Heartland Baptist Bible College: Training Ministers for Today’s Local Churches

Heartland Baptist Bible College (HBBC), located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a private, independent Baptist institution dedicated to training preachers, missionaries, music ministers, youth leaders, and church workers rooted in biblical doctrine and strong local church authority.

Origins and Relocation

Originally established in 1966–67 in Southern California as Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, the school began under the leadership of Southern California pastors and its first president, Rev. Ted Hicks. Over the years it moved from Orange to Walnut, Pasadena, and eventually to a 150‑acre campus in San Dimas, attracting around 500 students in the late 1970s. Declining enrollment in the 1990s led to a bold move: in summer 1998, the college relocated to Oklahoma City and was renamed Heartland Baptist Bible College, shifting from a regional to a national focus under new leadership and structure.

Leadership and Governance

Following the move, Pastor Sam Davison became president in 1999, bringing vision and reliance on God’s guidance, while Terry Randolph served during a crucial transitional period before becoming chancellor in 2018. That same year, Pastor Jason Gaddis assumed the presidency, leading HBBC’s renewed emphasis on ministry training and partnerships with local churches. HBBC is governed by a board of 24 current pastors from independent fundamental Baptist churches who elect its officers. These pastors also provide doctrinal, financial, and academic accountability, undergirding the college’s mission as a local church–centered ministry.

Educational Philosophy and Academics

Heartland's core mission is to educate and train church workers with excellence—not by governmental accreditation, but through accountability to local churches. Students receive instruction from seasoned pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders, who contribute over 1,000 years of combined ministry experience. The college offers:

• One‑year Bible Certificate, a 30‑semester-hour program designed for those exploring a call to ministry or seeking deeper biblical grounding.
• Two‑year Ministry Secretarial degree, preparing students for practical service roles in church offices.
• Four‑year bachelor’s degrees across 15 majors, within six academic departments: Christian Education, Church Ministries, Missions, Music Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Youth Ministry, and more. All programs feature Bible‑theological coursework, general education classes, and integrated internship experiences in partnership with Southwest Baptist Church.

HBBC sees affordability as central—students graduate debt‑free, with tuition costs significantly lower than most Bible colleges. In 2025, the total annual cost was approximately $9,330, compared to a national average of $16,588.

Spiritual and Practical Life

The college requires eligible students to become members of Southwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City (or another approved local church), ensuring students participate in local church life while learning to serve. This intentional integration creates hands-on ministry opportunities—from door‑to‑door visitation to choir ministry and preaching—reinforcing Heartland’s identity as a ministry arm of cooperating churches. Weekly chapel, discipleship groups, and ministry conferences deepen students’ spiritual formation alongside academic studies.

Ministry Impact and Culture

Since relocating to Oklahoma in 1998, Heartland has graduated over 1,800 students, many of whom serve faithfully as missionaries, pastors, musicians, youth workers, and support staff in local churches across the U.S. and beyond—demonstrating the effectiveness of HBBC’s local‑church–centered training model. Its doctrinal stand includes affirmation of the King James Bible, belief in local church autonomy, closed communion, and Baptist distinctives, all taught within a conservative ministry philosophy.

Conclusion

Heartland Baptist Bible College stands delivered from secular accreditation and government funding, relying instead on the partnership of independent Baptist churches. It remains steadfast in its mission: to produce humble, doctrinally sound, spiritually equipped servants for the ministries of the local church. For those seeking training under biblical oversight, with spiritual formation and practical ministry experience built in, HBBC offers a distinctive path to faithful Christian service.