Bible College of Wales, Sketty

The Bible College of Wales (Trinity School of Ministry from 2009–2012), is a Pentecostal Bible college located along Derwen Fawr Road in Swansea, Wales. Originally based in Swansea, Wales, it was founded in 1924 by Rees Howells.^[1]

The Bible College of Wales, Sketty

In 2009, it was relocated from Wales to England and renamed Trinity School of Ministry, run by Global Horizons.^[2][3][4] In 2012, Cornerstone Community Church, an independent Pentecostal congregation based in Singapore purchased and refurbished the property at Derwen Fawr.^[1][5][6] The college has since been reopened and runs a three-month School of Ministry programme twice a year.^[7]

The College's current director, is Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong.^[5][8][9]

History

Prior to starting the Bible College of Wales, founder Rees Howells was part of a ministry in Africa from 1915 to 1920. He left this life behind him to focus on the founding of a training college that could equip the growing number of Christian converts to become missionaries and ministry workers. Inspired by the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, he started a Bible College in Swansea.^[10][11]

Despite having only two shillings when he purchased the first property for the Bible College of Wales,^[12] he eventually received gifts sufficient to make up for the shortfall.^[13][14] He went on to purchase four estates for the College Wales - Glynderwen, Derwen Fawr, Sketty Isaf, and Penllergaer.^[10] It formally opened at Glynderwen House, Swansea, UK in 1924.^[1]

Rees Howells was director of the college until his death in 1950.^[10] He was succeeded by his son Samuel Rees Howells who led the college until a year before his death in 2004.^[15][16] The college continued to run under Alan Scotland.^[17] In July 2009 the Bible College of Wales saw its last graduation.^[18] In September 2009, the college operations moved to Rugby under the name Trinity School of Ministry and was run by Global Horizons.^[4]

In December 2012, Cornerstone Community Church of Singapore purchased the Derwen Fawr site^[19] and announced intentions to establish a new Bible school on the site while retaining its original name and honouring its heritage and legacy.^[20][18] It was reopened and inaugurated on Whit Monday, 2015 under the new leadership.^[18]

Accreditation

The BCW School of Ministry is accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges & Universities to offer a diploma in ministry.^[21]

Notable alumni

• Reinhard Bonnke^[22]

Bibliography

• Samuel, Son and Successor of Rees Howells, by Richard Maton, ByFaith Media, 2012. Covers the story of how the Bible College of Wales was founded, and its full history.
• Samuel Rees Howells: A Life of Intercession, The Legacy of Prayer and Spiritual Warfare of an Intercessor by Richard Maton. Covering the prayers of the Bible College of Wales 1939-2002 and the move from Swansea, to Trinity School of Ministry.
• Rees Howells, Monument of Faith, History of The Bible College of Wales 1922-1932, by Mathew Backholer. Rees Howells was a man of extraordinary faith which propelled him to the forefront as the founder of The Bible College of Wales and a ministry that would touch the world.