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MNBC has been preparing ministers for ordination and lay leaders for service in the Church of the Nazarene since 1964.  Graduates are now in ministry in a variety of settings including foreign missions.  The courses have been adapted through the years in accordance with the changes dictated by the educational requirements of the church. 

Historically, the Church of the Nazarene has recognized that ministerial settings vary widely.  Individuals bring a unique set of personal qualities with them into ministry, of which only some are capable of development in an educational setting.  MNBC is committed to providing educational opportunities, which develop relevant qualities in students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Today’s Christian ministers confront an increasingly complex world as they seek to fulfill the functions of their vocation.  They are required to deal with social and human problems which, while they have never been more obvious or more pressing, are more resistant than even to remediation.  Ministers must learn to recognize shifts in cultural mores and develop the ability to compromise their patters of ministry in ways that remain faithful to their confessional position.  They must master the art of proclaiming the Christian message in ways that are easily understood and relevant to their hearers.  Skills in critical thinking are a necessity if such complexities are to be dealt with adequately.

These formidable demands dictate the need of a strong academic foundation in the preparation of professional Christian ministers committed to a lifetime of learning, teaching and service.  Also, there is a need to open up pathways to further study in wider settings as a means of maintaining lifelong ministerial effectiveness and developing those ministers who evidence potential for leadership among their peers.

Throughout Melanesian societies generally and across the Church of the Nazarene globally, educational expectations continue to rise.  Increasingly, the minimal requirement in terms of professional ministerial education is the completion of an undergraduate qualification.  However, not all students are initially capable or desirous of working at the tertiary level and so the Certificate of Ministry offers a beginning qualification that lays a good foundation for later studies.  This is particularly important for those who have English as a second language.

The College Board has adopted the following purpose statement for the College. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of Melanesia Nazarene Bible College is to provide training, with an emphasis upon holiness of life, for pastors and church leaders to carry on the work of the Church of the Nazarene in Melanesia.  This is accomplished through the development of personal and professional attitudes and skills so as to enable reflection upon Christian faith and life, and through the development of competencies in the practice of ministry.  This development is achieved through staffs who are good mentors by teaching and example.

The objectives of the college are five:

1. To prepare men and women for ministry as pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and Christian educators who will promote the Church through contextualized methods of evangelism which will result in the conversion of sinners, the entire sanctification of believers, and the building of stable Christians who will exemplify Christ in their own context and in their own generation.
2. To create an atmosphere of faith and devotion conducive to the development of a life-long pattern of spiritual growth and Christian character.
3. To equip the students with knowledge and skills with which to work within their respective communities, and to give balanced emphasis on the doctrines and ethical ideals set forth in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene.
4. To assist the students to develop their personal capabilities and to communicate intelligently and effectively the whole precept of God within the context of their culture.
5. To stimulate students to dedicate themselves to leadership within the church and the community, equipping themselves for service to the limits of their ability.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Education for the ministry includes the character of the instructor, the relationship of the students and the instructor, the environment, and the students’ past experiences as well as the course content.  We therefore believe education should affect the whole person.  At MNBC we aim to prepare our students intellectually, socially, and spiritually to better serve God and the church.

Our approach is student-oriented.  The teacher-student relationship is that of coach and team.  It is not a paternalistic one in which students are treated as captive audiences to be “domesticated.”  Our teaching goals conform to the Biblical norms of wisdom (knowing what is right and acting accordingly) rather than an abstract idea of knowledge as data s