Clear Creek Baptist Bible College

Clear Creek Baptist Bible College (CCBBC) is a private Baptist Bible college in Pineville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). CCBBC provides a Bible-based education focusing on Christian service. The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association for Biblical Higher Education. CCBBC was founded by Lloyd Caswell Kelly in 1926.

History
L.C. Kelly (1874–1955) was born April 18, 1874, in Choctaw, Alabama, to Solomon and Sarah (Felt) Kelly. He became a Southern Baptist preacher at the age of 20, as he furthered his education he pastored many small country churches. He earned a four-year degree at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Moving to Louisville, Kentucky at the turn of the twentieth century he became the editor of the Kentucky Issue the Louisville Local newspaper. In 1907 he and Nancy Newland married in Stanford, Kentucky, at her father's home. In 1908 Rev. Kelley and his bride moved to Orlinda, Tennessee, to take the pastorate at Orlinda Baptist Church. He and Orlinda Baptist Church started an annual Bible Institution in 1908.

After 1910 the family moved to Taylor County, where Kelly began working with the Russell Creek Association of Baptist. The association ran an academy called Russell Creek Academy, which went into financial distress in 1908. Kelly aided in its reopening the school in 1914, and in 1916 began holding higher education classes; it later developed into Campbellsville University.  Kelley took the pastorate of the First Baptist Church in Pineville in 1919; here he led prohibition rallies and preached against alcohol. He found a suitable location for an institution in 1924 while walking the L&N railway through a pre-civil war tunnel.

The first meeting was held in 1926, with a two-week schedule. He felt led to start an annual Bible Institute and chartered Clear Creek Mountain Springs, Inc. The institution transformed into Clear Creek Mountain Preacher School and Clear Creek Baptist School during the 1940s and 50s. During the 1920s Clear Spring was used by the Kentucky Baptist as their Camp meeting location, as revivals were held on what is now the main campus and the athletic field. In the 1930s and 40s RA (Royal Ambassadors) and GA (Girls in Action) camps were held for children all over Kentucky.

The campus work study program had chicken coops and farming areas, a furniture factory (making pews and pulpit furniture), and RA arrows for archery. Through the program, men and women could work and provide and study as well. In 1948 Kelly Hall was finished, which housed family and single students as well as offices and a chapel. Kelly Hall still serves today as the male dormitory and cafeteria.

D.M. Aldridge became the president in 1954 and brought the school into full-time education ministry. Four years later the school received full accreditation from the American Association of Bible Colleges.

One of the faculty serving at that time was H. Leo Eddleman (1911-1995), who has served many of our Baptist Schools. He received his PhD from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, after being appointed missionary to Palestine, he returned and began his professorship at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He went on to become the President of Georgetown College, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He also was employed by the Baptist Sunday School Board. He retired from Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in 1989 and moved back to Louisville, Kentucky.

Kentucky Baptist Convention president Bill D. Whitaker became the college's fourth president in 1988. During his tenure, the school became debt-free and constructed a new education center, now known as the Bill D. Whitaker Class Room Building.  Donnie Fox replaced Whitaker as president in 2007. In 2020, Clear Creek released their Master of Arts in Ministry program as “a competency based degree program built on 10 competencies and correlating in intensity to other graduate ministry degrees yielding 30 credit hours.” On January 1, 2023, Dr. Charles Goodman became the new president of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College.

Core Beliefs 

 Centrality of Christ - "We are a community of Christians brought together by faith in Christ as Savior and Lord and by surrender to His call to service. We are committed to seek His will; to communicate with Him through prayer; to deepen His lifestyle through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and patiently work for His unity among us."
 Trustworthiness of Scripture - "We are a community of learners who affirm the total trustworthiness of God’s revealed word as the guide for our lives and the foundation of our equipping ministry."
 Evangelism and Missions - "We are a community of individuals redeemed from sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. We affirm He died for the whole world and commissions each believer to take the Gospel into the world. We commit ourselves to the priority of personal evangelism and world missions."
 Servant of the Churches - "We are a community that exists to train individuals sent to us by the churches. We commit ourselves to serve the needs of the church".

Mission 
"Clear Creek Baptist Bible College exists to provide educational preparation for adults called of God into Christian service".

 Institutional Objectives
 "Nurture God-called students as they prepare for the Lord’s work."
 "Provide a quality Bible-based education with an emphasis on practical Christian service."
 "Initiate and maintain cooperative relationships with individual Christians, churches, associations, and conventions."
 "Secure and manage human, physical, and financial resources guided by biblical principles."
 Educational Goals
 "An increase in knowledge and understanding of the Bible and Christian theology."
 "An improvement in speaking and writing skills in the context of ministry."
 "An increase in church leadership and communication skills."
 "A sensitivity to the needs of people and the ability to minister from a biblical perspective."

Programs 
Whether on-campus or online, the programs offered by Clear Creek Baptist Bible College are designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary to serve in a variety of ministry roles.

 Master of Arts in Ministry
 Bachelor of Arts in Ministry
 Bachelor of Arts in Worship & Music Ministry
 Bachelor of Arts in Counseling Ministry
 Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry
 Bachelor of Arts in Church Planting
 Associate of Arts in Ministry
 Bivocational Ministry Certificate
 Certificate in Bible
 Dual Enrollment
 Non-Degree Seeking Program

Presidents 

 1926-1954 Dr. Lloyd C. Kelly
 1954-1982 Dr. Dennis M. Aldridge
 1982-1988 Dr. Leon D. Simpson
 1988-2007 Dr. Bill D. Whittaker
 2007-2022 Dr. Donald S. Fox
 2022–present Dr. Charles Goodman

Affiliation 
It is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention).

References

Further reading

 Born in the Heart of God: A History of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, 1926-2008 (2009), Christopher Beckham, Baptist History and Heritage Society.
 A Study of the Contribution of the Clear Creek Baptist School to the Missionary Outreach in the Appalachian Mountain Areas of Kentucky (1965), Leroy Arnold Peterson, Columbia Bible College.

External links
Official website

Association for Biblical Higher Education
Baptist Christianity in Kentucky
Bible colleges in the United States
Buildings and structures in Bell County, Kentucky
Educational institutions established in 1926
Education in Bell County, Kentucky
Pineville, Kentucky
Universities and colleges affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
Seminaries and theological colleges in Kentucky
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
1926 establishments in Kentucky