Baptist College of Florida celebrates 60th anniversary

GRACEVILLE (BCF)-Sixty years has passed since The Baptist College of Florida, then Florida Baptist Institute (FBI), opened its doors in Lakeland, Florida as a high school in September of 1943.

Despite the number of years the college has gone through cultural changes, President Thomas A. Kinchen noted the school continues to remain true to its commitment of offering a Christ-centered education. The college celebrated its heritage Oct. 17 with an array of activities on its Graceville campus in Northwest Florida.

Photo courtesy of BCF

BCF's new radio station is scheduled to make its on-air debut by the end of the year. Pictured are Eddie Gandy (from left), outgoing board of trustees chairman; Thomas A. Kinchen, BCF president; and Pete Chamberlain, president of the B.R. Chamberlain Foundation.

"Celebrating 60 years of Soul Searching," trustees, faculty, staff, alum, special guests and neighbors gathered to commemorate this milestone in the history of the college. The festivities began with a ceremony in the R. G. Lee Chapel with faculty in full regalia and a capacity crowd.

"What we present before you today after 60 years of living and serving is an institution constantly reminded that our source is in Jesus Christ, our confidence is in the provision of Almighty God, and our aim is to press toward the mark that has been set by God from eternity for the work of the Kingdom," Kinchen told celebrants.

He went on to recount a conversation with the late Happy Boehm Mitchell, wife of the late Ted Boehm, one of the founders of FBI, in which she reveled at the progress the college had made since its founding.

"Dr. Kinchen, I could never have imagined then what would happen today," Kinchen said, repeating Mitchell’s words. This conversation, he said, led him to "imagine" both how different the past might have been without BCF, and just what the future might hold.

"Just imagine that there had never been a Florida Baptist Institute for Harrison Conley," said Kinchen. Conley was a member of the first class of FBI in Lakeland in 1943. At 93, Conley is still in active service through a prison ministry near his home in Wauchula, where he reports to have led over 150 persons to Christ in just one year.

Kinchen related similar stories of alumni who have served around the world. One of those he named is Lynn Kennedy, a 1992 graduate, who, after completing her seminary education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, was appointed as a missionary by the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board to serve in Burkina Faso in western Africa.

In light of these accomplishments, Kinchen also looked to the future which he says, holds even greater possibilities.

"We stand today not having arrived . . . but we stand today with opportunities unlike any that we have ever had," said Kinchen.

Highlighting the college’s record fall enrollment of 628 students, Kinchen also brought attention to the expanded opportunities for study across Florida with distance sites in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Pensacola, Tallahassee and around the world through BCF’s on-line campus.

"God has a mark set for the life of this institution. I’m not sure of all that is, only God is," Kinchen said. "It’s bigger than my strength ... my ability, it’s bigger than our corporate vision ... but it is no major task for our God."

Honored guests included: The Alfred I. Dupont Foundation, Inc.; B.R. Chamberlain Foundation; Chatlos Foundation; Larry and Frances Taylor; Hiland Park Baptist Church; Dan and Jean Chandler, Chandler Furniture; Joe and Cindy Anderson, Anderson Columbia Construction; R.C. Hammack; and Charles and Betty Parker.

Kinchen also announced Charles Parker as BCF’s new vice president for institutional advancement who will assume his post Nov. 1.

Following the ceremony, celebrants moved to the studios of the college’s new 100 watt low power radio station for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The station, WFBU, will broadcast 24 hours a day at FM 94.7 and will transmit to an approximate 3.5 mile radius of the BCF campus. Guests also toured the first cottage in The Shepherds’ Cottages, a housing community for retired ministers.