Biola University is a private, outreaching Christian, aesthetic sciences college situated in La Mirada, in the U.S. condition of California.
Biola University was established in 1908 as the Bible Institute Of Los Angeles by Lyman Stewart, president of the Union Oil Company of California (thusly known as Unocal and later obtained by the Chevron Corporation), Thomas C. Horton, a Presbyterian pastor and Christian creator, and Augustus B. Prichard, likewise a Presbyterian priest.
In 1912, the school designated R. A. Torrey as senior member, and in 1913 started development on another building at the side of Sixth and Hope St., in downtown Los Angeles, which incorporated a 3,500-seat assembly hall, two extensive neon signs on top of the building declaring "Jesus Saves", and an arrangement of eleven ringers on which songs were played three times every day. These early pioneers needed the school to concentrate on the preparation of understudies in the Bible and missions, as opposed to an expansive way to deal with Christian training that was average of most Christian human sciences universities. The Institute offered a confirmation after fruition of a two-year educational modules. This model was construct to a great extent in light of the Moody Bible Institute. Starting in the 1920s, endeavors were made to widen the educational modules, yet it was not until 1949 that the organization took the name "Biola College" and 1981 when it was renamed "Biola University". Biola re-situated to La Mirada, California in 1959.
In 1915 Torrey declared arrangements to sort out a free church that would meet in Biola's assembly room called the Church of the Open Door. This choice demonstrated questionable with nearby Presbyterian and Baptist church.