current project

Lanka Bible College, Centre for Graduate Studies,
Colombo, Sri Lanka

Third & Fourth Floor

Lanka Bible College is the premier college of Sri Lanka with over 100 students on the main campus in Kandy, 200 at the Graduate Centre in Colombo and 300 others in distance centres around the country.

The college works towards ‘nation building’ in a country which has been suffering under civil war in the north and east. Students learn to love even those from ’opposing’ ethnic origins. In college they learn how to help build the communities in which they serve, combining church planting with community initiatives.

Most students who come to LBC have been converted from Hinduism or Buddhism and return to plant churches in their local area. Hundreds of churches have been planted, even in a context of opposition. OCA supports about twenty students at LBC, many of whom have no support from their families and little financial support possible from their village churches.

The development of the Graduate Centre is a key step in the capacity building of the college for the extension of the church in Sri Lanka. The college has established good links with government departments (no mean feat!) and is providing courses in cooperation with World Vision and other Christian organisations.

There are currently no research degrees available in the field of Christian studies within Sri Lanka and the Centre is working towards providing this. Within the coming years research masters and doctoral programs will be on offer. Sri Lanka is also a viable alternative for students from several other Asian countries to study. OCA will be assisting with this international project to provide for countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Graduate Centre

OCA significantly assisted with purchasing an existing two storey building and then funded a complete renovation (including reinforcement for four more floors!)

The opening of the new centre was in May 2007 and the building is already well ‘overused’. The immediate need is to build two more floors for the library, faculty and study rooms.

The Graduate Centre will provide specialist skills for existing pastors as well as the opportunity to study several masters courses. Initial conversations have begun regarding making the Graduate Centre a campus of a college for PhD study.

OCA is working to establish the Centre as a hub for higher studies for the Asian region. There are just a few others already working at this level.

The Financial Need