Nazareth Evangelical College

Nazareth Evangelical College is an evangelical Bible college located in Nazareth, Israel. The language of instruction is Arabic and it primarily serves Israel's Palestinian-Israeli population. The college offers graduate and undergraduate degrees[1] and provides a number of other education services to the local community.[2]

Nazareth Evangelical College
TypeSeminary
Established2014
Location
Nazareth
,
Israel
Websitenazcol.org

History

Nazareth Evangelical College was created in 2014 as a result of a merger of two other Bible colleges: Galilee Bible College (GBC) and Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS).

Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS) was founded in 2007 by the Scottish missionary-scholar J. Bryson Arthur and his wife May, originally with the name The Nazareth Center for Christian Studies.[3] Some of his co-workers in helping set up the seminary were Scott Bridger, Brent Neely, Azar Ajaj, Phil Hill, and Duane Alexander Miller. The primary language of instruction was English, with the following courses being offered: a Bachelor of Divinity (BD), a Master of Theology (MTh), and a Master of Arts in Christian ministry. A locally accredited Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree was also offered, with the language of instruction being Arabic.

Galilee Bible College was founded as an Israeli branch of the West Bank Bible college Bethlehem Bible College. All courses were taught in Arabic.

With the departure of NETS's primarily Western staff in 2013, NETS was handed over to entirely Arab leadership, turned into a purely Arab-language institution, and was merged with GBC to become Nazareth Evangelical College, Israel's only theological seminary dedicated to serving the country's Arab evangelical minority in their own language. The merger took place in partnership with the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel (ABCI), Bethlehem Bible College (BBC), and the Convention of Evangelical Churches in Israel (now called the Synod of Evangelical Churches in Israel).[4]

Academics and programs

All current faculty are Arabs.[5]

Nazareth Evangelical College offers a BA in Biblical Studies and an MA in Leadership & Christian Ministry. Both degrees receive their accreditation through Bethlehem Bible College, which is accredited by the Middle East Association for Theological Education (MEATE), Asia Theological Association (ATA) and the Palestinian Authority.[6]

NEC has also started an International Study Program, a series of courses and excursions designed to help develop relationships with international partners and share something about the unique Palestinian-Israeli evangelical context to visitors interested in deepening their understanding of the region. Currently on offer are a series of lectures[7] on different facets of the local context and a combination of these lectures with a tour.[8]

In addition to an extensive English language theological library, NEC now hosts the largest Arabic-language theological library in the country.

Approach

NEC subscribes to an evangelical statement of faith.[9]

Under its current academic dean Yohanna Katanacho, NEC has adopted a two-fold focus to theological education and ministry: Christ & Culture and Christ & Church.

Mission statement

As stated on the college website, "Nazareth Evangelical College trains leaders, men and women, to follow Christ faithfully and to be equipped and qualified for serving the church in the Holy Land enabling her to have a powerful influence on society according to God’s purposes."

References
  1. "Accreditation at NEC". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  2. "Christ and Church". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  3. Association of Baptist Churches (2007). "The Nazareth Center for Christian Studies". Global Missiology. 4 (2). Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  4. "Arab Evangelicals in Israel". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  5. "Faculty and Staff". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. "Accreditation at NEC". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  7. "Lectures: Faith in Context". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  8. "Overview of international study program". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  9. "NEC Statement of Faith". Retrieved 28 April 2017.

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