Accreditation
Each country has its own governmental process for approval or accreditation of higher education. The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) accredits many Bible colleges in the United States. Bible colleges may also be accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, by regional accreditors, or by international counterparts. About 25 U.S. Bible colleges hold accreditation by regional accreditors, which accredit most academically oriented colleges and universities in the U.S.
In the UK, as of 2009, all Bible colleges (along with all independent colleges of higher education) need to be accredited by either the British Accreditation Council (BAC) or Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC).
Some Bible colleges and institutes operate without conventional educational accreditation or government licensing. These institutions typically claim exemption due to the religious nature of their programs, that involving an outside agency in this capacity would compromise their missions. Dr. Paul Chappell, founder and president of West Coast Baptist College explained the basis for his refusal to seek accreditation for that school, writing: "The local church should have no approving agency over its ministry. I believe this position to be consistent with the Scriptures and with our Baptist distinctives... A study of history would reveal that educational institutions begin to waver when they become more interested in what the world thinks of them than what God insists upon. ...For the accredited college, the approval of an accrediting agency becomes its 'life’s blood.' ...It is my firm conviction that the 'life blood' of a Christian college should be nothing other than the living Word of God itself."
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