Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Fantastic_Mind_1386 t1_jbh5sqg wrote

The Baptist bible college on Kearney is creepy and depressing!

Fixed that for you lol

123

golfercraig t1_jbh9zx5 wrote

250 on campus students. They use athletes to keep it alive. Give them a “scholarship” that doesn’t equal cost of attendance, and then all the kids from the small towns in the area get to say they’re playing college sports

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/2023/01/08/how-bbc-basketball-turned-things-around-for-dying-athletic-department/69721935007/

54

Separate_Parfait3084 t1_jbht5ij wrote

There's so much awful history at that school. Went there for 2.5 years. The buildings look awful because the leaders believed that the rapture would happen before 2000 so the buildings weren't designed to last much longer.

There was an enormous falling out in 2001 that gutted a huge % of the student population that it just never really recovered.

So many stories...

52

dividendDog t1_jbj5rhv wrote

Care to share some?

10

Separate_Parfait3084 t1_jbj9oze wrote

My favorite was Noel Smith, whom they named a dorm after, was a travelling preacher. He'd pack up his donkey and bring the word of the Lord to the masses. And apparently he didn't believe black people had a soul...

Jerry Falwell was a graduate and also (at the time) the only person censured.

The fallout moment was when they fired a beloved professor for the actions of some students at his church. They had a Christian rave. My wife went, she said it was super lame. That led to the freshman class (my class) having a 66% dropout rate.

One of the instructors was giving a message during chapel (3 days a week at like 9am). Can't remember the message exactly but he tried using interracial couples as an example of something that isn't commonly accepted. Oddly a friend on my floor was in an interracial relationship, he didn't take it well.

There's more, but the key to remember is that Christians are people too and people aren't perfect. The last one was a poorly presented example not a damning of the relationship. Now, he may have felt that way but that wasn't the message. Met my wife there, some of my best friends, and also some of the shittiest people. For every bad story I've got more funny ones that shows it as a college with students doing college things. Sure it's "indoctrination" but what do you expect going to a Bible college? I actually didn't do well because I challenged the beliefs using some of the critical thinking tools THEY gave me.

27

bellsouth_kmart t1_jbj7fnb wrote

And thats how they treat the earth too, because they think "i am not of this world " ect ect ..... Me and brothers and sisters decided this when we where younger and got off that flaming train of Christianity.

7

cuevrojamez t1_jbhse1o wrote

It should be repurposed to house the unsheltered. Then at least it could be used for good.

33

zizithrush t1_jbgx2ew wrote

I think it looks cool. Reminds me of a liminal sort of retro utilitarian pool vibe. I always imagine the smell of chlorine as I drive by

28

apissyangel t1_jbhitg5 wrote

Totally backrooms vibes, good call

9

Bitmush- t1_jbhjlfb wrote

Yes ! I feel I need to wander around when it’s misty wearing yellow tinted glasses and back rooms music in my ears.

7

Why_T t1_jbhg4ja wrote

Are you talking about the enormous portraits that are facing and making the people look like demons or zombies?

21

Shadow11Wolf50 t1_jbgyj76 wrote

As someone who lives near by, its still very much in use, but imo definitely looks run down af. At least the bothered to fix the broken window in the small shed/chapel building in the back.

15

Most_Dependent_2526 t1_jbgxerw wrote

Is it abandoned? This may be a false memory, but several years ago it closed and I’d heard they were going to renovate it. But last time I drove by there, it looks exactly the same as when I went to Hillcrest in 2006 lol

14

regularsizebiologist t1_jbgy5zg wrote

I think you're thinking of CBC on Norton. BBC on Kearney as far as I know is still operational. CBC is owned by Assemblies of God and they haven't been able to find a buyer. It's very much abandoned

37

silentxem t1_jbhvxba wrote

Pipedream for sure, but I wish the city or some non-profit would buy that land and use it for shelters, self-improvement programs for at-risk individuals, community lecture space, etc. Or at least a more interesting cult.

12

regularsizebiologist t1_jbhwptx wrote

Absolutely they should. There are already dorms, classrooms, etc. You could have people help take care of the property in exchange for living there to make the "gotta earn it" folks happy. There's already a huge homeless camp just down the road from there so what's the difference giving them better shelter and opportunities?

9

smith_winston_1984 t1_jbhsy27 wrote

It's too bad the city and the assemblies of God can't come together and make a massive homeless shelter, children's center, food service, hair care, showers, rehabilitation Center for the unhoused.

2

ybanalyst t1_jbgyam0 wrote

I think you're thinking of Central Bible College at Grant and Norton, and that did close a while back.

16

Most_Dependent_2526 t1_jbgzlds wrote

I thought the one at Grant and Norton was BBC? I thought CBC was the one that’s a few blocks over that I believe is still operational. I guess I’ve had their names confused this whole time lol

7

HomsarWasRight t1_jbjmwro wrote

I know it's silly to have that many similar schools in such a small area. But here's more than you ever wanted to know about these schools:

BBC

Baptist Bible College, located on Kearney St. Established 1950, part of Baptist Bible Fellowship International. Not the Southern Baptist Convention that most people think of when they think of "Baptists." Still operational (barely, I hear).

CBC

Central Bible College, bible school located at Norton and Grant, across from the fairgrounds Established 1922, part of the Assemblies of God. Closed (merged with Evangel)

Evangel

Liberal arts school (with some bible programs), located on Glenstone north of Chestnut. Established 1955, part of the Assemblies of God. Still operational with 2,000+ students.

​

You're welcome! 😉

2

Most_Dependent_2526 t1_jbn6l7c wrote

I’m from here, so I don’t find it that silly. I’ve always referred to my home state as the belt buckle of the Bible Belt, so no, it’s not weird to me at all. It’s mundanely expected, sadly.

1

WorldFoods t1_jbh8qwo wrote

I thought I heard something about a Korean cult buying the campus? Maybe I’m totally off-base bc it kinda sounds outlandish.

8

Miserable_Figure7876 t1_jbhbagh wrote

I'm pretty sure the Korean cult bought Central Bible College and not Baptist Bible College.

6

probably_inside t1_jbhyeom wrote

CBC was bought by the Korean based Good News Mission in 2019. It is most likely a cult and has been accused of the same tactics as the unification church.

5

Citizenchimp t1_jbi4nwm wrote

I heard that too. Sounded mutually advantageous for both cult and former cult sanctum.

4

MartonianJ t1_jbhsb5i wrote

There are definitely Korean people there. I can’t really figure out what’s going on.

3

[deleted] OP t1_jbgxuq7 wrote

[deleted]

2

Most_Dependent_2526 t1_jbgybk1 wrote

I wonder if they lease parts of it out. I know it stopped being a college a bit ago. At least I’m pretty sure. I would love to go inside the building with the spiral staircase. I always thought that was cool.

3

Sally_twodicks t1_jbj438v wrote

I also thought it was abandoned! Until my husband and I were driving past it and I asked, "is this placed closed down? I never see people?" At that moment we saw all these young men in suits walking to a building. Very eerie to see. The whole campus besides them looked dead.

2

Embarrassed_Feed_145 t1_jbhunx5 wrote

that place is trash inside and out. leadership, students, and the campus. all trash

13

LilSisterCumGutters t1_jbhi8cs wrote

The pictures on the side of the building are from the early 2000s is creepy and can’t imagine why anyone would go there

12

Embarrassed_Feed_145 t1_jbhv6m4 wrote

pics are from 2015-2016 and its funny cause one of the guys up there sexually harassed me and others 🥰

16

KassieLickMe t1_jbhykyd wrote

Ah but they would say you were in the wrong somehow, because something you were doing was causing your brother in Christ in stumble.

Source: former BBC student turned atheist in large part because of their bullshit. Also, that dude is probably a youth pastor somewhere now 🙄

18

Embarrassed_Feed_145 t1_jbjzu8u wrote

yeah after my friends experienced blatant racism and other assaults being swept under, i figured why bother. i was there 5 years and i regret every single year

3

bradpmo t1_jbhwdg2 wrote

Every comment and reply in this thread is the most Springfield thing I’ve ever read.

11

round_is_funny t1_jbhb3pc wrote

Yeah what is that? We saw it for the first time recently and couldn't believe it was a live college campus. Meanwhile there is a really nice abandoned college campus over by the fairgrounds.

8

hihellohi765 t1_jbhj6ub wrote

Bigger. Maybe nicer. Definitely not nice though.

11

HomsarWasRight t1_jbjlfj2 wrote

Parts of the grounds are beautiful, and a couple of the buildings are great (or WERE great when I went there 20 years ago). But the dorms are hazards. Two decades ago there was a rumor going around that one particular dorm building was legally condemned, but they were getting around it on some technicality.

Doubt that was true, but it tells you the state it was in then that we believed it. Think of what it must be like now.

0

TurtleSoup58 t1_jbgwnid wrote

Yeah it is kinda sad. Not sure it’s been renovated ever.

7

Illustrious-Leave406 t1_jbheh4e wrote

It was even more creepy and depressing when the Baptists were there.

7

bellsouth_kmart t1_jbj76rx wrote

And the students are pretty naughty too. I used to get multiple hits on POF and Tinder back in the day when I lived in sprimo.

Good ones gon bad haha 😄

6

apissyangel t1_jbhjuqo wrote

Lived in those dorms as a kid, circa 92-93 lol. I was very advanced for my age jk parents were students

5

CelestialJackope t1_jbkagef wrote

Went there for a semester and it was the first major event that pushed me towards aethism if that tells you anything.

I was there in early 2000s and the rules for attending were weird, like you had to dress formally and you weren't allowed to go to movie theaters.

I played World of Warcraft on a laptop in the student break area and I got a lot of dirty looks for it, even though I played with no sound and kept to myself. I think they just disagreed with video games entirely.

Every girl I met tried to get into a very serious relationship with me very quickly and I was not in a place to settle down. I heard lots of rumors of people going there just to find someone to marry.

On top of that, the church I was attending and had given me scholarships started having a bunch of bad scandals get uncovered. Like really bad stuff.

Anyway, I didn't come back for the 2nd semester.

Dunno how it has changed in the last 20ish years, not much from looking at the outside.

4

lochlainn t1_jbjrvc1 wrote

I'm over 50 and have lived in the area all of my life.

It's never not been creepy.

2

allengator86 t1_jbk8rtt wrote

I feel like the aesthetic there would be good for like a post-apocalyptic video. It looks just odd enough to pull it off.

2

Important_Income_609 t1_jblv3wg wrote

Played basketball there a couple years ago dudes totally right, 80% of the team couldn’t even get the grades to pass and the classes were crazy, had an evangelism class teacher say all black people are the descendants of Kane and the mark kane was given for being the first murderer was black skin and that’s how African Americans were made 😭💀

1

PrimeOPG t1_jbj0lkt wrote

Just graduated last year. Overall great school and community! It may not look pretty on the outside but it is vibrant, warm, and lively inside. Professors and leadership are great. The kindest people you’ll ever meet. I loved my time there! I wasn’t even there for the sports

−2

Born2fayl t1_jbjk09b wrote

Just curious. Is it accredited? Do they put out useable professional degrees?

3

Embarrassed_Feed_145 t1_jbk0pp1 wrote

their accreditation was in very hot water pretty much my whole time there lmao. so surprised they didnt lose it. i got a “professional” degree and it’s useless

5

webculb t1_jbjsynj wrote

It is and here is the list of majors they offer:

Associate of Arts in Business Management (60 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Biblical Counseling (123 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Business Management (120 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Church Ministry: Family Concentration (120 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Church Ministry: Worship Concentration (128 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (142 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (139 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science in Middle School Education – Social Science (133 hours)
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education – Business (146 hours)
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education – Social Science (145 hours)
Bachelor of Arts or Science in Missions / Intercultural Studies (126 credit hours)
Bachelor of Arts or Science in Pastoral Studies (126 credit hours)

4