Ozark Christian College is a private, not-for-profit college in Joplin, Missouri affiliated with the Restoration Movement of Christian churches and churches of Christ.
History
Ozark Christian College Campus Tour - Take a closer look at OCC!
Ozark Bible College was established in Bentonville, Arkansas, on June 12, 1942. The school was committed to training men and women for Christian service by teaching the Word of Christ in the Spirit of Christ. An earlier Ozark Christian College was established in St. Joe, Arkansas, in 1938. It moved to Harrison, Arkansas, in 1939, and then to Bentonville in 1940. This school was to provide both occupational training and Bible teaching in affiliation with the Restoration Movement.
Ozark Bible College was founded to be a Bible college training full-time and part-time Christian workers. Workers were prepared to be ministers, missionaries, evangelistic singers, church secretaries, educational directors and assistant ministers, as well as elders, deacons and volunteer workers in the local church. The trustees elected F. W. Strong as president and Seth Wilson as dean, positions they held in the former college.
Many churches in the four state area of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma were closed and hundreds were without preachers. Ozark Bible College desired to provide Biblical preachers whose preaching would revive the churches.
In October 1944, Ozark Bible College moved to Joplin, Missouri. The Cragin Mansion located at 516 N. Wall Street became the new home for the college. Joplin was chosen as the new location for the college because it was easily reached by car, bus, train or plane. Many churches surrounded Joplin, which provided opportunities for student ministries. Joplin also had job opportunities for students.
In 1946, Edwin B. Strong succeeded his father as president of Ozark Bible College. The college grew from sixteen students in 1942 to 123 students in the fall of 1949. An addition to the building in 1948 provided a dining room, a small chapel and two classrooms. At this time most of the full-time faculty preached every weekend. Area ministers assisted as part-time instructors. Students were involved in service in the churches on weekends.
The curriculum has always stressed a knowledge of the Bible, gained through a direct study of the Biblical text, with every degree carrying a major in Bible. Strong emphasis has been placed on apologetics (knowing why christians believe in God, Christ and the Bible) and hermeneutics (principles and methods for understanding the Bible). Skills for ministry were also taught at this time.
In 1952, Don Earl Boatman became the third president of Ozark Bible College, a post he held for 27 years. The college had a vision and desire to grow. In 1953 additions to the college provided a large chapel, a library and additional classrooms. This enabled the college to accommodate the 176 students who enrolled in the fall of 1954. In 1955, seventy-five churches were served by Ozark faculty, staff and students. Soon the college reached the maximum capacity in the 516 N. Wall building.
In 1959, forty acres were purchased on North Main Street, a mile north of downtown Joplin and less than a mile from the Wall Street location. The Missions Building and Alumni Hall were completed in 1963 providing classrooms and a dormitory for women. This enabled the college to move to the new campus to welcome 309 students in the fall of 1963. The Administration Building was completed a few weeks after the fall semester started. Under the direction of Walter Goodman, thirteen buildings were constructed on the new campus during its first two decades.
Every year during the 1960s enrollment increased, reaching a peak of 803 in the fall of 1974. New faculty and programs expanded the outreach of the college. The college was known for its emphasis on evangelism and missions.
In 1979, new leaders assumed responsibilities at Ozark Bible College. Ken Idleman became president and Wallace Wartick was named academic dean. Lynn Gardner became academic dean in 1981. In the same year, Ozark began the process of accreditation and received it from the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (now called The Association for Biblical Higher Education) in 1988. On July 1, 1985, Midwest Christian College of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, consolidated with Ozark Bible College on the Joplin campus under the name of OZARK CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. The college grew numerically from the mid 1980s until the present. A new record enrollment was set in the fall of 2005 of 849. Mark Scott became Academic Dean in 1998 and served until 2011.
In 2005, Matt Proctor was announced as the fifth president of OCC. He served for one year as the President Elect. On July 1, 2006 Matt Proctor officially became President of OCC with Ken Idleman serving as Chancellor. Ken served as Chancellor until 2007 before moving on to another ministry.
The college is now administered by three senior administrators: Matt Proctor, President, Damien Spikereit, Executive Vice President; and Doug Aldridge, Academic Dean. These men work with the executive directors (Troy Nelson, Admissions; Monte Shoemake, Student Development; and David McMillin, Campus Operations; Doug Miller, Institutional Assessment and Legal Counsel) to form the Administrative Council.
Today the campus includes the chapel, Missions Building, Seth Wilson Library, Casteel Administration Building, Dining Hall, Multi-Purpose Building, Mabee Student Center, Missionary-on-Campus Residence and Hospitality House, Hillside Building, Physical Plant Building and six residence halls. The faculty consists of twenty-eight full-time teachers and thirty-seven part-time teachers. The current student enrollment is between 600 and 700. The college today continues to prepare men and women for vocational and volunteer Christian service. The college reaffirms its historic purpose by teaching the Word of God to men and women who will be equipped to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).
Programs and campus
Its stated purpose is to "train men and women for Christian service" through an undergraduate Bible college education. Coursework focuses almost exclusively on the Bible, Christian History, ministry and related topics. Music ministry and deaf ministry are also taught. Sports teams are known as the Ambassadors and include men's basketball, men's soccer, women's basketball and women's volleyball. Athletic teams are members of the Midwest Christian College Conference.
The campus has 16 buildings including 3 female dorms, 3 male dorms, cafeteria, Multi-purpose building, Mabee student center, Seth Wilson Library, the chapel building, missions building, Casteel administration building, Christian service building, physical power plant, and the Ozark book store. The college owns about 95 acres (38.4Â ha) of land around the campus.
Ozark Christian College Athletics
Ozark’s sports teams are known as the Ambassadors and they include men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer, and women's volleyball. The college also has intramural sports ranging from Ultimate Frisbee to volleyball and basketball. Varsity athletic teams are members of the Midwest Christian College Conference. Most training can be done in the Multi-Purpose Building which provides a full size basketball/volleyball floor, indoor walking/running area, a weight room, racquetball court, locker rooms for athletic teams, and theater seating for spectators. There is also a soccer field just outside the Multi-Purpose Building.
Accreditation
Ozark was granted accreditation by the American Association of Bible Colleges (now the Association for Biblical Higher Education) in 1988, and reaffirmed for ten years in 2009. The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) is the nationally recognized agency for accrediting Bible colleges. Ozark is recognized and listed in the 2005 Higher Education Directory, (p. 259); in the Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Education Institutions, pub. by AACRAO, 2000-2002; in the 2002-2003 Member Guide, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers. Ozark is approved for Federal Students Financial Aid under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) and 20 U.S.C. 1085, 1141. Ozark is approved for:
- Training of veterans under section 3675, Title 38, U.S. Code and Title 5, Code of State Regulations 30-4.020.
- Training of non-immigrant foreign students under Section 101(a) (15), (F) (i), of the Immigration and Nationality Act (see admission requirements for foreign students).
Ozark has been a member of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability since December, 1988.
Return on Investment
Ozark Christian College was ranked number ten on the Forbes list of colleges with the worst return on investment. The report lists the four-year cost for attending Ozark as $78,000 and the 30-year return on investment as -$76,200.
OCC President, Matt Proctor, responded to this report here (PDF).
References
External links
- Official website
