History of Heartland Baptist Bible College

In June 1998, Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College relocated from Southern California to Oklahoma City. During a miraculous seven weeks in the summer of 1998, the new campus, a former college campus built in the 1970’s, was renovated in time for fall classes.

In September 1998, during Opening Days, the college was renamed Heartland Baptist Bible College. During the months that followed, the college reorganized, changed its emphasis from a regional to a national focus, and established an accountability link with a group of pastors, missionaries, and Christian workers known as the “Friends of Heartland.”

In 1999, Terry Randolph resigned and Sam Davison, then pastor of Southwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, was named the new president. As Terry Randolph gave stability during a difficult time of transition, Bro. Davison provides a renewed vision, determination, and dependence upon God that was needed as the college entered the 21st century.

In May 2018, Bro. Davison stepped aside and was named chancellor, and Jason Gaddis, pastor of Southwest Baptist Church, became the new president of Heartland. The college looks for continued growth under Bro. Gaddis’ leadership.

During the many years of its existence, God has preserved Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College and Heartland Baptist Bible College.  The prospects for the future are extremely bright and greater days are ahead as we continue to seek to follow God and allow Him to direct His work.

History of Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College

From a small beginning on September 11, 1967, in Orange, California, to a beautiful, expanding organization today in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the college has endured and is thriving as we submit to God and allow Him to work in our midst.

Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College came into existence because of the vision, dedication, and determination of five key Southern California pastors (and a number of other pastors) to have a Bible college on the West Coast.

Classes began in the fall of 1967 in rented facilities in Orange, California.  Under the direction of Pastor Ted Hicks, one of the founders and the first President, the college grew and became an established preacher training facility.

In June of 1969, the campus moved from Orange to Walnut, California.  In 1971, it moved again to Pasadena, California, before settling in 1972 on the 149-acre former Cal Poly Voorhis campus in San Dimas, California. The college began leasing the property from the state of California in August 1972 and purchased the property in December 1977.

In February 1980, the college’s second president, Pastor J.C. Joiner, New Testament Baptist Church, Tucson, Arizona, assumed leadership of the college. The stable leadership of Bro. Joiner with Jack Baskin, former missionary to Korea, as the executive vice president, continued the vision of the founders of Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College.

In May 1983, Pastor Joiner and Bro. Baskin resigned, and Pastor Frank Johnson, from Kelview Heights Baptist Church, Midland, Texas, accepted the call as the third president of Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College.

On June 8, 1992, Pacific Coast was revived to “a new walk in the old paths.” Pastor Duane Thorp was elected president along with a new Board of Directors, and Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College began a new era with a renewed vision and a new direction.  Jewel Smith, former pastor in Orlando, Florida, and Baptist historian, wrote in a letter, “This was the first time in over 500 years that a Baptist college which had started down the path of liberalism had turned back into the ‘Old Paths.’”

In May 1995, Pastor Terry Randolph was elected as the fifth president of PCBBC after serving as the interim president during the spring of 1995. He led the college during a time of financial crisis and declining enrollment, which eventually forced the historic relocation of the college from Southern California to Oklahoma City in June 1998. During a miraculous seven weeks in the summer of 1998, the new campus, a former college campus built in the 1970’s, was renovated in time for fall classes.

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