Academics
Academic Programs
Associate Degree in Biblical Studies (ABS)
The Associate Degree is a two-year program designed to develop the student's knowledge and understanding of God and His
redemptive work. Students may focus on biblical studies or education, each of which centers on a biblical core, supported by
general education and Bible-related courses, which aid the student in becoming effective in life and ministry. All credits are transferable toward more advanced degrees in our college.
Bachelor of Biblical Studies (BBS)
The Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree focuses on academic preparation, biblical competency, and real-life application, all of which enable students to think clearly, examine their Christian heritage, write distinctively from a biblical-theological worldview, and communicate the gospel effectively. The program is also designed to provide a solid biblical and theological foundation for those
students who plan to pursue seminary or graduate studies.
Master of Biblical Studies (MBS)
The Master of Biblical Studies degree provides focused study in Bible, theology, biblical interpretation, biblical languages, church history, missions, evangelism, and a generous assortment of electives. Students will be taught to utilize the tools necessary for sound biblical exegesis and interpretation, effective biblical communication, and confident leadership in the local church and other contexts. Central to the program will be a student's ability to learn to work with the original languages and engage in theological research.
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
The MDiv program, which is the standard three-year degree for the pastorate, offers a well-rounded theological education by
covering all the vital areas needed for effectiveness in pastoral ministry. Students considering the pastorate are strongly encouraged to enroll in the this program, which includes theology, biblical exegesis, church history, apologetics, preaching, counseling, and church administration, just to name a few.
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The Doctor of Ministry is a professional degree designed to integrate theological learning into the context of responsible ministry and service in the kingdom of God. Providing ministry leaders with further education and training is a key aspect of the program. Students focus their studies on one of these ministry areas: pastoral ministry, worship, Black church studies, church and community relations, chaplaincy, theological education, or administration/leadership The program culminates with a project and its
accompanying dissertation.
Questions? Call (757) 559-4285
President
LeRoy Hill, Jr., MDiv, DMin, DMin
Dr. LeRoy Hill, Jr. serves at PBCTS as the President and is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Virginia. He has a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1991. In May 2015, Dr. Hill earned his first Doctor of Ministry degree from Virginia University of Lynchburg, and later in 2017, he earned a second Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University. Prior to being called to the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dr. Hill taught as an
adjunct professor in the Oklahoma Baptist University, and the American Christian College and Seminary, teaching courses such as: Old Testament Survey, The Minor Prophets, Principles of Biblical Interpretation, and more. In August 2008. Dr. Hill
attended an intensive study course in hermeneutics and homiletics at Regents Park College, at Oxford University in England.
Dr. LeRoy Hill Jr.
President, Faculty, DMin Program Facilitator and Advisor
Assistant to the President
Larry Brayboy, MDiv, DMin
Dr. Larry S. Brayboy is the Assistant to the President at PBCTS. He also teaches at all levels of PBCTS theological study degree programs, being the the co-founder and director of the Ministry Certificate Program. Building upon his successful book The Black Church in America: Preparing for a New Century, Dr. Brayboy is a mainstay at PBCTS, having exceptional administrative experience in his role as Provost and now as Assistant to the President. Academic degrees include an M.Div. in 1998, and his D. Min. in 2000 at Providence Bible College & Theological Seminary. Preparatory work included studies at Old Dominion University, University of Maryland, and Tidewater Community College. Currently, Dr. Brayboy pastors Search Point Bible Fellowship in Newport News, Virginia, where he also leads a hands on ministry of leadership mentoring. Dr. Brayboy also served as president of Kingdom Bible Institute from 2003-2013.
Dr. Larry Brayboy
Assistant to the President and Faculty
Academic Dean & Registrar
Donald Mills, MDiv, PhD
Dr. Donald Mills is the Dean of Academic Affairs and Registrar at PBCTS. He also teaches numerous classes. He holds the MDiv from Corban University, Salem, Oregon, summa cum laude and a PhD in Hermeneutics from Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He currently serves as an elder and worship leader at Great Bridge Community Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. He has contributed to theological journals, anthologies, Bible dictionaries, a study Bible, and a
theological wordbook. Additional studies include the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Arizona, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Drake University, Faith Baptist Bible College, and Talbot Theological Seminary. He has served as a pastor in Washington, California, Ohio, and Virginia and has taught in three seminaries. He is a member of the Institute for Biblical Research and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. You may reach Dr. Mills here: (757) 559-4285
Dr. Donald W. Mills
Dean of Academic Affairs, Registrar, Professor of Biblical Languages, Director of all Diploma, Undergraduate, and Graduate Programs
Charles Stover, MDiv, DMin
Dr. Charlie Stover graduated from The University of North Carolina with a degree in Journalism and worked for
newspapers for 14 years as a reporter, writer, and editor. He earned a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry Degrees from Providence Bible College & Theological Seminary and has served as a professor at PBCTS for 15 years. His international work has included coordinating international students. He
occasionally leads voyages and pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to sites in Egypt, Greece, and Turkey. He is an expert grammarian and has written speeches for a former US president. He is listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who. Dr. Stover serves at Trinity Christian Church, Suffolk, Virginia.
Dr. Charles Stover
Faculty
DMin Project Advisor
Lawrence Willis, MA, MDiv, DMin
Dr. Lawrence Willis is a graduate of The College of Wooster, The Ohio State University, The Interdenominational Theological Center, Johnson C. Smith Seminary, Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary and has taken advanced courses in theological formation from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Rev. Willis is a Critical Incident Stress Management Facilitator certified by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Currently he serves on the Synod Assembly of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, Chairman of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia Nominations Committee of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Board Chairman of the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center,
former Chairman of the Office of Human Affairs and former member of Johnson C. Smith Seminary Board of Trustees.
Dr. Lawrence Willis
Professor of Theology & Ministry
Beatrice Toombs, MA, MDiv, DMin
Dr. Beatrice Toombs holds graduate degrees from Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary, Richmond Seminary, and Hampton University. She earned her Doctor of Ministry from Providence, Master of Divinity from Richmond Seminary, and Master of Arts from Hampton University—graduating with
honors from all three institutions.
A consecrated Deaconess, Dr. Toombs has served her church and community through evangelistic outreach and leadership in numerous ministries. She was recognized by the Peninsula Deacon and Deaconess Council for her dedicated service.
Dr. Toombs is an educator with more than 42 years of experience in teaching, administration, and educational leadership. Her contributions have been honored through multiple awards, including Outstanding New Teacher, Technology Educator, and Regional Conference Presenter. She currently teaches
leadership classes at PBCTS.
Dr. Beatrice Toombs
Faculty
Ervin Scott, MDiv, DMin, DD
Dr. Ervin Scott has served as Pastor of The New Rose of Sharon Elim Baptist Church in Chesapeake since 2015. In his role as faculty, he has taught courses in Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, Church Administration, Theology of Pastoral Ministry, and Pastoral Counseling.
His academic achievements include a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, and a Master of Divinity from Richmond Seminary. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from The Norfolk Seminary and College in 2004 and was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree by Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary in June 2024.
Dr.Ervin Scott
Faculty
William D. Tyree, III, ThM, DD, DHL
Dr. William D. Tyree, III began his pastoral ministry in July 1996 when he was installed as the 13th pastor of First Baptist Church, Berkley, in Norfolk, Virginia.
A graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1983 and served in the United States Navy for thirteen years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander upon his
separation from active duty.
He went on to earn a Master of Divinity, Magna Cum Laude, from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in 1999. He later received a Master of Theology degree from Union Theological Seminary and the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond in 2001.
In recognition of his outstanding visionary leadership, Eastern Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia, awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree in 2002. In 2025, Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary conferred upon him the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (D.H.L.).
Dr. William D. Tyree
Faculty
Charles (Chuck) Harrison MDiv, D.D.
Dr. Chuck Harrison serves as the Director of the Peninsula Baptist Association, a network of 60 churches located in and around the Virginia Peninsula. Before assuming this role, he pastored Crossroads Community Church in Yorktown, Virginia, and previously served on the staff of the Norfolk Baptist Association. Throughout his ministry, Dr. Harrison has also held pastoral and associate pastoral roles in several churches.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Old Dominion University in 1977 and a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1980. In recognition of his faithful service and leadership, Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree in 2023.
Dr. Harrison currently serves on the Board of Directors of the V3 Church Planting Movement and has contributed in various
capacities to the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
Dr. Charles (Chuck) Harrison
Faculty
William Royster Jr, MTS, DMin
Dr. William Royster began his academic journey at Saint Leo University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies in 2014. He continued his theological education at Liberty University, where he received a Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
degree in 2017. He was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary in June 2023.
A preacher’s kid raised under the spiritual guidance of the late Reverend William Roosevelt Royster Sr., Dr. Royster has long been rooted in ministry. He joined the United States Navy in 1983, where he discovered a passion for teaching. After
completing a rigorous instructor training program, he was
designated a Master Training Specialist (MTS). Over the course of his 24-year naval career, he rose to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer before retiring in 2005.
With more than two decades of church leadership experience, Dr. Royster has distinguished himself as an advocate, advisor, and pioneer in the area of church security. His doctoral
dissertation, Church Security as a Ministry, is being developed into a groundbreaking publication that offers a model for
integrating safety and spiritual care in the life of the church.
Dr William Roosevelt Royster, Jr.
Faculty
Avery Jerome Danage, Sr. MDiv, DMin
Dr. Avery Jerome Danage Sr. serves as Senior Pastor of Povidence United Church of Christ in Chesapeake, Virginia—the oldest African American congregation in the Southern Conference of the UCC. A native of Warren, Ohio, he is a first-generation pastor devoted to Christ-centered leadership and community transformation.
He earned associate and bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice from Kent State University, a Master of Divinity from Ashland Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from the same institution. Dr. Danage also serves as Professor and Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary.
He sits on the boards of the Southern Conference of the UCC and the Eastern Virginia Association, and is a certified instructor with Leadership Training International. He and his wife, Semone, have four children and five grandchildren.
Dr. Avery Jerome Danage, Sr.
Faculty
H. Patrick Cason, MDiv, DD
Dr. H. Patrick Cason has faithfully proclaimed the Gospel for over a decade. A graduate of Norfolk State University, he earned a B.A. in Music Media with honors, followed by dual Master’s degrees in Divinity and Christian Education from Virginia Union University’s Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology.
Since 2016, he has served as Senior Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he has fostered strong partnerships with local churches and civic organizations. He is also the founder and CEO of A Real Chance VA, a nonprofit committed to community uplift and transformation.
Pastor Cason’s leadership has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Outstanding Leader Award from Chesapeake Mayor Richard West and the 2019 Hampton Roads Encore Award for Best Pastor. He serves as Second Vice President of the Coalition of Black Pastors, is active on the Mayor's Campostella Youth Taskforce, and also holds a membership in the prestigious Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
In 2025, he was honored with the conferral of a Doctor of Divinity degree from Providence Bible College and Theological Seminary.
Dr. H. Patrick Cason
Faculty
