 
HISTORY OF TERNOPIL BIBLICAL SEMINARY
Ternopil
Biblical Seminary was founded by Dr. Jack V. Hunka and pastor Dr. Fedir
Mikhailovich Verbitskiy in May 1990.
In May
1990 Jack Hunka with his wife and Lennon Johansson were in Ukraine for three
weeks, ministering in various churches. The pastor of the First Pentecostal
Church in Ternopil, Fedir Mikhailovich Verbitskiy asked them to start a
seminary. At that time, circumstances did not allow it to begin, but when
Jack came back to Canada, God spoke to him, showing him how to start the
seminary in Ternopil.
Classes began
in January 1991, in the great basement hall of the church on Kvitova 19
Street. In the first couple of days there were around 180 students in
class. Classes were held for almost four hours each evening. At the first
graduation 48 people graduated.. From that time our school has
graduated more than 100 students. Many of them are now leading ministry in
the churches of Ukraine and Russia. Some of them have started new churches.
Since the
Euro-Asian Accreditation Association began, our seminary has been a member.
The Board of Trustees governs the seminary. The Head of the Board of
Trustees is Dr. Jack Hunka.
In January 2002
the seminary was registered by the Ternopil Regional Union of Pentecostal
churches. Since May 12, 2003, the seminary started an extension form of
studies, otherwise known as “zaochno.” In 2005 the Seminary began a Faculty
of Christian Education in addition to the Faculty of Christian Ministry.
So, at this time it functions on a “zaochno” basis, each class of students
attending four times a year, one full week of 6 days each time. There are
two programs: “Christian Ministry (pastor)” and “Christian Education” each
leading to a two-year diploma; and a five year Bachelor’s Degree “Bachelor
of Christian (Pastoral) ministry” and “Bachelor of Christian Education”
degree.
The teachers of
the seminary are qualified through bachelor and master degrees from Ukraine
and other countries. During the life of the seminary, there have been
approximately 50 teachers participating in the education of our students.
Among them were: Jack Hunka, Ron Steinbrenner, Albert Verbitsky, Jerry
Scolamiro, Paul Sheppard, Mel Jenkins, Catherine Humeniuk, Anatoly
Klinovskiy and others.
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