restructured as Life Pacific University with the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Theology & Ministry. LPU offers a variety of AA, BA, and MA programs, including an MA in Leadership fully delivered in the Spanish language.
In 1957, in Mount Vernon, Ohio, sister college Mount Vernon Bible College was founded, relocating to Christiansburg, Virginia in the 1980s. The name was changed to LIFE Bible College East in 1988. In 2003 LIFE East closed for financial reasons and its records were transferred to Life Pacific. Life Pacific now operates LPU Virginia as an extension campus at the former LIFE Bible College East property.
In November 2019, longtime LPU senior executive Angela "Angie" Richey was inaugurated as LPU's 11th president. Richey is the second female president of LPU. In May 2019 Jim J. Adams was named as Life Pacific's first president emeritus.
Alumni
Alumni have played a significant role not only within the Foursquare church, but also within the Assemblies of God, Calvary Chapel and the Vineyard movement. Life's most prominent graduates include pastors Jack Hayford, Chuck Smith, Ronald D. Mehl, Ralph Moore, Ricky Temple, Jim Tolle, Chad Veach, Irene Poupore, Randy Remington, and the late African American actor, pastor and academic Otis Young.
LPU has always focused on educating men and women in practical ministry and for much of its history few alumni pursued additional education. However, it has now become common for Life alumni to attend seminary or graduate school. A growing number of alumni have also earned academic doctorates from institutions such as Fuller Seminary, Regent University, the University of Southern California, and the universities of Nebraska, Edinburgh, Durham, St. Andrews, Aberdeen and Oxford. Of note, 9 of 11 Life Pacific presidents were or are alums, including Rolf K. McPherson, Nathaniel Van Cleave, Jack W. Hayford, Jack Hamilton, Ron Mehl, Dick Scott, Robert Flores, Jim J. Adams, and current president Angela Richey.
Accreditation and Affiliations
LPU is accredited by The Association for Biblical Higher Education, and with Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It is an affiliate member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. LPU also holds membership in the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU), as well as many other professional higher education associations and societies.
Sports
Life Pacific began fielding sports teams in the late 1940s with baseball, football, and basketball. Following a 7-year hiatus, in Fall 2015, LPU returned to intercollegiate competition with a men's basketball team and a women's volleyball team. LPU also offers cross county and track teams for both men and women. Life Pacific College is a member of the NAIA and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), as of fall 2018 also offers women's basketball, women's golf, men's and women's wrestling (Cascade Collegiate Conference). Men's and women's soccer teams launch for fall 2020.
References
- ↑ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1200
External links
[ ⚑ ] 34°05′57″N 117°49′44″W / 34.0993°N 117.8290°W
 |
