(5-1-23) Over the years many Stateline area residents attended Ft. Wayne Bible College. The small Christian college in Ft. Wayne would end up serving the world and much of the US producing numerous missionaries, pastors, school teachers and other walks of life. But like many small Christian colleges have faced recently….lack of finances would be what would close this wonderful institution of learning.

Fort Wayne Bible College Alma Mater

Jay Platte – You Tube Video

Sung by Sounds Together, a campus singing group. This was written by S. A. Witmer, president of Fort Wayne Bible College from 1947 to 1957.

This past weekend at First Missionary Church in Ft. Wayne many past students and staff members came back to say thank you and to say good-bye. At the end of this month the last remaining part of the 135 year history of FWBC will be closed, the Ft. Wayne Alumni Center.

John 12:24 — New International Version

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

The above verse was used by Paul Robbins g ’60 during the final service on Saturday to honor what FWBC has meant to many who attended over the years and it has ‘produced many seeds‘. Although the school will now be a part of the history of this life….the results will remain eternal in the lives it has changed over the years.

This past weekend many shared stories of the impact of FWBC had on their lives, it was also a sad time to say good-bye to an old friend. FWBC was a special place and to think that many of our children and grandchildren would never have the opportunity to attend and have that same opportunity was something to drop a tear or two.

Thank you Ft. Wayne Bible College for what you did for many of us over the years.

A Final Good-Bye – 4-29-23

Posted on Facebook – Fort Wayne Bible College by Karen Slaughter Steiner

Two of the remaining buildings from the early FWBC years…Bethany and Schultz. Schultz was board up after a fire destroyed the inside of the building.

1973 FWBC grad Dr. Neil Myrie

Pastor Dave Biberstein served as the lead pastor at Grace Missionary Church in Celina, later he would serve at the college in Patoral Ministires. Bill Gerig served the Fort Wayne campus for two decades in several capacities, including teaching missions courses and directing the Correspondence Studies program.

Two Celina High graduates, Dave Schmidt and Jayne (Hanni Shady, both attended FWBC. They would both meet their spouses while attending the school…something very common over the years.

The ‘Final Goodbye’ at First Missionary Church

Special thanks…

Alumni Council President Sari (Paddford) Harris g ’88 and Ft. Wayne Alumni Center Director Stephanie (Cox) Demorest g ’93,

Thanks to Ft. Wayne Alumni Center Director Stephanie (Cox) Demorest, her staff and volunteers for a very special weekend.

Thanks to First Missionary Church for hosting the Ft. Wayne Alumni Center over the past several years.

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