Instituto Biblico Nazareno celebrates 100 years, honored as historical landmark

Nazarene News Staff

| 30 Jun 2023

During the 30th General Assembly and Conventions of the Church of the Nazarene, six resolutions were adopted recognizing various locations as historical landmarks in accordance with Manual paragraph 913. This article is the second in a series highlighting the significance of these six new historic landmarks of the Church of the Nazarene.

The Instituto Biblico Nazareno (Nazarene Bible Institute), the first institution of theological education for the Church of the Nazarene on the Mesoamerica Region, was designated as a historic landmark of the Church of the Nazarene after the adoption of Special Resolution 754 at the 30th General Assembly and Conventions.

The site is located in Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. The Guatemala North Verapaz District sponsored the resolution.

The institution was founded in 1921. Originally it was an extension site of Pasadena College (now Point Loma Nazarene University). Eugenia Phillips, a Pasadena College graduate, was the missionary primarily responsible for establishing the school.

Since its founding over a century ago, the institution has gone by various names including Nazarene Bible College (1921–1944), Williamson Nazarene Bible Institute (1950–1968), Indigenous Nazarene Bible Institute Kekchi-Pokam (1976–1982), and Nazarene Bible Institute/Association (1944–1950; 1969–1976; 1982–2023). The changes in name have been in response to its educational status and mission to form pastors and leaders for each generation.

This past May, Instituto Biblico Nazareno celebrated 100 years of operation. In 2023, the institution counted an enrollment of 508 students. Although IBN primarily serves students in the seven districts of the northern region of Guatemala, it has also welcomed students from numerous Central American nations. The seven districts are home to 429 church congregations and 154 missions attended by over 60,000 members.

“The Mesoamerica Regional Office, the Regional Office of Theological Education, and the different sister theological institutions in Mesoamérica join in celebrating and congratulating IBN for arriving at one hundred years of service to the Church of the Nazarene in Guatemala,” said Jorge Baños, regional education coordinator. “God bless the present and future of this glorious institution, its director, Gregorio Maas Ico, its team of workers, council, teaching staff, and student body.”