'
LABI College
California (Latin American Bible Institute) is

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

coed Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

Bible college A Bible college, sometimes referred to as a Bible institute or theological institute, is an evangelical Christian or Restoration Movement Christian institution of higher education which prepares students for Christian ministry with theological educ ...

in the Avocado Heights district of

La Puente La Puente (Spanish for "The Bridge") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city had a population of 39,816 at the 2010 census and is approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. History The original inhabitants of the ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. It was founded in 1926. In 1950 the institute moved to its current location in La Puente. LABI College is one of the oldest Hispanic Bible Colleges in the countr

History

LABI College holds a distinct place in history as one of the United States, United States' oldest educational institutions dedicated to serving the Hispanic community. Its origins can be traced back to an important moment on October 1, 1926, whe
Miss Alice E. Luce
a former Anglican missionary, partnered with Ralph and Richard Williams to establish the Latin American Bible Institute. This endeavor was carried out in collaboration with what was then known as the Glad Tidings Bible Institute. Miss Luce's unwavering commitment to creating a Bible school specifically tailored to the Hispanic community has been a driving force behind LABI-CA's ongoing success. During a period of remarkable expansion, the institution underwent two relocations. In 1935, it made the transition from

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

to the neighboring town of

La Mesa, California La Mesa () is a city in San Diego County, located east of Downtown San Diego in Southern California. The population was 61,121 at the 2020 census, up from 57,065 at the 2010 census. Its civic motto is "the Jewel of the Hills." History La Me ...

. Subsequently, in 1941, LABI relocated once more, this time to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, in response to the growing number of students seeking ministerial training. With an increasing number of students and limited space, the necessity for more extensive facilities became evident. The institute took action by acquiring land in

La Puente, California La Puente (Spanish for "The Bridge") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city had a population of 39,816 at the 2010 census and is approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. History The original inhabitants of the ...

, which is the current site of its campus. By the year 1950, LABI College proudly celebrated the graduation of its inaugural class at this new location, marking a significant milestone in the institution's histor

Academic and Accreditation

Since 2020, LABI College has bee
accredited
by the Commission o
Accreditation of the Association
for Biblical Higher Educatio
(ABHE)
Since 2020, LABI College has bee
authorized by the U.S. Department of Education
to offer Federal Financial Aid Title IV, (Title IV). Since 2018, LABI College ha
approval
to operate by the State of California, Bureau of Private Postsecondary Educatio
(BPPE)
The institute was granted an exception to

Title IX Title IX is the most commonly used name for the federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other educat ...

in 2016 which allows it to legally discriminate against

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

students for religious reasons. It is ranked among the "Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth" by

Campus Pride Campus Pride is an American national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded by M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes and Shane L. Windmeyer in 2001 which serves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and ally student leaders and/or campus ...

. Since 2015, LABI has been full
endorsed
by th
Alliance of Higher Education
The Alliance is a consortium of accredited bible colleges and universities that are affiliated with the

Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

Organization and Administration

Alice E. Luce, LABI College's founder, established the institution. Subsequently, Simon Franco assumed the presidency, becoming the college's first Hispanic president. The administration of LABI College was a collaborative effort involving Alice Luce and H.C. Ball. This is supported by references in two books: Gaston Espinosa's
Latino Pentecostals in America
and Arlene Sanchez Walsh's
Latino Pentecostal Identity.
These publications emphasize H.C. Ball's pivotal role in the early development of the

Latino movement and bible schools. Presidents of LABI College: Dr. Marty Harris (2014-curren

Dr. John Perea (interim) Dr. Tommy Casarez (2010-2014) Dr. Sergio Navarrete (interim) Dr. Victor M. Mendez (2006-2009) Dr. Isaac Canales (2000-2006) Dr. Simon Melendres (1988-2000) Dr. David Guajardo (1982-1987) Dr. Victor De Leon (1980-1982) Dr. Jesse Miranda (1979-1980) Dr. Joel Torres (1967-1978) Dr. Theodore Bueno (1952-1967) Rev. Simon Franco (1939-1951)

Centers

Dr. Grace Women’s Leadership Institut

Dr. Isaac Canales Preaching Center Hispanic Institute of Pentecostal Studies

Campus

LABI College is located in La Puente, California, La Puente California, located in Los Angeles County.

References

External links

* Bible colleges in the United States Assemblies of God seminaries and theological colleges Avocado Heights, California La Puente, California Pentecostalism in California 1926 establishments in California Educational institutions established in 1926 {{California-university-stub