About BHBI

 Statement of Faith Message from the President Faculty and Staff

About BHBI

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The Black Hills Biblical Institute exists to provide quality academic and applied education based on a biblical world and life view, in order to develop Christians for leadership, both in the church and in the world—all in obedience to Christ, all for the sake of the gospel, all to the glory of God.
 

CORE VALUES

Biblical epistemology: We believe that Scripture is the only authoritative basis for authentic knowledge (epistemology). The Word of God instructs, motivates, guides, corrects, enables, and illumines in all areas of understanding and experience. BHBI is committed to help students know, utilize, apply, practice, and communicate biblical truth.

Visionary leadership: We believe that the purpose of biblical education is to develop Kingdom leaders who can discern, model, and articulate God's vision for redemption in Christ, in their particular spheres of Christian responsibility.

Local/global Kingdom lifestyles: We believe that Christ-like relationships with God, family, church, the community, and the world are essential to discipleship. Christian education must cultivate salt-and-light influence in every aspect of a student's life.

Inner life/outer life: We believe that consistent, disciplined, and balanced progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit (inner life) is prerequisite to godly influence (outer life).

Ministry focused: We believe that ministry is the calling of every follower of Christ, and that preparation for ministry calls for commitment to the calling, cultural sensitivity, doctrinal integrity, blameless moral conduct, disciplined study, and hard work.
 

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Black Hills Biblical Institute seeks to maintain the highest standards of excellence. To that end, the trustees and administration encourage and assist faculty in their own ongoing development, and endeavor to provide the best possible environment and resources for learning. As an institution with a specifically biblical orientation, mission, and purpose, Black Hills Biblical Institute affirms the following philosophy of education:
 

  1. The proper basis for the acquisition and integration of all true knowledge is the Bible, which is the self-revelation of the triune personal God, and which is, in itself, truth without any mixture of error.
     
  2. The privilege and duty of every Christian is to share in declaring the glory of God in all the world, and to participate in the work of the church to that end.
     
  3. In order to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, every Christian should equip himself or herself as thoroughly as his/her gifts and opportunities allow.
     
  4. The supreme Teacher is the Holy Spirit, who has various ways of working. He works as the believer prayerfully and privately studies the Scriptures (and the world in light of the Scriptures); however, other ways in which He works must not be neglected. In particular, the ascended Savior has given to His church gifted teachers, and He wants His people individually and corporately to benefit from such ministry (Eph. 4:7-14).
     
  5. The Master-Disciple dynamic observed in the life of Christ serves as a timeless pedagogical model (Luke 6:40 [". . . everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher"]). Those whom God calls and appoints to teach must not only instruct in formal settings, but model truth to their students through their lives.
     
  6. Academic freedom must never be divorced from biblical fidelity. All who teach must be in wholehearted agreement with the essential doctrines of the faith, once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). In keeping with that principle, trustees and faculty must subscribe the Articles of Faith annually.
     
  7. Learning in the classroom must never be divorced from actual Christian service, in ministries of worship, discipleship, evangelization, and global missions.
     

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

On July 18, 2004, the congregation of South Canyon Baptist Church voted unanimously to establish Black Hills Biblical Institute. The vote itself was but the result of many prayers over many years, not only by members of South Canyon, but by evangelical Christians throughout the Black Hills—prayers for Christ-centered higher education in the West River region. Black Hills Biblical Institute represents a beginning.
Black Hills Biblical Institute is designed to serve the needs of laypersons, vocational ministers, degree-seeking as well as special-interest students, advanced students and novices. BHBI seeks to offer a range of high quality study programs at an affordable cost through partnerships with regionally-accredited institutions, the use of a strong core faculty and outstanding adjunct professors, and through a variety of class schedules and formats.
 

ACCREDITATION AND AFFILIATIONS

Black Hills Biblical Institute is a ministry of South Canyon Baptist Church, affiliated with the North American Baptist Conference (South 210 Summit Avenue, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181; telephone number: 630-495-2000; www.nabconference.org). The programs and services of the Institute are open to students of all denominational traditions. In addition, faculty and trustees need not be Baptist; they are required only to affirm the Institute's Articles of Faith.

Black Hills Biblical Institute is affiliated with the Criswell College (4010 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75246-1537; telephone number: 800-899-0012; www.criswell.edu). Courses taken at BHBI are accepted by Criswell College according to standards set by the College. Contact the BHBI office for more information. Criswell College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-69-4501) to award the Associate of Arts, the Bachelor of Arts, and the Master of Arts degrees. Criswell College has been accredited since 1985.

Black Hills Biblical Institute also serves as an extension of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (5001 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri 64118-6287; telephone number: 816-414-3700; www.mbts.edu) for graduate studies. Graduate students who take classes with BHBI satisfy requirements for admission to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Midwestern maintains professional and academic accreditation with two accrediting associations—the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC).
 

FACILITIES

Black Hills Biblical Institute is located in beautiful, spacious facilities provided by South Canyon Baptist Church, 3333 West Chicago Street, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702. Efforts are underway to secure a separate campus site to accommodate future growth.
 

LEARNING RESOURCES

The Black Hills Biblical Institute Library is located at South Canyon Baptist Church, Room #113. A currently-enrolled student of BHBI may utilize the resources for class assignments as well as personal growth. The library is open during regular office hours: 8:00 am—4:00 pm, Monday—Friday. As a new school, the Institute Library resources are in development. Many other resources are available online and through agreement with various resource centers. A "Guide to Learning Resources" is available in the BHBI office.