Faith Baptist Bible College & Theological Seminary

At the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, William H. Jordan heard Dwight L. Moody speak about the importance of training Christian workers for the ministry. Impressed by Moody's vision, Jordan also was burdened to see schools established that would carry out that objective. In 1921, as pastor of Third Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska, Jordan founded Omaha Bible Institute to educate men and women in the Bible, theology, and ministry. Enrollment declined and costs increased in the 1940s, and the Board of Trustees considered closing the school. John L. Patten, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Omaha, saw the need for the school continue. In 1947, Patten volunteered to step in as the school's new leader. He served as president until 1965. Under his leadership, the institution changed its name (to Omaha Baptist Bible Institute, and later to Omaha Baptist Bible College) and sought the support of Baptist organizations. In 1956, the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches approved OBBI. To this day, the GARBC remains the school's largest base for student enrollment, though there is no longer any official affiliation or approval system in place. In the 1960s, OBBC outgrew its Omaha facilities. Relocation to Ankeny took place in 1967, and the school again changed its name to Faith Baptist Bible College. In the 1980s, declining enrollment at Denver Baptist Bible College caused DBBC and FBBC to merge. FBBC also added the seminary at about the same time.