From left to right, Glenn Bernet, academic dean of Evangel; Robert Spence, president of Evangel; the Rev. John Lindell, lead pastor of James River Assembly of God; and Jon Spence, director of James River Leadership Campus, sign the contract making JRLC an extension of Evangel.
Photo provided by EVANGEL
James River Leadership Campus signs on with Evangel
SBJ Staff
Posted online
Evangel University signed an agreement July 25 with James River Assembly of God to make James River Leadership Campus an extension of Evangel. The campus previously was affiliated with Central Bible College.
“It is a tremendous privilege to be associated with Evangel University,” JRLC Director Jon Spence said in a news release. “Our JRLC students will benefit greatly from the academic excellence and leadership development opportunities offered by Evangel and James River Assembly.”
Assemblies of God schools Evangel University, Central Bible College and Assemblies of God Theological Seminary could all fall under the Evangel name by 2013, pending an August vote by Assemblies of God delegates and ministers countrywide, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.
As part of its agreement with James River, Evangel will add an associate of arts in leadership degree to be taught solely at the James River Leadership Campus.
The leadership degree consists of 61 credit hours, equivalent to four full-time semesters. All classes - comprising both classroom and practicum settings - will take place at Ozark-based James River Assembly.
JRLC is set to begin its fifth academic year with more than 120 enrolled students.
“Students in JRLC have the opportunity to be involved with one of the leading Assemblies of God mega-churches in the country,” said Jeff Fulks, director of graduate and professional studies at Evangel, in the release. “The students will actively help plan and support JRA’s wide variety of ministries to the community.”
JRLC has been restructured to fit Evangel's academic curriculum and will include classes such as:
Under construction beside the existing Republic branch of the Springfield-Greene County Library District – which remains in operation throughout the project – is a new building that will double the size of the original, according to library officials.
