Nazarene Theological College has been serving the educational and training needs of the Church of the Nazarene in Australia and New Zealand since its inception in February 1953. During its more than 50 years of ministry NTC has had students not only from Australia and New Zealand, but also from such countries as Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Namibia, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. While NTC primarily exists to facilitate the ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, students from other denominations have always been welcomed.
In June 1952 the General Council of the Nazarene Young People’s Society (now Nazarene Youth International) voted to raise US$25,000 to fund a Bible College in Australia. Additional funds were raised through the sacrificial giving of Australian Nazarenes. Later in 1952 Dr Williamson appointed Dr Richard S. Taylor to be the founding Principal of Nazarene Bible College. In February 1953 the first Nazarene Bible College Board was elected and a six-acre property in Thornleigh (a suburb of Sydney) was purchased for £17,000. The first classes at NBC commenced on 10 March, 1953 with seven resident and three part-time students, and with Dr Taylor as the only faculty member. NBC was officially dedicated on 14 June, 1953. On 24 November, 1955 the first three graduates received their diplomas.
In 1972 plans were finalised to relocate the college to Thornlands in Queensland due (in part) to the anticipated high cost of much-needed renovations at Thornleigh. Eighteen acres of land was purchased at Thornlands on the southern outskirts of Brisbane for $13,000. In September 1973 the Sydney property was sold and under the supervision of Rev. H. S. Palmquist, the college was moved to Thornlands. During the next two years, nine buildings were constructed on the new campus. On 8 March 1976 classes resumed at the new location with eight full-time students from Australia, New Zealand and England, under the leadership of Principal Dr. R.T. Bolerjack. In November 1978 the first class of the relocated college graduated.
During 1992 it was decided to begin the process of gaining accreditation of the three-year advanced diploma program from the Minister for Education in Queensland. As part of this development, in 1993 the college was renamed Nazarene Theological College to better reflect its educational ethos. During 1994 the Queensland Minister for Education approved the accreditation of NTC’s Advanced Diploma of Ministry program and the first student received the accredited award in November 1995. Accreditation of the Bachelor of Ministry degree and a Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies was gained in January 2000.
