RBC at 15: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Posted On June 15, 2026

Written by Dr. John Tweeddale, vice president of academics and professor of theology at Reformation Bible College.

The 2025–2026 academic year marked the fifteenth anniversary of Reformation Bible College. Since its founding in 2011, RBC has sought to serve the church by educating students in the historic Christian faith, as affirmed in the Reformed confessions, so that they may know, serve, and worship God in all of life.

By God’s grace, that vision remains unchanged.

As we reflect on the past year and look ahead to the next, we have many reasons to thank God for His mercies toward RBC.

Celebrating the Class of 2026 

This spring, we celebrated 85 graduates across our degree and certificate programs, including 68 on-campus graduates and 17 online graduates.

Several online students traveled, coming as far as Hawaii and Australia, to participate in Commencement. Their presence was a beautiful reminder that the reach of RBC extends far beyond Central Florida.

What comes next for these graduates? 

Many are continuing their theological education at institutions such as Westminster Seminary California, Reformed Theological Seminary, and International Reformed Baptist Seminary. Others are entering careers in education, publishing, media, business, and ministry. Several are serving in summer missions and church internship programs in places ranging from Vietnam and Cuba, to Washington, D.C., and local congregations throughout the United States. 

Our graduates continue to pursue a wide variety of vocations while seeking to serve Christ and His church faithfully. Whether in seminaries, churches, schools, mission fields, businesses, or homes, these graduates leave RBC prepared to serve Christ faithfully in their callings. 

We are grateful for each graduate of the class of 2026, and we look forward with anticipation to all that God will do in and through their lives for His glory. 

Looking Back over the Past Academic Year

This past year was marked by several significant developments.

Most notably, we launched RBC Inside at Bibb County Correctional Facility in Alabama, the first remote location of RBC in our history. Fourteen incarcerated students completed their first year of theological study as part of a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Theology program. Through donated resources, digital learning tools, recorded lectures, and the support of many partners, these students are receiving a comprehensive theological education designed to prepare them for Christian service both inside and beyond the correctional system.

We also strengthened our academic leadership team. Rev. Cody Wilbanks joined us as dean of students and has provided pastoral care for our students, and Dr. Matthew Dudreck was promoted to assistant dean. In this new role, Dr. Dudreck will help lead institutional effectiveness and support our ongoing accreditation efforts.

This year also provided an opportunity to honor Dr. Keith Mathison for thirty years of faithful service to Ligonier Ministries and Reformation Bible College. Beginning this fall, Dr. Mathison will serve as the inaugural R.C. Sproul Chair of Theology, a fitting recognition of his longstanding contributions to theological education and the wider church.

Our faculty continue to teach, mentor, publish, speak, and serve the church. Together they have taught more than 200 on-campus students and over 80 online students this year while maintaining active involvement in local congregations and scholarly work.

Finally, we are grateful for the service of Dr. Stephen Nichols, whose tenure as president concluded on May 31, 2026. On behalf of the board, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, we express our sincere appreciation for his years of faithful leadership and service to RBC.

Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

The coming academic year promises to be full of opportunities for the RBC community.

A major priority is our pursuit of accreditation through the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). Faculty, staff, and students remain fully committed to this process. During the coming year, we will continue work on our institutional self-study as we prepare for the next phase of the accreditation process.

We are also preparing to launch a second RBC Inside site at Suwannee Correctional Institution in Florida this August. Building on the success of our first cohort at Bibb, this expansion will allow us to extend theological education to another group of incarcerated students who are eager to study God’s Word and prepare for Christian service in the correctional context and beyond.

This summer, Dr. Dudreck is teaching Greek I and II, while Dr. Levi Berntson is offering Christian Ethics for the first time. These courses provide students with additional opportunities to continue their theological studies and enjoy fellowship throughout the summer months.

Looking ahead, we have several events that you will not want to miss:

• We are delighted to welcome Dr. Carl Trueman as our Convocation speaker on September 11. Drawing inspiration from C.S. Lewis, he will give an address titled “Learning Theology in Wartime.”

• On September 17, Dr. Mathison will deliver his inaugural address as the R.C. Sproul Chair of Theology, titled “Technology and the Theologian: Opportunities and Obstacles.” His lecture will be followed by the Fall Preview Day on September 18 and the Always Ready Youth Conference on September 19.

• We are also pleased to announce our 2027 Winter Conference, scheduled for January 14–15. The conference theme will be The Cross of Christ, featuring Kevin DeYoung, Brandon Crowe, Derek Thomas, and RBC faculty.

• Through the fall and spring semesters, we will continue to gather each Thursday at 11:00 a.m. for chapel. We have an excellent lineup of speakers. Chapel stands at the heart of our work and worship together as a college. We would love to welcome you to one of our services.

Join Us

Classes begin on August 17, and there is still time for prospective students to apply.

Whether through our on-campus programs or online courses, RBC remains committed to its purpose: producing knowledgeable and articulate students who embrace God in His holiness as taught in the Reformed classical tradition. For those who wish to deepen their understanding of Scripture and theology without pursuing academic credit, many RBC courses are available for audit both on campus and online.

As we enter our sixteenth year, we do so with gratitude for God’s faithfulness. We praise Him for His saving grace in Jesus Christ and for the many mercies He has shown to RBC.

In the words of Johann J. Schütz, the German hymn writer:

For this my thanks shall endless be;

O thank him, thank our God with me.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support of RBC. We look forward to all that God will do in the coming year.

To God all praise and glory!