FBC of Tampa: February 2015

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Ralph “Yankee” Arnold’s testimony about his Florida Bible College education

Yankee and Betty Arnold

Serving the Lord is allowing the Lord to use your power of influence in winning and training others in the cause of Christ. I met Dr. Hank Lindstrom in the summer of 1964 at the Christian Youth Ranch summer conference at Boca Raton, Florida. He was closer to my age than the “kids” there, and he created in me a desire to be like him. His power of influence greatly motivated me to attend Florida Bible College.

I attended Florida Bible College at the Grove Community Church campus in Miami, Florida, 51 years ago. I had the privilege of sitting at the feet of the “Four Gospel Knights.” Dr. A. Ray Stanford was the greatest soul winner I have ever met, and a close personal friend. Dr. Mark Cambron was as close to being a living Bible I’ve ever known, and he fed me a constant diet of doctrine that was as bones to the body. Dr. Richard Seymour gave me a discerning eye in things pertaining to the cults and spiritual life. What the Lord accomplished in this man’s life should motivate everyone to serve the Lord. Dr. Robert Miller was a missionary’s missionary. His gentle, compassionate counseling approach offered to me the balance. He had a strong, aggressive evangelistic spirit, but also a genuine, loving concern for the person.

The Lord used these men to instill within me the Biblical principles that have shaped my character and my ministry. I was shy and timid when I came, but as bold as a lion when I left. FBC was not a building or place, but these people of faith whose focus was the clarity of the gospel and presenting the gospel.

· Dr. Stanford allowed me to be his co-director of the Miami Youth Ranch.

· Dr. Cambron taught me that if I could move my little pinky, God was going to see me through.

· Dr. Seymour helped keep me humble by revealing through the Word that I didn’t know everything.

· Dr. Miller asked me to be the president of the first missions class at FBC. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were great examples of how a Christian husband and wife should live their faith.

· Mrs. Sue Stanford kept correcting my English.

Ralph "Yankee" Arnold graduates from FBC

Yes, I loved FBC. I am FBC. And yes, I want to influence others the way I have been influenced. I believe our board and our teaching staff will help you, not only in learning and knowing God’s Word, but also in establishing character and integrity in your life that will sustain you for years to come. Maybe Florida Bible College of Tampa is just what you are looking for.
‪#‎jesus‬ ‪#‎dailydevotion‬ ‪#‎salvation‬ ‪#‎encourage‬ ‪#‎share‬ ‪#‎unite‬ ‪#‎empower‬ ‪#‎grace‬‪#‎christ‬ ‪#‎ig‬ ‪#‎bibleverse‬ ‪#‎dailyverse‬ ‪#‎power‬ ‪#‎life‬ ‪#‎liftup‬ ‪#‎christian‬ ‪#‎faith‬‪#‎verseoftheday‬ ‪#‎lifeverse‬ ‪#‎scripture‬ ‪#‎word‬ ‪#‎God‬ ‪#‎gospel‬ ‪#‎instadevotional‬‪#‎dailybible‬ ‪#‎gospeldriven‬ ‪#‎dailybibledevotion‬ #fbc #floridabiblecollege

Monday, February 16, 2015

Bob Gilbert's Journey

Florida Bible College of Tampa
Looking Back, and Looking Ahead

Bob Gilbert, Registrar

My Journey

When I look back, I remember the lessons learned and the training received at Suncoast Youth Ranch, in Clearwater, under FBC graduate Eddie Williamson, and then in my years at FBC in Hollywood. Classroom instruction, yes, and personal Bible study time, even more – and the training in the ministries: bringing kids to Ranch, studying together in the “Grow Power” and Council meetings, soul winning in the malls, “mini-Ranch”, answering the “What’s Up” call-back line, going into the juvenile detention center, helping with the Junior High Ranch, directing a Kids Bible Club…

And I look back over the decades, at my journey through the Marine Corps, and serving in churches, and teaching in Christian schools and Tampa Bay Bible College…

And the work at Florida Bible College of Tampa, which began for me in November of 2012, and began with on-line students in January of 2013, and day- and evening school classes in August of 2013…

Now, we’ve only just begun – but already our students are making a difference in this world, sharing the gospel, making disciples, teaching others…

Looking forward, we shall soon be making the FBC Tampa degree program courses available around the world, 24/7, on line. We have had inquiries from international students from Canada, Great Britain, India, several African nations… We will SOON be able to say “YES” to their desire to become students in our Bible college degree programs. How exciting is that!

I am humbled and grateful to play a part in the beginnings of this new variation on the old theme of Florida Bible College.

Bob Gilbert and his wife Cindy

‪#‎jesus‬ ‪#‎dailydevotion‬ ‪#‎salvation‬ ‪#‎encourage‬ ‪#‎share‬ ‪#‎unite‬ ‪#‎empower‬ ‪#‎grace‬‪#‎christ‬ ‪#‎ig‬ ‪#‎bibleverse‬ ‪#‎dailyverse‬ ‪#‎power‬ ‪#‎life‬ ‪#‎liftup‬ ‪#‎christian‬ ‪#‎faith‬‪#‎verseoftheday‬ ‪#‎lifeverse‬ ‪#‎scripture‬ ‪#‎word‬ ‪#‎God‬ ‪#‎gospel‬ ‪#‎instadevotional‬‪#‎dailybible‬ ‪#‎gospeldriven‬ ‪#‎dailybibledevotion‬ #fbc #floridabiblecollege

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Why FBC of Tampa? Why FBC of Tampa for me?

Here follows a brief video presentation to remind you of where we came from, and assure you of where we are going...

Monday, February 9, 2015

Bob Brookes' Testimony

I had the privilege of attending and then teaching at Florida Bible College in Hollywood, Florida, from 1972 through 1979. While I was there several things impressed me. For one thing the Gospel was always presented clearly and boldly. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth...” (Romans 1:16). The students also impressed me with their zeal and joy in serving the Lord, by sharing the Gospel with others. (I Thessalonians 2:4, "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men but God which trieth our hearts.") It was a sacred trust which they took very seriously. I had never heard the Gospel given so clear and so boldly before.

In 1979 God lead me to Colorado Bible College. There I found the same Gospel being preached, with the same clarity and the same boldness that I experienced at Florida Bible College. The students actively gave the Gospel using the hand gesture Dr. Arnold had learned when he attended Florida Bible College in the sixties. The same power of God was surely present in that student body as they carried out Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me...."

The opportunity arose to teach and serve as Registrar at Tampa Bay Bible College, under Dr. Hank Lindstrom. Once again, the gospel was crystal clear, and boldly presented; the students were doing the work of the ministry.

For a while I was in other, different ministries but it just did not seem to be the same. Then I heard Florida Bible College of Tampa was going to open its doors. I believe that God was opening the same door he did for me at Florida Bible College in Hollywood, Colorado Bible College, and Tampa Bay Bible College. I joined the board and began to pray for Florida Bible College of Tampa. When Florida Bible College of Tampa opened its doors in the fall of 2013, I called Dr. Arnold to see if they could use me as a teacher. God sold our house in Texas in one day and we moved to Tampa in the fall of 2014.

When I began teaching I knew I was in the right place. The same gospel, the same clarity, the same boldness, and the same Joy. The students are excited because they get opportunities speak and witness in Ranch, AWANA, camps, prison ministries, Friday night soul winning and other ministries. They get to see how God works in our world today. Some things never change, like the gospel (Galatians 1:8). Other things, God may change every day. At Florida Bible College of Tampa we are seeing change every day as our students are being trained in God's Word and their lives are changed forever.

Come and join us at Florida Bible College of Tampa and be a part of the change.

Bob Brookes

BA, Hollywood, Class of 1974

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Dr. Phil Myers' Testimony

My first contact with Florida Bible College occurred in 1967, at the Grove Campus. I was looking forward to doing my graduate work in biology when I stumbled onto the school while passing through Miami. I had already known Christ as my Savior for 15 years, but my comprehension of the Word was shallow, and my understanding of practical ministry was virtually nil.

What I saw during the first seven weeks I spent observing those students in action caused me to forfeit a full-ride teaching fellowship at an Ivy League graduate school and enroll as a freshman at FBC. The training I received was stellar. The passion of the professors was exemplary. The opportunity to rub shoulders daily, and pick the brains of students was priceless. The students were younger than I but had so much wisdom in spiritual matters. They were always conscious of the need to reach the lost. They could move easily through the Scriptures. They were immersed in thinking with a ministry mindset. They had Scripture on the tip of their tongues.

One of the most stunning lessons I learned was that God could use me.

I not only wanted what they had, but deep in my heart I wanted to grow to be worthy of training this kind of servants of the Lord. My years on the faculty at the Hollywood campus were rewarding and humbling. It is a treat to see many of my fellow classmates as well as former students using their lives winning, training, and sending others into the ministry. After decades in fulltime service it is a privilege to serve at Florida Bible College of Tampa, and to watch a growing student body learn the same things that transformed my life forty-five years ago.

I wholeheartedly endorse the principles and distinctives upon which FBC/T is firmly grounded. Pray for us as we prepare a new generation built upon the old Florida Bible College foundation.

Dr. Phil Myers

Nav Links