| Ebenezer Bible College and Seminary, Inc. | |
| Image Alt: | Seal |
| Motto: | Hitherto Hath the Lord Helped Us |
| Founder: | Christian and Missionary Alliance missionaries |
| Coordinates: | 6.9232°N 122.0241°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Mindanao mainland#Philippines |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Mindanao##Location in the Philippines |
The Ebenezer Bible College and Seminary (abbreviated EBCS) is a Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP) Bible institution in Zamboanga City, Philippines. It's the first and the largest by area Bible institution of CAMACOP.
When C&MA missionaries arrived at Zamboanga City in the 1900s, they realized they need a Bible school to train Filipinos in the way of the Lord. Ebenezer was built upon a foundation of two Christian day schools known as the Ebenezer Schools. The first school was for girls was established by Rev. David Lund and Mrs. Hulda Lund in 1903[1] and the school for boys was established by Rev. John A. McMillan in 1920. The school for girls was located in Barangay Tetuan, while the school for boys was in Barangay Mercedes.[2]
In 1925, Rev. Robert A. Jaffray, head of the C&MA South China field, visited the Philippines to assess the viability of the missionary work being conducted. He recommended the establishment of a Bible school to expand missionary work in the Western Mindanao region. Then on October 17, 1926, the two schools were merged to form the Ebenezer Bible Institute, with Rev. George Strohm as its first principal.[3]
Classes were suspended during World War II and only resumed in 1946 by Rev. Herbert Jackson. For the first time in 1950, the Ebenezer Principal went to a Filipino, Rev. Vicente Pada. Ebenezer later transferred to their present location in Upper Calarian on July 12, 1957. In June 1962, the Ebenezer School Board voted to rename the school as the Ebenezer Bible College under the recommendation of Dr. Walter Roberto, an American educational consultant in the Philippines, with Principal Pada automatically becoming its first director. In 1984, Dr. Adynna Lim became the first woman head of the institution and served until 1993.
The Commission on Higher Education granted recognition to EBCS in 2002.
| Term in Office | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Ebenezer Bible Institute | ||
| 1928-1929 | Principal Rev. George Strohm | |
| 1930-1931 | Principal Harry Edwonds | |
| 1932-1935 | Principal Rev. Robert Hess | |
| 1936 | Principal Rev. Herbert Jackson | |
| 1937-1941 | Principal Rev. Robert Hess | |
| World War II (1941-1945) | ||
| Ebenezer Bible Institute (restored) | ||
| 1946 | Principal Rev. Herbert Jackson | |
| 1947-1951 | Principal Rev. Ernest Gulbranson | |
| 1951-1952 | Principal Rev. Robert Hess | |
| 1952-1958 | Principal Rev. Vicente Pada | |
| 1958-1959 | Principal Rev. Robert Hess | |
| 1959-1962 | Principal Rev. Vicente Pada | |
| Ebenezer Bible College | ||
| 1962-1967 | Director Rev. Vicente Pada | |
| 1967-1973 | Director Dr. Rodrigo Tano | |
| 1973-1974 | Director Rev. Vicente Pada | |
| Ebenezer Bible College and Seminary | ||
| 1974-1979 | ||
| 1979-1984 | President Dr. Rodrigo Tano | |
| 1984-1993 | President Dr. Adynna Lim | |
| 1993-1998 | President Dr. Joel Ortiz | |
| 1999-2005 | President Dr. Benjamin de Jesus | |
| 2005–2012 | President Dr. Joel Caperig | |
| 2012–2017 | President Rev. Roland Don S. Dulaca | |
| 2017--- | President Rev. Richard Rojas | |