Colegio Biblico Turns Eighty

By Daniel Llamas

The history of Colegio Biblico began in 1945 when Harland Cary (1916-2014), a man of principle and commitment to the Lord, dedicated himself to serving the Lord as a missionary to Mexico.

Cary, along with his wife Frances (1919-2008), was from Hays, Kansas. In 1945, the young couple arrived in Monterrey, Mexico, with a devout desire to prepare Christian workers to proclaim the Gospel message to Spanish-speaking people. Their desire to equip Spanish-speaking kingdom workers soon resulted in the establishment of Colegio Biblico in Eagle Pass, Texas, in October 1945.

Colegio Biblico was founded as a unique ministry within the Restoration Movement, aiming to uphold sound biblical doctrine while equipping Hispanic students for Christian service and ministry around the world.

Unlike most other educational institutions, Colegio Biblico simultaneously maintains a presence in two countries. Along with the original campus that was established in Eagle Pass, Texas, in 1945, Colegio Biblico opened (in 1996) and operates another campus in the neighboring city of Piedras Negras, in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. The strategy behind operating two complete campuses on both sides of the border is that it enables Colegio Biblico to offer training for Spanish-speaking workers on either side of the border with no concerns about border-crossing issues for students.

The original vision of Harland Cary was to train Bible leaders for the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ in the area around the border between Mexico and the United States. And, as a pioneering institution for the training of ministers for Hispanic populations within the United States, nearly 90% of the Hispanic preachers within Independent Christian Churches in the U.S. are graduates of Colegio Biblico. Nevertheless, the Lord has taken the ministry of Colegio Biblico far beyond the original plan for training ministers in the border region.

Since the college’s initial graduating class in 1949, Colegio Biblico has graduated over 650 men and women for Christian ministry to Spanish speakers around the world. Today, graduates from Colegio Biblico are serving in over twenty-three countries outside the U.S., primarily in Latin American countries but also in one African country (Equatorial Guinea).

From the very beginning, Colegio Biblico has held firmly and faithfully to sound biblical doctrine and to the principles of the Restoration Movement. As students go forth from Colegio Biblico, they are taught to proclaim and promote the teachings of Christ and the apostles as they establish New Testament churches.

This year (2025) marks the 80^th anniversary of the founding of Colegio Biblico in 1945. And, after eight decades of uninterrupted Christian service, Colegio Biblico remains firmly committed to advancing the doctrines of New Testament Christianity and the principles of the Restoration Movement.

Earlier this year, multitudes of Colegio Biblico graduates gathered with current students, staff and faculty members, people associated with the institution, representatives of both local and foreign churches, and government authorities, to both express gratitude and to commemorate the institution’s 80^th anniversary. Among those who gathered for the celebration were three of the surviving children of Harland and Frances Cary. As a part of the celebration, a plaque commemorating Colegio Biblico’s eighty years of service was unveiled.

Today we thank God for the vision of Harland Cary. With the Lord’s guidance, the assistance of his beloved wife, Frances, and the cooperation of their young children, Cary accepted the Lord’s call and dedicated himself, body and soul, to the training of Christian workers for Spanish-speaking areas. Eighty years later, we enjoy the legacy of faith, work, and commitment left by the Cary family.

Today, Colegio Biblico offers five academic programs taught by professors with both academic and ministerial credentials. Currently, Colegio Biblico is training over 65 students who are dedicated to the study of Bible, theology, and ministry. In the midst of adverse times, like those in which we now live, we are confident that the Lord will continue to bless this ministry and that the best years of Colegio Biblico are yet to come.

Daniel Llamas is the president of Colegio Biblico.