Bethel Bible College is the major Theological school of the Malayalam District, located on a beautiful campus of 7 acre on a hill near the Railway Station in Punalur in the Kollam District of Kerala, India. It is the first Bible School of the Assemblies of God outside the United States of America, founded by Missionary John H.Burgess in 1927 in Mavelikara, Kerala. Later it was shifted to few places and finally land was bought in Punalur and shifted to Punalur in 1950.
It was named “Bethel Bible School” offering a three year residential course to train Pastors for the Assemblies of God. It offered a Certificate of Theology (C.Th.). Bethel also trained women for ministry until 1978 (?).
In 1982, the school was upgraded to a College level, named as “Bethel Bible College” and started offering Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.)degree and it was accredited by the Asia Theological Association (ATA) in 1985. Master of Divinity (M.Div.) started in 1995 and Master of Theology (M.Th.) in 2005. These degrees are accredited by the ATA.
A major shift took place in 2022 when the Board of Directors decided to affiliate the College with the Senate of Serampore University, and it was approved in 2022 itself, and the program started in June 2023 offering B.D. degree.
Bethel is the first AG theological school in India affiliated to a University.
Bethel had been instrumental in providing eminent leaders for the AG; almost all leaders of the AG Malayalam District had been products of Bethel. Most of the AG ministers in the state of Kerala are graduates of Bethel Bible College.
Bethel graduates serve as ministers of the Gospel around the world.
One-year certificate course designed for mature candidates who have completed 30 years of age, passed high school (10th), and intend to engage in Christian ministry, but unable to enrol for a longer period theological education.
A three year course of comprehensive study of the Bible and Theology with general subjects, designed for those who have successfully passed the 10th Standard grade, or its equivalent, and meet the other requirements stipulated by the College.
This is a three-year degree programme for graduates, intended to train candidates for pastoral work as well as teaching ministry.
M.Th. degree programme is to train men and women as Christian ministers, theological educators and for leadership in various church related ministries. This is a two year programme designed to enable qualified graduates in theology to broaden and deepen their theological knowledge and sharpen their research skills and competencies beyond B.D/M.Div. level.
known also as Global Institute of Theological Studies (GITS).