ABOUT US

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Our Values Our History Our Location Schedule a Visit

A MESSAGE FROM President Matthew

Welcome to Pacific Life Bible College!

I am so glad that you are exploring our website to get to know us better.

Our mission is to serve the church by equipping men and women for Spirit-empowered ministry. This mission is as needed now as it has ever been as people like you are raised up for service in the church and beyond. My ambition is that all of our students would be equipped with robust Biblical education by instructors that want to see people thrive, that they would be transformed by experiencing Jesus through spiritual formation and that they would be matured through meaningful service that advances the Kingdom of God.

PLBC offers accessible and accredited Bible college education that is Christ centred and Spirit-filled. Our alumni serve in churches around the globe. We would love to come alongside of your pursuit of God’s call on your life, whether that is through a year of discipleship in Life Launch or a 4-year degree to prepare for ministry.

Our team is here for you and are looking forward to helping you take the next step. 

With expectation,

Matthew DelBlanc
President

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“Discover and develop the gifts and calling God has placed upon your life…”

Our Values

The Centrality of Scripture

We embrace the Scriptures as our authority for faith and practice and therefore the integral centre of our curriculum.

Spirit-Empowered Ministry

We affirm the need for the growing disciple of Christ to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit and to do the works of God in the power of the Spirit.

Holistic Education

We foster an environment that integrates worship, character transformation, academic excellence, and a focus on ministry.

Excellence

We commit ourselves to excellence through best practices, efficient administration, quality technology, flexible delivery systems, and exceptional faculty.

The Local Church

We support the local church in fulfilling the Great Commission by guiding men and women to respond to God’s call and preparing them for Spirit-empowered service to God as volunteer, bi-vocational and full‐time leaders.

Interdenominational Inclusiveness

We are a Foursquare College and we value interdenominational inclusiveness.

Community

We seek to embody the person of Christ by cultivating a relational, grace-based culture of joyful obedience to the revealed will and Word of God whereby faculty, staff and students do all things to the glory of God.

Read more about our Beliefs

Our History

Pacific Life Bible College formed when two long-standing colleges in BC, Pacific Bible College and LIFE Bible College of Canada, came together.

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1928

LIFE Bible College of Canada (LBC) begins classes as a ministry of the Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada.

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1972

Pacific Bible College (PBC) begins classes as a ministry of Open Bible Chapel.

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1978

PBC moves to Surrey and affiliates with Bible Fellowship.

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1979

PBC purchases the facilities of Vancouver Bible College in Surrey.

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1985

PBC receives a provincial charter to grant theological degrees. 

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1989

Christ For The Nations opens, offering a one-year discipleship program.

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1997

Pacific Bible College and LIFE Bible College of Canada merge to form Pacific Life Bible College (PLBC) and Rob Buzza is appointed PLBC’s first president.

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2006

Christ For The Nations receives a provincial charter to grant theological degrees. 

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2012

Christ For The Nations receives receives applicant status with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and changes its name to Christ College.

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2014

Dennis Hixson is appointed PLBC’s second president. 

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2014

Christ College joins PLBC.

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2014

ABHE grants applicant status to PLBC.

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2017

Derek Geerlof is appointed as PLBC’s third president. 

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2019

Craig Millar is appointed as PLBC’s fourth president. 

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2022

PLBC receives full accreditation status with ABHE. 

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2023

Matthew DelBlanc is appointed as PLBC’s Fifth president.

Highlights

Pacific Life Bible College formed when two long-standing colleges in BC,
Pacific Bible College and LIFE Bible College of Canada, came together.

Founded in 1928 in the heart of Vancouver, LIFE Canada began developing ministers and leaders primarily for Foursquare Churches in Canada. The College operated out of various church basements and facilities in Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby. Lacking the space for student dormitories, LIFE decentralized its programs of study through a network of affiliated church institutes, known as LIFEline. Other innovations, including Independent Studies Courses, Leader’s Track and Degree Upgrade provided appealing options for mature students who were unable to uproot and move to a campus. However, the need for a campus residence and program suited to young adults became a driving goal for LIFE heading into the new millennium.

Pacific Bible College grew out of an inner-city ministry of Open Bible Chapel in Vancouver. They saw a need for young men and women to be established in lifestyles based on God’s Word. The first classes began in October, 1972, with 35 students and 7 teachers. A church basement was used for classrooms and old houses as dormitories. When the Vancouver facilities of the College were expropriated in 1978, after much prayer and deliberation, Pacific Bible College joined with Bible Fellowship Missionary Society in Surrey. In 1979, Bible Fellowship purchased the Surrey facilities of Vancouver Bible College, which closed in 1977. Pacific Bible College became known for its campus environment and programming options for young people, such as the one-year Life Launch discipleship program.

In 1997, these two colleges, with a common purpose and complementary strengths, joined forces to form Pacific Life Bible College, a recognized college of the Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada. Rob Buzza, president of LIFE, was appointed president, and Dennis Hixson, president of Pacific Bible College, was appointed Vice President. In July 2013, PLBC’s Rob Buzza concluded his service, and Dennis Hixson was appointed acting president and confirmed as PLBC’s second president in February 2014. 

Christ For The Nations (Canada) opened in September 1989 with thirteen students, all of whom graduated its first year. The one-year discipleship program was modeled after the Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, and programs were added as the college grew. In 1999, Gerald Nussbaum was appointed CFN’s second president and for the next fourteen years the college expanded its curriculum. The college was granted a provincial charter to offer theological degrees in 2006, and in 2012 the college attained applicant status with ABHE and changed its name to Christ College. Shortly after Dennis Hixson was appointed PLBC’s second president, Christ College joined PLBC. Sharing PLBC’s vision for equipping leaders for the local church and the Body of Christ, most of Christ College’s faculty and students joined PLBC.

Our Location

BEAUTIFUL  B.C.

(There’s a reason we call it that!)

#EXPLOREBC

Pacific Life Bible College is located in Surrey, British Columbia. Surrey is largely a suburban city at the heart of the lower mainland. 20 minutes away from the US-Canada border and about 40 minutes away from downtown Vancouver, there’s much to do and see everywhere and in between!

British Columbia is well-known for its diverse landscapes and culture; a dream come true for outdoor enthusiasts and city explorers alike.

Perhaps adventure may look like hiking and exploring some of our popular trails, such as Deep Cove, Lighthouse Park or if you’re feeling brave, the Grouse Grind. Or maybe coffee culture is more your thing. Enjoy a fresh cup in the heart of Gastown in one of our many well-established café and roasteries.

Don’t forget! We are coastal. Which means we have sand and sea to satisfy the heart of any ocean lover. Enjoy the views at English Bay, White Rock and Crescent Beach. Some of our favorite spots to catch the sun and savor a refreshing cone of ice cream.

In the winter, drive up to any of our local mountains – Cypress, Grouse or Seymour, and spend a day skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, snowshoeing or just chilling by the cabin fire.

Beautiful BC has a lot to offer students in recreation and scenery, day or night and through all seasons.

Vancouver Skyline

Our Faculty

Our faculty and staff have decades of experience working in higher education and in ministry. They are a large part of what makes PLBC an excellent place to study.

Meet The Team

Visit Us

Each campus visit includes a guided tour of our campus, including our Student Residence if you are interested in living at PLBC while enrolled in class. Meet our staff, grab a coffee at Clements, and see what your time at PLBC would feel like. Our Admissions Department will be on hand to discuss any questions you may have about our school or programs.

Each visit is approximately 1 hour.

Potential students, travelling from out of town, have the opportunity to stay in our Student Residence overnight as part of a Campus Tour. Experience life as a dorm student, including one free night of accommodations and up to three meals in our cafeteria. *Overnight stays are dependent on room availability.

Please, fill out the form here to schedule a visit and we will be in touch as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you soon!