About Us

Mission

Asian Christian University provides comprehensive education and training for Christian ministry through a Christ-centered biblical curriculum. We educate, train, motivate and activate Christian workers — firmly grounding them in the Scriptures for service in the kingdom. We are committed to academic excellence, inspirational leadership, spiritual vitality, and service in the church, society, and the home.

vision

Asian Christian University exists to serve as a vital instrument of the churches of Christ in the Philippines and Asia. We are to respond to the cry of the New Millennium of planting congregations – replicating Christ’s Mission and the Apostle Paul’s zeal. We are to upskill faithful, dedicated, and effective men to be trained for ministry and missionary service — locally and internationally.

objectives

1. To uphold the Bible as the only book inspired by God, the all-sufficient and supreme authority in matters of faith and doctrine, using it as the foundational text of instruction.

2. To give strong emphasis upon the study of the biblical text itself, along with practical and Bible-related subjects.

3. To provide quality instruction for faithful men, preparing them to serve as sound, able and committed evangelists, ministers, teachers and leaders of the Lord’s kingdom.

 

4. To provide quality instruction through various workshops, seminars and other events for the purpose of developing faithful women, preparing them to serve as sound, able and committed teachers of God’s Word to children and other women.

5. To provide opportunity and teaching for students to develop Christ-like character, attitude, skill, and ability to establish congregations which eventually can support them in their work.

6. To assist local congregations in their evangelistic and edification programs: to save the lost, keep them saved so they can help save others.

history

PTC TO ACU: FROM DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE

Philippine Theological College, hereafter referred to as PTC, was first located at Mangaldan, Pangasinan, but later moved to Salomague Sur, Bugallon, Philippines. The founder was Dr. Demar Elam of Athens, Alabama, USA. At that time, he was serving as Director of the Open Door Ministry as well as Director of Mission Studies at Amridge University in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. In addition to being the founder, Dr. Elam also served as the first President of PTC for a number of years and presently serves as Chancellor. Carl Walker served as President for a period of time and then was succeeded by Atty. Junas T. Sagurit who began serving as the President of PTC in January 2010.

God is to be praised, honored, thanked and glorified for His great blessings upon the school. On April 1, 2015 the announcement was made that Philippine Theological College was becoming a University and the name was changed to Asian Christian University.

When Dr. Elam came to the Philippines in 2004, he saw a great open door of opportunity for evangelism by training Filipino men to preach the Gospel. He recognized the need for a four-year college and had the dream and vision of the school one day offering the Master of Theology degree, Master of Divinity degree (MDiv) and the Doctor of Ministry degree (DMin). Dr. Elam made numerous trips to the Philippines in subsequent years, bringing some very dedicated servants of Christ to work with him to help establish the school and also to establish many new congregations of the churches of Christ in the Philippines.

The purpose for Asian Christian University’s (ACU) existence is to enable faithful, dedicated men to be trained not just for ministry and missionary service, but for effective ministry in the Philippines and for effective missionary service in China when God opens that door of evangelism. The objective of training faithful men who would in turn be able to teach others has been one of the foundational pillars at ACU. Paul instructed Timothy: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (II Tim. 2:2, KJV) .

Dr. Elam believes the very heart of this particular missionary outreach consists of motivating, training and activating Christian workers for service in the kingdom not only in the Philippines but also for missionary service in China when that door opens. Dr. Elam envisions the school producing highly skilled, trained, and motivated men who will answer the cry of the New Millennium which he believes is, “new congregations, new congregations, new congregations!” The graduates of ACU will be motivated, trained and activated in establishing as many new congregations for Christ as possible. At ACU, we are endeavoring to replicate the work of the apostle Paul in evangelism.

A new mission methodology as old as the first century is proving highly successful in winning the lost to Jesus in this new millennium. It is new in that few have used it in recent history. It is old in that it was originally used by the apostles; in particular, the great apostle Paul.

 In examining the pages of the New Testament and “traveling” with Paul on his missionary journeys, one cannot help but see the explosion of new congregations that Paul and the other apostles helped establish in their day.

Dr. Elam traveled extensively seeking congregations and individuals abroad willing to share the dream and provide the necessary funds to build the campus at ACU in order to carry out this great work in the Philippines. Andy Sykes and Carl Walker, elders of the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, willingly took on the oversight for the work being done at PTC, guiding her from its inception through the early formative years. Philippine Theological College was officially established in a simple but memorable ceremony on the evening of January 26, 2007 in the Lenox Hotel, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines.

In July 2010, the elders of the Adairsville church of Christ, Adairsville, GA, prayerfully and graciously assumed the oversight of PTC. These wise and Godly men, Steve McCaslin, Calvin Reneau, Mike Smith and Kevin Sutton, provide outstanding leadership for the ongoing operation of PTC. Their faithful guidance has proved invaluable as PTC has experienced tremendous growth and has now become Asian Christian University.