Not Just Another School: Why We Launched Compass Bible Institute
When we founded Compass Bible Church in 2005, we made it clear from the start that our mission would be nothing less than fulfilling the Great Commission. At the center of that calling is the charge to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). And making disciples, as Christ described it, involves more than a one-time decision or simply church attendance.
There’s the work of reaching—seeing people converted through the bold proclamation of the gospel, a work publicly expressed through baptism. There’s teaching—helping Christians obey everything Christ commanded through sound doctrine and biblical exposition. And then there’s training—raising up faithful workers who will go and do the reaching and teaching themselves. For decades, I’ve summarized our mission with those three words: Reaching. Teaching. Training.
While much of that mission can be accomplished through relationships, programs, and pulpit ministry, there has always been a missing piece—something that could take our disciple-making efforts to the next level. That piece finally came into sharp focus in 2018, when I preached a sermon from 2 Timothy 2:1–7. In that passage, Paul urges Timothy to pass along what he had learned to “faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” That’s not just pastoral succession; that’s a strategy for kingdom growth and gospel impact.
The Importance of Formal Training
Having benefited from formal theological education myself, I’ve long believed in the power of the classroom. But I also knew we needed something more than lectures and libraries. We needed an environment that merged theological clarity with real ministry training. Something that reflected the heartbeat of the first Bible institute I ever attended—one that traces its roots back to D.L. Moody.
In 1885, D. L. Moody publicly announced his desire to train Christians for meaningful ministry work. What he launched in Chicago was not merely academic; it was unapologetically practical. Initially, it was even called “The Bible-Work Institute.”1 As one historian put it, Moody “vigorously preached the coordination of classroom knowledge with actual experience.”2 When asked what the curriculum would include, Moody replied, “The great fundamental doctrines of the Bible—and of course, a great deal of the instruction will be in the methods of practical work.”3
That same vision was carried west with the Bible institute movement. Consider this early snapshot of life at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola): “On Mondays and Tuesdays, students gather for evening devotions. On Wednesdays… students learned to be ‘fishers of men.’ … On Saturday evenings, students directed their prayers toward the gospel outreach plans for the next day. Sundays, Biola students fanned out around the Los Angeles area, preaching and teaching or singing the gospel of grace.”4
“This was the vision of Christian doctrine being guided and propelled into practice. And it’s the vision I wanted to revive for our time—a school where students of all ages, not just aspiring pastors, could be trained in sound doctrine and real ministry.”
This was the vision of Christian doctrine being guided and propelled into practice. And it’s the vision I wanted to revive for our time—a school where students of all ages, not just aspiring pastors, could be trained in sound doctrine and real ministry. Where evangelism isn’t just discussed but demonstrated. Where students actually learn to disciple others, not just define the term.
A few years after that sermon, Compass Bible Institute was launched with a clear and urgent goal: to strengthen Christians in their faith and equip them to do the work of ministry. We want our students to be so grounded in God’s truth that they can confidently share the gospel, teach the Bible, defend the faith, disciple others, and lead with conviction. We aim to produce believers who are not only informed but fruitful—men and women who bear real, lasting fruit in their churches and communities.
Of course, that requires rigorous study. We must lay a solid doctrinal foundation. In a day of growing biblical illiteracy, we need Christians who know what the Bible says and how to handle it rightly. As Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9–11, we want our students to “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord… bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
“But it doesn’t stop with knowledge. That knowledge must drive us to action. It is more than reading books and absorbing concepts. It is about doing the work of ministry and training others to do the same.”
But it doesn’t stop with knowledge. That knowledge must drive us to action. It is more than reading books and absorbing concepts. It is about doing the work of ministry and training others to do the same.
My hope and prayer is that an increasing number of students will come to Compass Bible Institute, students with a hunger and thirst to know God’s truth, and with an insatiable desire to be used in his harvest field for real, meaningful, and fruitful work. I’m praying for more and more inquisitive students who can’t wait to be useful to the Lord in our generation. As Jesus said in Matthew 9, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” And here in a county of 3.3 million people, it certainly feels like we have a lot of catching up to do. May God fill our classrooms.
I’m also praying that we will attract and retain instructors who not only communicate theological truth clearly but also know how to mentor students into effective, lasting ministry. In a culture that is increasingly hostile to Christianity, we must not merely preserve orthodox doctrine—we must replicate zealous Christians.
We want to do more than train people for “professional” ministry. As Peter reminds us, we are all called to be faithful stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). And now is the time to lean in. Compass Bible Institute is not just another college option—it’s a training ground for a generation that must rise up to reach, teach, and train others.
I’m praying for great things in the future of Compass Bible Institute. We’ve begun a good work here—and I believe, with God’s help, it’s only just beginning.
1 D. Maas, “The Life and Times of D. L. Moody,” Christian History Magazine, no. 25 (1990): Dwight L. Moody: 19th C. Evangelist. ↩︎
2 Ibid. ↩︎
3 James M. Vincent, The MBI Story: The Vision and Worldwide Impact of the Moody Bible Institute (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), Kindle ed., locs. 404–407. ↩︎
4 W. R. Hale, “Life at Biola,” The Chimes, March 1940, 2, as quoted in Adam Laats, Fundamentalist U: Keeping the Faith in American Higher Education (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018), Kindle ed., 94. ↩︎
Pastor Mike Fabarez
President, Compass Bible Institute
Mike Fabarez is the founding pastor of Compass Bible Church.
He graduated from Moody with a Bachelor’s degree in Bible and Theology. Pastor Mike earned his Master’s Degree from Talbot School of Theology and a Doctorate from Westminster Theological Seminary in California.
Pastor Mike is the author of several books including: Getting It Right, Why the Bible?, Praying for Sunday, Preaching that Changes Lives, Saturday’s Hope, Bible Survey for Kids, Beyond Bible Basics, Resolved to Follow Christ, Lifelines for Tough Times, Raising Men Not Boys and 10 Mistakes People Make about Heaven, Hell and the Afterlife.
