When Angelus Temple opened on Jan. 1, 1923, education was a priority for founder Aimee Semple McPherson. If Angelus Temple members wanted to so much as play in the orchestra or sing in the choir, they were encouraged to enroll in the Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism (L.I.F.E.).
Just two years later, this evangelistic initiative would become L.I.F.E. Bible College. Now, a century later, Life Pacific University (LPU) is raising up both the current and next generation of leaders through an ever-expanding array of learning options.
LPU continues to grow at a time when many Christian higher education institutions have been closing their doors.
“It’s miraculous,” LPU President Angie Richey, Ph.D., says of the 21 percent increase in enrollment for 2024-2025. The number includes 619 degree-seeking students and 300 more in certificate programs. The latter is aimed at equipping bi-vocational pastors and church leaders with the knowledge they need to be more effective.
“Our online campus consists of almost 52 percent of our entire student body population,” Angie states. “Our online programs include Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and Leadership and in Organizational Management; we also have a new Bachelor of Arts in Psychology launching in fall 2025.”
Ted Vail, D.I.S., Foursquare’s senior vice president of global operations, says Sister Aimee often got pigeonholed as telling people simply to “just go and preach the gospel.” In reality, she believed students had to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and trained in the Word, Ted says.
“She believed that training ought to be on the front edge of wherever the gospel is moving to in the world,” explains the former missionary worker. “That was the strategy from the beginning and has been a key to the growth of Foursquare. That’s why education is so vital to Foursquare. It needs to be available for the expansion of the gospel to people of all ages and different language groups.”
Shifting education
While Foursquare hasn’t required an educational degree for pastors and leaders, Ted says that, as many ministers mature, they are coming to the realization that they want a spiritual education.
“More and more we are seeing pastors and leaders enrolling—in their 20s or 30s and even into their 60s—in school and craving this training and education,” Ted says. “LPU is working to meet the current needs of our ministerium.”
Ironically, the pandemic that shuttered the San Dimas, Calif., campus within six months of Angie becoming president, significantly impacting traditional in-person degree-seeking students, turned out to be a blessing in disguise in the long run.
Of her five years as president, the pandemic was the biggest challenge she has tackled. Yet, as LPU shifted to remote instruction for everyone, the school discovered there is a huge appetite for online learning.
“People realized they wanted to go back to school, but they couldn’t necessarily go to brick-and-mortar buildings,” Angie states. “They’re interested in convenience; they’re interested in certificates.”
Certificates were added to the LPU offerings about five years ago. They are more about education than accreditation, harkening back to the days of Sister Aimee’s original training program. Leaders can be trained on a specific topic quickly, with certificates available in English and Spanish.
“Now we can offer affordable, self-paced programs where people can learn at their own pace and grow,” Angie adds. “Not only in theology, but also in areas like chaplaincy, biblical studies, racial reconciliation or ministry.”
“More and more we are seeing pastors and leaders enrolling—in their 20s or 30s and even into their 60s—in school and craving this training and education. Life Pacific University is working to meet the current needs of our ministerium.”
—Ted Vail, D.I.S.
In addition to a variety of certificates, LPU’s team has moved ahead with a number of new initiatives. In September 2023, during its centennial year, the university launched the Center for Pentecostal Studies and Practice and LPU Seminary while also dedicating its new prayer chapel. In August 2024 it opened the McPherson Preaching Institute (named for Foursquare and LPU’s founder), followed by its first preaching conference in late September.
At the same time the McPherson Preaching Institute opened, LPU East in Christiansburg, Va., launched its first four-year degree programs. Angie expects that step to lead to between 50 and 100 students on the 88-acre campus in the next few years. The campus will have a global and missions focus; Hugo Aldana Jr., Ph.D., who serves as the dean of LPU Global and the director of Hispanic Programs and Initiatives, has moved to the LPU East campus to support efforts.
Ted says the school is regaining some “connectedness” after it closed and reopened, but its shift to a four-year degree is a major boost for LPU East.
“Education has to stay in step with what we call ‘lifelong learning,’” Ted explains. “For me, it’s LPU looking to the growth edge of where the gospel needs to go. They’re meeting with other groups who are looking to expand and saying, ‘How can we help you grow? How can LPU help you to reach your city? How can we train your ministers?’ This paradigm shift is huge.”
While San Dimas remains vital, LPU is now much more than the California campus. The LPU experience is now available through five branches: the undergraduate program in San Dimas, the Spanish program, Life East, an online program that includes certificates and an online master’s program. Next up for LPU? A Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min.) program launching in 2026.
A global reach
Angie says one of LPU’s goals is to become “LPU Global” as the school seeks to strengthen Foursquare’s mission and programs, and forge more partnerships with churches around the world.
They began more than five years ago with a partnership with TCA College in Singapore. Since then, LPU has signed more than 25 local and global partnerships to include local churches, the National Hispanic District, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and many more.
Angie adds that Provost Daniel Ruarte, Ed.D., who also serves as vice president of academic affairs, has recently “engaged a partnership with Foursquare’s South Pacific and Southeast Asia Regions led by Global Associate Director Jerry Stott,” Angie says. “We’re not only connecting with their Bible institutes but their churches, as well. We’re thrilled to partner with Foursquare Missions International and expand leadership development worldwide.”
In Angie’s eyes, Christian higher education has never been more important. Only four percent of Generation Z have a biblical worldview, according to Barna research in 2018, which Angie says presents a situation that calls for more cooperation between LPU and local churches.
“This is our moment, for the church to rise up,” Angie asserts. “That’s why I do this work. It’s urgent. Students who come to LPU want a Christ-centered, Spirit-filled education. That’s what’s making a difference. There are a lot of Christian schools, but they’re not all the same.”
Ted agrees, saying the world needs LPU because of its unique ethos.
“It trains people in balanced Pentecostalism and emphasizes everybody in leadership— including women,” Ted says. “Overall, the graduates of LPU tend to do very well in ministry. Because of its fruitfulness historically and currently, the world really needs LPU. As we turn to focus on our future generations, we believe having a school that trains in our doctrine and transmits our values is vital. When the school does well, we all do well.”
