• 1971 – Announcement

    In January, Jerry Falwell Sr. announces plans to open a Christian university to his congregation at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

  • 1971 – Founding of LBC

    Lynchburg Baptist College (LBC) is founded, and the first classes are held on Sept. 13 with 154 students.

1971

  • 1972 – Flames Athletics

    Athletics teams are named the “Flames.” Basketball becomes the college’s first intercollegiate team.

  • 1972 – Bible Institute

    A Bible institute begins under the direction of Dr. Harold Willmington.

  • 1972 – Liberty Mountain

    The first section of Liberty Mountain is purchased.

1972

  • 1973 – Seminary Opens

    Lynchburg Baptist Theological Seminary opens.

  • 1973 – Flames Sports Grow

    Lynchburg Baptist College forms its first football and baseball teams.

1973

  • 1974 – First Commencement

    Lynchburg Baptist College holds its first Commencement on May 22, 1974.

  • 1974 – Enrollment Milestone

    The college exceeds 1,000 students enrolled for the first time.

1974

  • 1975 – Name Change

    Lynchburg Baptist College becomes Liberty Baptist College (LBC).

  • 1975 – Women’s Athletics

    Lynchburg Baptist College establishes its first women’s athletic program in basketball.

  • 1974 – NAIA

    Lynchburg Baptist College Athletics becomes an associate member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

1975

  • 1976 – Liberty Bell Monument

    A monument of the Liberty Bell is unveiled on the nation’s bicentennial to commemorate thousands of donors who assisted Liberty Baptist College in paying off the Liberty Mountain property mortgage.

  • 1976 – Liberty Home Bible Institute

    Liberty Home Bible Institute, a correspondence course focused on studying the Bible, launches with more than 2,000 students across the nation enrolled in its first year.

1976

  • 1977 – Prayer in the Snow

    Jerry Falwell Sr. holds a prayer meeting in the snow on Liberty Mountain seeking God’s provision for campus buildings.

  • 1977 – Construction Begins

    After receiving more than $2.5 million in donations, construction begins on the first buildings on Liberty Mountain.

  • 1977 – Candidate Status

    Liberty Baptist College receives candidate status by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

1977

  • 1978 – Convocation of Champions

    The “Convocation of Champions,” the fifth Commencement ceremony, is the first to be held on Liberty Mountain.

  • 1978 – First Buildings Open

    The first classroom buildings and dormitories open on Liberty Mountain by the year’s end.

1978

  • 1979 – A Growing Campus

    By the end of the year, twenty-one buildings — including a multi-purpose center, academic buildings, and dormitories — were under construction.

1979
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