History
Southwestern Bible Institute
Three Bible schools were brought together to form Southwestern Bible Institute. The first, known as Southwestern Bible School, was established at Enid, Oklahoma, in 1927 under the leadership of the Reverend P.C. Nelson. The second, Shield of Faith Bible School, was founded in Amarillo, Texas, in 1931 under the direction of the Reverend Guy Shields. It included not only a bible school, but also a grade school and high school. The third, which was operated as Southern Bible College in connection with the Richey Evangelistic Temple, began at Goose Creek, Texas, in 1931. It was started by Reverend J. T. Little in Trinity Tabernacle and later moved to Houston in 1933.
The Bible school division of Shield of Faith was moved to Fort Worth in 1935. The high school division was transferred the following year. In 1940, a merger resulted in Southern Bible College moving to Fort Worth. The combined school, operating as South Central Bible Institute, came under the ownership and direction of the Texas District Council of the Assemblies of God.
Southwestern Bible Institute 1942 Fort Worth, TX
The school in Enid merged with South Central in 1941, at which time the name was changed to Southwestern Bible Institute. In 1943, the institute was moved to its present facilities in Waxahachie, Texas.
During the 1944-45 term, a junior college curriculum was added to the school's program. The Junior College Division soon accounted for about half of the enrollment in the college.
Southwestern Bible Institute became a regional school in 1954. At that time seven districts of the Assemblies of God-- Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Texas, Oklahoma, South Texas and West Texas--owned and operated the school. In 1969, the rocky Mountain District, composed of Colorado and Utah, was admitted to the Region. The Mississippi District was then added to the Region in 1979. In 1980, the rocky Mountain District voted to withdraw from the Southwestern Region and to remain neutral.
The proposal to change the name of Southwestern was ratified by all seven Districts, and the name became Southwestern Assemblies of God College. In 1963, the upper two years of the college were renamed Southwestern College of the Bible. In 1968, the separation of the divisions of the college was made more complete, and the Junior College was designated Southwestern Junior College of the Assemblies of God. In 1987 the two divisions were reunited. In December 1994, the Board of Regents unanimously approved the name change to Southwestern Assemblies of God University. In this same meeting the Board authorized the development of the School of Graduate Studies providing masters degree programs. (SAGU..1997).
Works cited:
- Blumhofer, Edith L . 1989. "The Assemblies of God". Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO. c1989.
- Southwestern Assemblies of God University Catalog. 1997.
- The Southwesterner Yearbook - 1951