Northpoint Bible College (NPBC), formerly known as Zion Bible College, is a Bible college in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The College's sole purpose is to teach and train students for Pentecostal ministry for the spread of the Christian gospel.
History
The School of the Prophets was founded in 1924 by Rev. Christine Gibson at East Providence, Rhode Island. It was also at one time named Mount Zion Bible School. Later, as the Zion Bible Institute, it was closely associated with Zion Gospel Temple, originally a Holiness congregation founded in the late 19th century by Rev. Alphaeus Cleveland and subsequently pastored by Rev. Christine Gibson. The congregation later affiliated with the Pentecostal revival and is to this day an independent Pentecostal church named Zion Gospel Temple. The nearby Zion Faith Home, Inc., a retirement home for missionaries, was also connected with the school and church for many years while the campus was located in East Providence, Rhode Island.
In 1985, Zion Bible Institute relocated to the former campus of Barrington College in Barrington, Rhode Island. At the time the Institute was under the leadership of Dr. N. Benjamin Crandall, president from 1985 to 2000. The centerpiece of the campus was the former Peck Mansion, a building listed on the registry of historic sites for the state of Rhode Island. Renamed as the Gibson Memorial Building in honor of the Institute's founder, it housed the President's Office, a variety of additional offices, and the library.
Following Crandall, Rev. George Cope served as president from 2000 to 2005. The college became affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA in 2000. In 2001, it was accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. In 2007, former assistant superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Reverend Charles Crabtree, accepted the position of president.
In 2007, David Green, CEO and founder of the Hobby Lobby chain of hobby stores, purchased the former Bradford College campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The 18-acre (73,000Â m2) campus was given to Zion Bible College, and Zion was to fund the repairs and upgrades that were necessary before the shuttered Bradford College campus was reopened. The college reopened on their new campus in the fall of 2008. In 2012, the school's trustees announced that the college's name would change to Northpoint Bible College, effective January 1, 2013.
Campus
The campus, formerly that of Bradford College, is located in the Bradford section of Haverhill.
Academics
The degrees granted by the college are a bachelor's degree in Biblical studies and a master of arts in practical theology. For this major students complete core coursework in Biblical studies and Systematic Theology. Each student is required to specify a second major in an area of ministry. These second majors are in Church Ministry, Youth Ministry, Children and Family Ministry, Music and Worship Ministry, World Missions, Urban Ministry, and Pastoral Ministry.
In 2006, NPBC launched a program called "Catalyst", in which students participate in "hands on" ministry at a local church. This program was to serve as a college-based alternative to the Master's Commission program founded by Lloyd Zigler. Six core churches participated in the program, which ended after the Spring 2011 Semester. NPBC also offers a one-year certificate program.
In 2012, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education approved Northpoint Bible College's addition of a Master's degree program.
Affiliations
It is accredited with the Association for Biblical Higher Education and officially endorsed by the Assemblies of God USA.
Student life
Chapel is held Monday through Thursday. Attendance is mandatory for all full-time students. On one Friday per month, there are class prayers. Each class (freshman, sophomores, etc.) meets in a specified location to pray with one another and handle class business.
Each student is required to complete S.P.I.C.E (Student Participation In Campus Experience) hours. S.P.I.C.E. assignments include grounds, cleaning crew, security, audio/visual, and mailroom, among others. All full-time students are required to participate in the S.P.I.C.E. program. A full-time, on-campus student must complete five hours per week. A full-time married student or off-campus student must complete three hours per week.
Dress code
There is a dress code for class attendance, chapel attendance, and leisure time. Platform attire is "business casual." Men are required to wear the following to class and chapel: any oxford style dress shirt or collared shirt, knit or other fabric, with a Nero collar, mock turtle neck and turtle neck with dress slacks, corduroys or jeans without holes or ragged hems and most types of shoes can be worn (sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, etc.). A v-neck sweater is allowed permitted that a T-shirt be worn underneath. No T-shirts, untucked shirts, shirts with logos of any kind, or denim shirts. While on the platform jeans or jean look alike pants are allowed. Students may wear T-shirts on their personal time, but are requested to not wear the following: Sweat pants (other than in the Fitness Room or for the purpose of exercise), spandex pants, tank tops or muscle shirts, shorts above the knee, ear and body rings, and tattoos (including removable tattoos and henna).
Women are required to wear the following to class and chapel: a modest dress, skirt, pants, or jeans with a modest blouse and most types of shoes (sneakers, dress shoes, sandals, etc.). Leggings are permitted when skirt length meets dress code. While on the platform no jeans or jean look alike pants are allowed. Female students are asked to refrain from wearing any form-fitting clothing, tank tops, no more than two(2) earrings per ear, dangling earrings (no longer than 2â€), body rings, tattoos (including removable tattoos and henna), shorts above the knee, black (or excessively dark) nail polish, low-riding pants, and any clothing that displays bare midriffs or exposed cleavage.
The dress code is monitored daily by the faculty and staff for compliance. Any student who is found to be non-compliant is required to change their clothing before attending class, chapel, or school functions and may be fined by the Resident Director or Resident Assistants.
Residence life
Students are required to live on campus while attending Northpoint Bible College. The only exceptions to this rule are given to married students or students living with their parents or legal guardians (called off-campus students). On occasion, off-campus may be required to live on campus for at least one academic year.
There is one dormitory for men (Tupelo East) and one for women (Tupelo West). Additional housing for students, including married students is available on the upper floors of Academy Hall. Non-married students who are not yet in their senior year are held to nightly campus curfew, room curfew, and weekly room inspections. A violation of curfew is punishable by fines or more severe curfew restrictions.
Extracurriculars
There are several traveling teams at Northpoint. These teams provide ministry opportunities to the students attending Northpoint Bible College. The teams are overseen by Northpoint Bible College staff, but the teams are made up of students. These teams can provide music, dramatic presentations, and special speakers to churches, camps, and other organizations.
- "Dwelling Place" â€" Traveling music team
- "Appointed" â€" Dramatic arts team
- "Missions Teams" â€" Teams dedicated to spreading the heart of missions to local churches.
Gallery
References
External links
- Official website
- Assemblies of God colleges: Zion Bible College