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A Brief History In the mid-1990's, God began dealing with Jim Martin about returning to school and earning an advanced degree. At the time, Jim was pastoring a small church in Springboro, Ohio and had no desire to go back to school. But he obeyed the Lord's instructions, enrolling at a satellite campus of Life Christian University. Although it was a one hour drive each way, he remained diligent to what God had told him to do. His diligence paid off and he earned a Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry in 1998, followed by a Ph.D. in Christian Theology in 1999. During his time at LCU, the Lord began speaking to Jim about opening a Bible College that would be very unique both in how it operated and in the courses it offered. The school would have a specific purpose, or goal, and process for achieving that purpose:
It was through continued prayer that Dr. Martin received specific instructions about the operation and curriculum for the school. In January, 2001, the Lord told him to open Grace Ministries Bible College in September of that year. When GMBC opened, it was a two-year school. In 2002, the Lord instructed that a third year be added. Then, in 2005, He said to expand to a fourth year of curriculum. In 2006, God directed that Grace Ministries Bible Institute should open a "school within a school." The courses offered at GMBC are ordered of the Lord. As Dr. Martin prayed about what to teach, he knew that he was not to simply replicate what was being taught in other Christian colleges and universities. God explained to him that there was to be no compromise to scriptural accuracy; it was to be the priority, even if what was taught did not flow with popular beliefs or doctrines. The result is that each course builds on the foundation laid by the previous course. In essence, each course is a prerequisite for the proceeding course. This is why courses should be taken in the order they are offered. GMBC does not offer courses in the arts, sciences, or other disciplines available at most other colleges and universities. The reason is because God has not given such instructions. Therefore, anyone looking to earn a degree in such things as physics, literature, history, and so on would need to enroll in another school. But those who are seeking to go further in their walk with the Lord, conforming more fully to the image of Christ, will find GMBC to be the perfect school!
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