Welcome to SMBC

Over 100 years ago, Benson and Elizabeth Barnett, returned missionaries from China, had a dream to establish an interdenominational Bible and mission college in Sydney to prepare people for gospel ministry. The dream became a reality, and over the years, thousands have gone out from Sydney Missionary & Bible College (SMBC) equipped to share the gospel across the world.

Today our vision is to continue to see thousands more loving, skilled graduates bringing the light of Christ to a dark and needy world. This vision excites us, and it is with deep joy that we work together to see it become a reality.

We do this by creating learning communities through which God prepares his people – theologically, practically, and spiritually – to serve Jesus in diverse contexts and cultures. God is powerfully at work and we see time and time again that he is doing his work in the context of these rich, engaging, learning communities.

What we value and believe

We have six core values that shape the way we do everything at SMBC. We are:

1. Centred on the Bible
   The Word of God is our guide, our delight, our final authority, and our prized tool for ministry. Therefore, we pursue deep and transformative biblical knowledge, understanding, and application.
2. Passionate about God’s mission
   We heed the command of Christ to make disciples of all nations. We have a special burden for the least-reached people of the world.
3. Growing spiritually
   We pursue a Christlike character, godly obedience, courageous faith, and a deepening love for God and neighbour, recognising that these are of the utmost importance for life and ministry.
4. Community-oriented
   We believe that learning is more satisfying, meaningful, mutual, and transformative when it happens in the context of relationship. Our priorities, activities, and physical spaces reflect this.
5. Diverse
   We believe that God is glorified and we grow in wisdom and character when the community in which we learn and serve is richly diverse. Our proudly interdenominational community includes men and women from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, levels of education, and life stages.
6. Focussed on ministry outcomes
   We pursue ministry competencies, personal effectiveness, cultural intelligence, and communication skills appropriate to our contexts. 

SMBC holds to and teaches the evangelical understanding of the Christian faith and the full and final authority of the Bible as the revealed Word of God, inspired by the Spirit of God. At SMBC, we believe in:

• the full and final authority of the Bible as the revealed Word of God;
• the doctrine of the Trinity;
• the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, His sinless life, His atoning death as the ground of our salvation, His resurrection on the third day and His ascension into glory;
• the personal return of Christ in glory;
• the universality of sin and humanity’s total inability to save itself from condemnation and the power of evil;
• salvation by faith in Christ, the only mediator between God and people;
• the necessity for consecration to God in order to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit;
• the eternal condemnation of all who refuse the truth and the eternal blessedness of all who respond to the divine revelation;
• the universal priesthood of believers; and
• the obligation of all Christians to participate, according to opportunity, in evangelising those who do not have the gospel.

Where next?

Whether you’re keen to prepare for pastoral ministry or cross-cultural mission, or want to be better equipped as a Christian in your place of work – or you’re still on the journey of discovering what God might have in store for you – we’d love to connect with you to explore how SMBC can help prepare you to be a light for Christ in a dark and needy world.

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