Survey: Full Responses from Christian College Presidents

This is a sidebar to the article, “Staying True? (A Christian Standard Report on Our Colleges)”

Also see the sidebar, “Why Some College Presidents Were Hesitant to Respond.”

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Christian Standard recently surveyed college presidents aligned with Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ about their institution’s views on the topics of biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry. The survey was sent to the presidents of 23 colleges and universities. Sixteen presidents answered these questions. Seven declined to respond despite multiple requests. Instead, some of them signed onto a joint statement—issued by a group of 20 college presidents in the Restoration Movement—that expressed their solidarity with one another.

Our reporter, Chris Moon, used the survey reponses and conducted interviews to produce two articles that appear in our November/December 2023 issue: “A Christian Standard Report on Our Colleges: Staying True?” and “Why Some College Presidents Were Hesitant to Respond.”

This lengthy post carries the full responses to the survey from the various Christian college presidents, plus the joint statement that the 20 college presidents released (which is at the bottom of this post).

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Christian Standard‘s survey questions were as follows:  

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

College presidents were asked to answer each question as succinctly as possible. Their answers varied in length.  

Some presidents chose to answer each question in turn. Others blended their answers into a single response. 

Multiple presidents referred to documents already published by their schools. Links are provided where appropriate. 

Also, in response to Christian Standard’s survey, 20 of the 23 college presidents released a joint statement that expressed their solidarity regarding “healthy doctrinal conversations.” The joint statement is published at the bottom of this page. (Note: Six presidents who signed the joint statement provided “no response” to the survey questions.) 

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Alberta Bible College—Stan Helton 

No response. 

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Boise Bible College—Derek Voorhees 

Here’s the lens through which BBC thinks about everything as it relates to our equipping of this generation of emerging church leaders. Our students are coming to BBC with a passion for Jesus, to help build up his Kingdom, and expand his gospel of reconciliation, justice and truth. They are an awesome generation to work with and learn from! However, here are three prioritized observations we’re seeing in them: 

•  They’re entering BBC with a robust social awareness (i.e., via screens, friends and algorithms that are influencing thought).  

•  This is the primary source defining their self-awareness (i.e., how they view themselves, their identity, and those around them). 

•  Thus their Christian faith is less influenced by a biblical awareness (i.e., their view of God and his character is not developed, nor viewed as the authority) 

BBC is trying to transform their paradigm of thought by reprioritizing the order of those influences: 

• We believe a sound biblical awareness first will help students know God . . . as loving Father, as saving Lord, and ever-present Advocate!  
• And since the Scriptural Law of God is like a mirror reflecting God’s true nature, we believe students’ self-awareness will be seen as true in scripture’s reflection of their identity in relation to God (not society). 
• As a result of the reordering of sources, we believe this will better enable our students’ social awareness, to lead and influence people according to God’s character as revealed in the principles of Scripture.  

It’s with that hermeneutical approach that I attempt to respond to your questions and with a brief commentary. 

(1) Biblical “Inerrancy” 

In short . . . BBC holds that: 

1. The Biblical authors wrote God’s truth with their own personality, yet under God’s control and under God’s superintended process. Therefore, no errors occurred with the original recording of God’s transmission.   

2. God has always been protecting the written transmission of His inspired Word. Though some of the copying of manuscripts has been touched by human error, it is still reliable in every way as a source to discover God and His gracious plan of salvation. 

(2) Human Sexuality 

The college pivoted a few years ago from a statement that was pointed and clear, but it felt cold (i.e., “if you don’t agree with our view, you’re not welcome to study here”). We attempted to warm it up while still upholding the Biblical authority of one’s sexual orientation (i.e., “here’s our view according to how we interpret the Bible . . . we invite anyone who aligns with this reading to study with us”).  

Here’s the current statement from our catalogue: 

The College believes that the Bible clearly teaches God’s intention for sexual union to take place solely within a marriage relationship between a man and a woman. The College believes that the Bible teaches this conviction would be compromised by admitting students who engage in sexual practices that are out of keeping with the Biblical ethic. The College therefore reserves the right to limit admission to those who submit to God’s Biblical standards as demonstrated in the embracing of a lifestyle characterized by sexual activity or sexual orientation that is in keeping with the biblically designed expression of sexuality between a man and a woman within a marriage relationship. 

This statement serves to address questions about homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism, etc. that may come up as early as the recruitment stage of prospective students. This also aligns with our on-campus housing code of ethics enrolled student’s sign. (We have no competitive sports, so that nuanced mandate from the Department of Ed. and Title IX does not impact BBC as much as other institutions.) 

This topic relates to the biblical authority stated above. We graciously uphold the timeless truth of Imago Dei, and how that relates to one’s identity. Today’s sexuality confusion corresponds to the original temptation in the Garden . . . to be dissatisfied with being like God in order to be God. So we instruct our students to find their valued identity in the honored image they bear. 

(3) Women’s role in Church leadership 

The college does not have a printed policy on this topic, but rather seeks to create a culture of approachability to discuss it with anyone. Internally, the college holds to biblically principled thoughts that shed light on our history and heartbeat on the matter. This serves to guide discussion around such things as our Board, our preaching degree, and chapel speakers. 

BBC exists to train leadership for the church worldwide according to guiding principles rooted in the authority of Scripture. From its inception, the college has sought to celebrate the work of God on earth through His people by training and helping to place people in positions of influence in the church. We do not tell a local church how to do ministry, but BBC attempts to reflect the DNA of the Church as prescribed in Scripture. Another factor we consider is sensitivity to Pacific Northwest churches supporting the college.  

We realize that when culture is driving the push for changes in reading Scripture related to gender in leadership, it will not stop when it comes for the change in nuclear family. BBC is working to hold the line because many churches will not. How will BBC attempt to do that? With a redemptive hermeneutic. 

The overarching paradigm BBC tries to adhere to when handling non-salvation matters could be summarized like this: We are attempting to apply a redemptive hermeneutic when reading and applying Scripture . . . a hermeneutical lens that sees Jesus’ death and resurrection removing the curse from Gen. 3 all the way through the entire Law (Romans 8:2-4). A redemptive hermeneutic of the roles of men and women in the church draws upon the Garden-ideal (birth order of male first) to view males and females becoming one in the risen Christ with the indwelling Holy Spirit, while also honoring the unique functions a male and female have in the marriage and the church contexts. 

The college seeks to apply a redemptive hermeneutic as a way to preserve scripturally-ordered New Testament structures of hierarchy (i.e., reflections of Jesus in male sacrificial-headship and in shepherding eldership). We understand that this redemptive work (which was begun in Jesus and continued through the Holy Spirit) is taking place in the Church with a desire to see individuals and society be redeemed and restored in Christ. The same redemptive work that is evident in the New Testament model of the Church exists in the contemporary Church. The Church exists today within God’s “new creation” ideal (2 Cor. 5:12–6:2), but not yet in its completed form. The Church also exists to redeem people influenced by temptations to grasp for authority, which we understand to be the backdrop to such Scripture texts as Eph. 5, 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2 when addressing roles of men and women in the Christian contexts of church and home. Those same 1^st century culture pressures surround and oppose today’s Church. Some today fear that by existing too closely to these pressures the Church will succumb to unbiblical principles of male and female roles prescribed by the Lord and authorized in God’s inspired Scripture . . . and eventually lead to the breakdown of the nuclear family. That danger is real. 

So, the college desires to aid churches to uphold Scriptural authority that preserves structures and functions in marriage, the nuclear family, and church leadership. BBC accomplishes that by redeeming the identity of males and females as a way to offer the world a glimpse into the Garden ideal and the “new creation.” The college does not tell local congregations how to do or structure their ministry. The spectrum of women’s roles in structure and function is broad among churches, even among those from the Restoration Movement heritage around the globe.  

The college aspires to be sound with biblical scholarship, interwoven with humility, especially when hiring or inviting men and women to speak. Grasping for authority was the issue in the churches of Corinth and Ephesus when Paul addressed this topic. For the college, humility will discourage women from exercising “authority over” anyone when they instruct or lead (and for that matter, we do not hire men who desire to exercise “authority over” anyone they instruct either).  

The college values community with all believers of Bible-based churches, to link arms with the saints, all the while knowing there will be varying hermeneutical apparatuses applied to the same reading of Scripture. These variations may be over salvation matters or non-salvation matters. Why does BBC risk living out a redemptive hermeneutic when such variance exists among local churches today? Because we want to practice “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” so that together we can mature and aim for completion in Christ by practicing our understanding of biblical truth with grace towards each. It’s not easy nor perfect . . . but we must try. As the slogan in our shared heritage goes . . . “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.”  

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Bushnell University—Joseph Womack 

No response. 

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Carolina Christian College—LaTanya Tyson 

No response. 

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Central Christian College of the Bible—David Fincher 

I’m going to answer your questions by pasting quotes from our bylaws. They were constructed back in 2015 and have been reviewed every four years since then, most recently at the last board meeting in April, and have remained unchanged. I’ll also use information from our theological affirmations, where appropriate. 

1. Inerrancy:  

Bylaws: Final Authority for Matters of Faith and Belief: The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  

Affirmations: Scripture is inspired, wholly without error in the original manuscripts, and the sole authority for the Christian’s faith and practice (1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21; John 10:35, 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13).  

2. Sexuality (Transgenderism): 

Bylaws: We believe that God wonderfully creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders reflect together the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). We believe that the term “marriage” only refers to the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are legally married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). 

Affirmations: Nothing specific, other than the first part of the first sentence: Christ has called the church to be holy, to carry out His Great Commission, and to build up all Christians. Each local congregation should be autonomous and unified, following the model of the New Testament church in government and practice (Matthew 16:18-19, 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:16ff.).  

In practice, we do not allow students to practice active transgender behavior (body modification, dressing, activism, etc.) and remain enrolled. However, there is no public policy in our bylaws and affirmations that would speak to this other than what is above: you were male or female when you were created. 

3. Women in Ministry (Preaching): 

There is nothing in our bylaws or theological affirmations regarding this issue. We consider it a matter of congregational autonomy and unity (see above under affirmations). . . . 

Regarding our preaching major, we do not discriminate against women who seek to pursue it. They may take preaching classes individually or the entire program. Many women have taken our preaching courses as electives for their degree. I don’t believe any woman has received or is currently pursuing a preaching degree. 

Regarding the churches, we can’t tell a church who they can or can’t hire. There are differences of opinions on this topic within the faculty, which we believe fall into the category of opinion. On behalf of the institution, I have signed the Renew.org statement which I believe would be agreed to by most if not all of our faculty on this topic: 

In the church, men and women serve as partners in the use of their gifts in ministry, while seeking to uphold New Testament norms which teach that the lead teacher/preacher role in the gathered church and the elder/overseer role are for qualified men. The vision of the Bible is an equal partnership of men and women in creation, in marriage, in salvation, in the gifts of the Spirit, and in the ministries of the church but exercised in ways that honor gender as described in the Bible. (https://jobs.renew.org/statement) 

4. Teaching Students 

We would teach students that #1 and #2 are core expressions of our identity as biblical Christians. I believe regarding #3, students would have a variety of opinions that we would remind them need to be submitted to Scripture, the local church leadership, and the unity of the body of Christ. Those matters are within their conscience and belong to the realm of Christian liberty. 

To my knowledge, we don’t have any female graduates who are the regular preacher of an independent Christian church.  There may be a handful (less than five) who preach regularly at a denominational church or a Disciples of Christ church. When denominational churches ask us for a preacher on a Sunday, they will sometimes mention that they would be happy to have a woman speak. (This is very infrequent.) We do not assign women to preach at those churches, but if they ask for the name of a woman, we will tell them women who are available and have expressed interest in preaching. Again, this represents a very small number, perhaps less than five total. 

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Colegio Biblico—Gonzalo Flores 

No response. 

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Dallas Christian College—Brian Smith 

Our Statement of Faith, with several elements, is published here:  https://www.dallas.edu/about/#about-accreditation. The following answers in quotes are taken from that statement.  Answers below not in quotes are my commentary on the questions. 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

“All trustees, faculty members, and other persons acting as recognized representatives of this institution shall be willing sincerely to affirm and contend for the following statement: 

‘That the Bible or Holy Scriptures alone is the divinely inspired Word of God, and therein is contained the revelation of the deity of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation for mankind, and the faith and work of the Church; furthermore, that the testimony of such Scriptures testifies to prophecy concerning His advent, virgin birth, miraculous life, blood atonement, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, and final return, and is expressly and historically true in the commonly accepted meaning of the terms; in addition, that the Church of the New Testament ought everywhere to be restored with its divine plan of admission: faith, repentance, and baptism, with consequent godly life; and finally, that the Scriptures are wholly sufficient to build the kingdom of God.’ 

“The college’s biblically-oriented and Christ-centered instruction emphasizes spiritual concerns, loyalty to the historic ideals of the Restoration Movement, and the unity of all Christians.” 

Inerrancy is defined by a combination of the following excerpts: “That the Bible or Holy Scriptures alone is the divinely inspired Word of God . . . and is expressly and historically true in the commonly accepted meaning of the terms.” 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

DCC has three statements that are part of the Statement of Faith: 

Statement on Sexuality 

“We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.” 

Statement on Marriage 

“We believe the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Rescue mission (Eph. 5:21-33). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. 

“We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, cohabitation, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).” 

Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life 

“We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.)” 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

DCC does not have a published statement on the role of women in ministry.   

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

Our faculty and staff guide students toward positions on these issues that are in alignment with its Statement of Faith by teaching them how to think, rather than what to think. Flowing from Restoration ideals, we believe that the best way to equip students to take biblically faithful positions on such topics is to give them the tools to study Scripture responsibly and faithfully for themselves, while providing wisdom and direction from spiritually mature men and women.  

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Great Lakes Christian College—Frank Weller 

The inerrancy of Scripture 

At Great Lakes Christian College we strive to use Bible names for Bible things. Inerrancy is a loaded word that carries weighted meaning for different people. Consequently, we prefer to simply communicate what the Bible does: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

This is endorsed by our Administration, Faculty, Staff and Trustees, all of whom affirm the following as part of GLCC’s doctrinal statement: “We believe in the full and final inspiration of the Bible to the extent that it is the infallible Word of God and the all-sufficient rule of life, and therefore, serves as our guide in all matters of faith and doctrine.” 

Human Sexuality 

Great Lakes Christian College affirms the Biblical view of sexual orientation, gender identity, and marriage. This is articulated in our faculty handbook, employee handbook, board of trustees handbook and student handbook. I am attaching three pages from our Board of Trustee Handbook that lays out the College’s position on these issues. [See section 5, pages 51-53, of the handbook here.] 

Women in Ministry 

The College teaches that this is an issue that is rightly discerned at the congregational level. We teach both the complementarian and egalitarian views. We do so in the context of servant leadership, which is to say the primary concern that followers of Jesus should have is not who is in charge, but rather, how can I serve (Matthew 23:11-12; Philippians 2:5-11). Christian Standard has been wrestling with this issue for more than 130 years (an entire year—1892—was devoted to it). Can we all agree that it is an unsettled issue that correctly belongs in the “in matters of opinion” column? As such we encourage our students to respect and affirm the leadership of the elders at the churches our graduates serve rather than impose a view that contradicts that which has been prayerfully discerned at the congregations to which they are called. 

How does GLCC teach students to think about these issue? 

A more nuanced and complex conversation is necessary to adequately answer this. That being said, we generally ask, What does the Bible say? How does the Holy Spirit lead the local church body as he informs each congregation?  

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Hope International University—Paul Alexander 

No response. 

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Johnson University—Tommy Smith 

No response. 

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Kentucky Christian University—Terry Allcorn 

KCU takes a very strong stand on the inerrancy of Scripture, as do I personally. I’ve included a copy of the document that the faculty sign each year as they renew their contract. [See below.] 

As a consequence of that strong view of Scripture, we have taken a strong stand on the biblical view of gender and sexuality. That stance is represented in all of our key documents. I included the student handbook as a sample. As a side note, I realized that we are planning to post an updated handbook in time for fall, so this version appears dated. However, there are no revisions occurring concerning the topics at hand. 

If I may speak for KCU, we do not view either of the positions above as negotiable and I personally hold wholeheartedly to them. 

I’m privileged to visit many churches during the course of the year. There are also several other faculty and staff who are engaged with the local churches in our sphere of influence. Each of us that are on the road see a wide variance of views on women in ministry within the churches. Even churches that are very conservative have a variety of views on women engaging in ministry. Some do not typically have females up front during services in any capacity. Some are comfortable with females leading in worship capacities or presenting offering meditations. Some are comfortable with females sharing biblical comments, making communion meditations or even preaching. I’ve also noticed a broader tolerance for females who are doing mission work outside of the United States. I’ll leave the defense of each of those positions to those who wish to advocate for a particular view. 

After I received your email, I sat down with several key individuals within the University and asked their thoughts on the role of women in ministry. Each, in his or her own manner, saw it as a matter of liberty and that it should not be allowed to divide us. It is with some concern that I even attempt to comment on the area, because it is a topic that has had a variance of views throughout the history of our movement. I have not spoken with anyone at KCU who supported, nor do I personally support, females being involved in the eldership. I don’t view this as a misogynistic position, but as a biblical stance on the roles that men and women fulfill. Yet, I realize that even that position can be divisive. Some would want me to be more conservative and others would want me to be more open-minded. As an example, we recently received an email from one person who thought we were in error because we had a few female chapel speakers this year, and we received another email just days prior stating that we were being too conservative on several topics including the role of women.   

It is, thus, my view and the view of those I spoke with concerning the topic that this is a matter for the local church leadership to examine and to determine what is best for their setting and how they view the Scriptures on this topic. I do have personal views on this topic, but I won’t attempt to detail them here because I feel strongly that this is a matter of liberty best addressed by the local church. If I find myself in a leadership role at a local church again, I’ll express those views there. 

And, if I may speak as an individual and not as the president of a University, I would like to plead with everyone wrestling with this subject to not allow it to be a distraction from the crucial work promoting a high view of Scripture, the influence and relevance of the church in today’s society, the saving message of Jesus Christ, and the need to see biblical values influencing every area of our society. 

[Editor’s note: The following is the “Kentucky Christian University Faith Covenant” that all KCU faculty members sign each year as they renew their contracts.] 

Kentucky Christian University is a private university affiliated with a fellowship of independent congregations known as Churches of Christ and Christian Churches. Because these independent congregations claim no creed or statement of faith except for the Holy Scriptures, and because no denominational headquarters establishes a doctrinal position for the university, the University will abide by the following brief and general statement based on those teachings of the Holy Scriptures which are taught and embraced by these independent congregations.  

In consideration of Kentucky Christian University hiring me as an employee, I make the following covenant:  

While I am employed by Kentucky Christian University, I will adhere to the following teachings and principles and seek to inculcate them into the lives of all KCU students.  

I believe that there is one God who is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator of the universe, and also the loving Father, Provider of all life, and righteous Judge who in the beginning created and breathed life into Adam from whom He created Eve. God, who is our creator eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

I believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired revelation of God to humanity, and serves as the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. These Holy Scriptures are not to be added to, nor subtracted from, by anyone and are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the people of God may be complete, and equipped for every good work.  

I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to earth in the fullness of time, as Savior and as Messiah. This same Jesus is recognized as the only begotten Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, crucified on the cross after a sinless and miracle filled life on earth, raised bodily as Lord from the tomb, ascended into heaven as King of Kings, and is coming again to reclaim those who are His own.  

I believe that the Church is the divine institution by which God has provided for the preaching of the Gospel and the salvation of the world. This Church, the Body of Christ, has divinely given ordinances, which are Christian Baptism, the immersion of the penitent believer for the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit; and the Lord’s Supper, observed weekly in remembrance of Him. The Church also has a present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life, and by Whom the Church is empowered to carry out Christ’s great commission.  

I believe God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as either male or female, and that these two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). The embracing of one’s biological sex is an embracing of the image of God within that person.  

I believe that Marriage is a union ordained and instituted by God. It was first instituted by God in the early chapters of Genesis and codified in the Levitical law. The Old Testament prophets compared it to a relationship between God and his people, examples of it are in the historical narratives, and, the wisdom literature discusses the unique unity of this relationship. Jesus explained the original intention and core elements of marriage, and several New Testament Epistles give explicit instructions on this union. Marriage is a typology of Christ and the New Testament Church (hereinafter “Church”). As such, the Church views marriage as a profound spiritual institution established by God. Due to the importance of marriage in the biblical witness, Kentucky Christian University (hereinafter ‘University”) is a historically rooted Church-related University and defines “marriage” as the exclusive covenantal union of one man and one woman in which such union is a lifetime commitment. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by this University to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of “marriage” found in God’s Word and the University’s Constitution.  

I believe that Legitimate Sexual Relations are exercised solely within marriage. Hence, sexual activities outside of marriage (referred to in the New Testament as “porneia”—πορνεια) including but not limited to, adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, and pedophilia are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible and the Church. Further, lascivious conduct, rejection of one’s biological sex, and the creation and/or distribution and/or viewing of pornography, are incompatible with the biblical witness.  

I believe that all Human Life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Ps. 139).  

I believe that the Unity of all followers of Christ can be realized on the basis of a return to the pattern for Church doctrine—in practice, in polity, and in life—as seen in the New Testament.  

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Lincoln Christian University—Silas McCormick 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

As your question indicates, because the term “inerrant” must be defined to be useful, we don’t use it in our statement of faith, which says: 

“The Bible, the Old and New Testament Scriptures, is the uniquely inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21). The Bible is the rule of faith and practice for Christians. We affirm that Scripture is the authoritative revelation from God by which we know God’s will and Christ’s authority. We seek to assert what the Scriptures clearly assert and allow freedom in other cases. We seek to understand divine intent, through authorial intent, and we seek to apply its teaching to the contemporary church and culture.”  

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

A bit of context (from our Title IX exemption letter): 

Our identity is found in our acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ. Our race, ethnicity, who we are sexually attracted to, height, past experiences, future prospects, and any and all other of the many ways in which we, as human beings, are able to categorize ourselves certainly exist, but they are not core to our identity (Ephesians 1:3-14 and Galatians 3:23-28). 

In finding our identity in Christ, scripture calls us to be devoted to a lifetime of becoming more like Him, and less like who we are at the beginning of our faith journey. It is stated in different ways in scripture, but it is most clearly stated by Jesus in Matthew chapter 16, verses 24 through 26, when he says that to follow Him, one must “deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Or, as the Apostle Paul says it in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 31, “I die every day!” 

In seeking to live less like us and more like Christ, we look primarily to scripture to see how to do that. Sexual activity is one of the aspects of life that we believe scripture informs—though it is by no means the only one. Our marriages, our work, our children, our financial resources, the way we treat others—particularly the poor and vulnerable, are all also subject to the teachings of scripture. In that regard, scripture is clear that God intends us to live as the man or woman He created, and that sexual activity between us is to take place, if at all, within a monogamous marriage between one man and one woman, and violations of these expectations are used as examples of what it means to reject God’s directives. 

Our policy (from the student handbook): 

Sexual immorality is prohibited by God’s Word, and therefore by the University. This includes premarital sex, extramarital sex, homosexual activity, gender modification, and any other sexual activity outside the bounds of a Biblical marriage. It also includes erotic physical contact outside the traditional definition of sexual intercourse. 

Homosexuality is defined as romantic, physical, or sexual attraction to a member of the same gender. Homosexual activity is defined as romantic, physical, or sexual acts with a member of the same gender. Gender is defined as a person’s physical condition as male or female at birth. Gender modification or medical procedures to become transgender are considered sexual immorality. Similarly, cross-dressing for the purpose of presenting oneself as an opposite gender is considered inappropriate. 

Please note that being attracted to a member or members of the same sex is not a disciplinary matter under this Handbook. However, in light of our understanding of Biblical teaching regarding human sexuality, acting on these attractions will be treated as a disciplinary issue under this Handbook. 

Even though a Biblical worldview does not support homosexual activity or an elected transgender lifestyle, it also clearly promotes general respect for and tolerance of people who do not share a Biblical worldview or interpret pertinent Biblical texts in a manner that is inconsistent with orthodox Christian scholarship. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

LCU takes no position on women in ministry or women in preaching ministry. We do educate and train women for ministry and preaching ministry because we understand that the churches those women presently serve or expect to serve are responsible for their own determination of this issue. 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

From our Philosophy of Education: 

The foundation of our philosophy is the shared belief that truth is revealed by God in the natural world, in the written Word of God, and in the person of Jesus Christ, the Living Word. This revealed truth in all three dimensions is the heart of our curriculum and has for us three key aspects: creational, propositional, and relational. The creational aspect of truth requires a careful examination of the created, natural world and the collective knowledge of humankind throughout history. The propositional aspect of truth requires a purposeful process that focuses on the transmission of the truth revealed by God in Scripture through His Holy Spirit. The relational aspect of truth requires a deep knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ as “the Truth” that involves not only mental understanding but also personal experience as learner-disciples led by the Holy Spirit within a covenant community. 

We want learners who do know basic ideas, interpretations, and information, but can also critically analyze those as needed, synthesizing them in ways that allow for more informed judgments, so that our students can apply them to new situations and practical problems in our increasingly complex and diverse world. Ultimately, we want learner-disciples who continue to grow in all areas of their lives in order to contribute not only to the “common good” but to the Kingdom of God. 

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Manhattan Christian College—Kevin Ingram 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

“We stand for the Divine Inspiration and Supreme Authority of the Holy Scriptures and are committed to a Christian Theistic worldview that seeks to glorify God, recognizing and affirming Christ as King in every aspect of the created order and in every sphere of human endeavor.” 

An additional statement in our official documents would be, “We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God.” 

The college doesn’t have an official stance on inerrancy. 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

We affirm that God’s original and ongoing intent and action is the creation of humanity manifest as two distinct sexes, male and female. With this foundational understanding of God’s teaching revealed in the Bible, we do not affirm the resolution of tension between one’s biological sex and one’s experience of gender by the adoption of a psychological identity discordant with one’s birth sex. Similarly, we do not affirm attempts to change one’s given biological birth sex via medical intervention in favor of the identity of the opposite sex or of an indeterminate identity.  

MCC also affirms that sexual intimacy is designed by God to be expressed solely within a heterosexual marriage relationship between one man and one woman. These views are maintained consistently throughout Scripture and have been understood and upheld by Christian churches throughout history. We cannot affirm any sexual intimacy between a man and a woman in a pre-marital or an extra-marital relationship, any sexual intimacy between two persons of the same sex, and marriage to be anything other than a union between one man and one woman in the contact of a Biblical marriage covenant. In dealing with sexual sins outside of marriage, we must be attentive to Scripture and therefore consistent in applying campus policies to both heterosexual and homosexual situations.  

While we believe it is important to articulate the college’s stance on these issues it is also important to note that MCC recognizes there are those who have very real feelings and opinions that stand in contrast to the college’s stated policy. We recognize that every person has struggles of some type and that all of us fall short of God’s glory. With that understanding in mind, all who read this policy need to know that the intent is to outline a Christian Theistic worldview in relationship to these issues. We also acknowledge that uniformed and harsh actions by Christians have inflicted unnecessary pain on those who struggle in these areas. We recognize our obligation before God to love all persons, understanding such love in the context of God’s revealed truth. We also recognize that due to sin and human brokenness, our experiences in these areas is not always that which God the Creator originally designed, and yet affirm further God’s capacity to heal and transform our brokenness. We aspire to be a community that lives by both grace and truth for all, and all are expected to treat others with respect and Christlike compassion. Hateful, bigoted, or destructive interactions will not be tolerated.  

In keeping with our mission and our commitment to the Bible, all members of the College’s community are to follow the teachings of Scripture and live their lives in accordance with those principles. As a Christian residential institution of higher learning [we] will respect those whose moral views diverge from ours, and seek to embody the gentle and patient love of Christ for all. We will make institutional decisions in light of this policy regarding student admission, housing and retention, employment hiring and retention, and other matters. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

MCC doesn’t have an official opinion on women in ministry and thus particularly in preaching ministry. Our Articles of Incorporation states this . . . “To secure, teach, train and send out consecrated men and women of all nationalities to preach and practice the pure New Testament Gospel among all nations, at home and abroad, and in harmony with the Divine Commission recorded in Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24: 46-47; as exemplified on the First Pentecost after Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension and as elsewhere recorded in the New Testament.” 

Throughout the New Testament it is evident that God used both men and women to reach the world for Christ. We understand that this would be one area where there would be a divergence on opinions and would thus give freedom to a variety of opinions on this issue. We do focus on fulfilling our Articles in preparing both men and women to help reach the world for Christ.  

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

As stated in our Articles of Incorporation our primary focus is “to secure, teach, train and send out consecrated men and women of all nationalities to preach and practice the pure NT Gospel among all nations.” Our doctrine also states that, “We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God.” With those foundational beliefs at our core, MCC teaches students to develop a solid Biblical Worldview that is centered in the Bible. Included in the development of that worldview is to stand firm in the context of God’s revealed truth while also treating all with love and respect, even when disagreeing with their stance or opinion. Our movement often emphasizes in essentials unity, in opinions liberty, and in all things love, and that is a focus of our instruction in issues like these in the question.  

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Maritime Christian College—Richard Jones  

Before we answer the four questions posed, I believe it is important to explain the focus on disciple-making that Maritime Christian College (“MCC”) has adopted. MCC’s goal is to train men and women to be disciple-makers based upon Jesus’ call to make disciples (Matthew 4:19, Matthew 28:18-20). The Restoration Movement within Canada is in jeopardy. Churches are closing and the majority of surviving Restoration churches are smaller now than 10 years ago. Few new churches are being planted. There are many possible causes for this decline but one that is quite evident is the continual ignoring of Jesus’ call to make disciples. Doctrinal questions are important and must be answered with diligence, but it is interesting whenever the Church begins the task of making disciples, questions of doctrine pop up. 

As a final comment before I dive into answering the questions, I want to mention that MCC has found this guideline from Renew.org helpful in separating issues into essential, important, or personal categories (see https://renew.org/renew-theology-what-is-essential-what-is-important-what-is-personal/). Not all of the questions below fit into the “essential” category and we need to be able to present our positions on these non-essential elements with truth and grace. 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

• MCC’s Bylaws were enacted when the school was established in 1960. Bylaw 4 states: “The Maritime Christian College, in its endeavour to educate and equip men and women for Christian service, shall make the Bible its chief textbook, arrange all its courses of study, and conduct its work in harmony with the spirit and letter of the Word of God. To this end every director, officer and teacher must be a member of the Church of Christ (undenominational) and MUST BELIEVE WITHOUT RESERVATION, in the full and final inspiration of the Bible to the extent that it is to him the infallible word of God, and therefore the all-sufficient rule of faith and life . . .” MCC follows this position today. 
• Many MCC graduates, professors, and supporters have enjoyed Jack Cottrell’s works, and also his lectures during MCC’s K. T. Norris Lectures series. For simplicity sake, MCC would hold to his explanation of inerrancy in this article: http://jackcottrell.com/inerrancy-of-scripture-part-one-historical-data/. A summary from this article articulates MCC’s position: “All scripture, as first written by the authors themselves, was produced under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Scripture is, therefore, the Word of God in written form and is infallible (incapable of error) and inerrant (without error) in its entirety when taken in the original meaning of its authors.” 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

MCC has a policy on this question, stated here: 

• We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. 
• We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  

• We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). 
• We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Maritime Christian College as a Bible College, and to provide a biblical role model to the supporting churches and community, it is imperative that all persons employed by, attending as a student, or who serve as volunteers of Maritime Christian College, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22). We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). 
• We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Maritime Christian College. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

MCC believes that every disciple of Jesus, whether male or female, should be encouraged to use the spiritual gifts and natural abilities God has given them to lead and serve in ministries to advance His kingdom purposes here on earth. The use of each person’s gifts should be exercised in a local church that uses a plurality of leaders under an elder governance model, recognizing that Jesus is the head of His church and the elders are the local representatives entrusted to lead the church. Any ministry of that church, whether led by a man or a woman, must fall under the responsibility and accountability of the local eldership, which in the New Testament was to be made up of qualified men who were appointed for that particular role. Here is an article from Renew.org that provides a deeper discussion on this topic https://renew.org/can-women-serve-as-elders-overseers-in-the-church/ 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

MCC teaches students to accept the inerrancy of the Bible as the starting point for guiding Christian faith and practice in matters relating to human sexuality and women in ministry. We invite students to deeply study the Bible to build their position with the inerrancy of Scripture as the foundation. I would also reference the article previously mentioned that provides helpful guidelines from Renew.org to evaluate issues from the viewpoint of whether they are “critical/important/personal” matters. Renew.org has been an important partner of MCC in helping the College move its curriculum to focus on making disciples, and this article from Renew.org provides deeper insight on the topic in question here https://renew.org/complementarian-vs-egalitarian/ 

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Mid-Atlantic Christian University—John Maurice 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

https://www.macuniversity.edu/about-macu/mission-vision/ 

Statement of Faith 

The basic doctrinal position that underlies the educational program of Mid-Atlantic Christian University, stated when the school was founded in 1948 and unchanged today, is that: 

1. Jesus Christ is the uniquely divine and only begotten Son of God, conceived without human father. 

2. The Holy Scriptures are the inspired Word of God, infallibly recorded by men who were supernaturally guided by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in the originals in all the facts they attest and in all communications concerning salvation. 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

https://www.macuniversity.edu/about-macu/statement-on-marriage/

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

https://www.macuniversity.edu/wp-content/uploads/bucket/documents/1337/Role_of_Women_and_the_Preaching_Ministry_Position_Statement.pdf

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

Subjects such as inerrancy are addressed in our Biblical Doctrines course (a required course for every student). Other topics would be addressed in exegetical courses where topics are discovered in the Biblical texts (i.e., Corinthians, Pastoral Epistles, Hebrew History). There is an elective course in Theological Ethics where human sexuality is addressed along with our course on Human Sexuality (a requirement for Counseling and Youth and Family majors). 

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Mid-South Christian College—Larry Griffin 

Mid-South Christian College is a Bible college firmly established within the Restoration Movement, and firmly committed to the principles of that movement. As such, we have no creed but Christ, and affirmatively declare, “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak.” As a college committed to the study of the Bible, we clearly consider the scriptures, comprising the Old and New Testaments, as the inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority for all matters of faith and practice. 

As an institution of higher education, Mid-South Christian College understands the importance of academic freedom in the study and pursuit of truth. We encourage all faculty, staff, and students to engage in critical thinking through the lens of the Biblical worldview. Our policy on Academic Freedom and Responsibility is as follows: 

It is the policy of the Academic Department to encourage faculty members to be rigorous in their pursuit of knowledge and truth. As such, this institution is firmly committed to protecting the rights of all faculty, staff, and students affiliated with Mid-South Christian College in their own quest for understanding. We need look no further than our own spiritual heritage within the Stone-Campbell Movement to find the longstanding practice of speaking “where the Bible speaks” and remaining silent “where the Bible is silent.” Furthermore, MSCC agrees with multiple founding documents recognizing the right and duty of all believers to follow the Bible as God’s authoritative Word in accordance with their own conscience. As stated by Thomas Campbell, matters of opinion (issues where there is no “Thus sayeth the Lord”) may be held as ‘private property,’ but may not be required of other believers who see the matter differently. 

MSCC does not seek to indoctrinate or coerce faculty, staff, or students to ‘toe the party line.’ It is the basic position of the College that truth is revealed by God in the Bible, and as such, the Bible serves as the normative arbiter of truth and knowledge. It is expected that all positions arrived at by faculty, staff, and students must be measured against the teachings of the Bible. The College recognizes, however, that faculty members may have differing views on certain passages of Scripture. The right is maintained for those associated with MSCC to discuss and evaluate all such concepts in light of biblical revelation. With that said, MSCC also expects faculty and staff to support the doctrinal positions of the College and of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ which support this institution. 

These statements outline the boundaries of how the institution should address the contemporary discussions on human sexuality and women in ministry. Where the scriptures speak, we speak, while at the same time recognizing that different individuals have different views on certain passages. If those views respect the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible, they are open to rigorous, academic evaluation and debate, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

While we do not have a college policy or position on these issues, the MSCC Code of Conduct does establish the understanding we have with faculty, students, and staff on personal conduct in relation to the issues of sex and gender. The Code of Conduct states, 

MSCC is committed to an approach to sexuality and moral purity that reflects biblical values according to the following affirmations: We believe that God’s design at creation for sexual desire and orientation is within the bounds of a marriage union between one man and one woman (Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 2:22-25; Rom. 1:26-27).  

We believe that premarital sex, extramarital sex, bisexual acts, same-sex marriage, and homosexual acts violate clear biblical teaching on sexual purity (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:18-20; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5-6). We believe gender identity and roles are aspects of God’s creative design (Gen. 1:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:7-9; 1 Tim. 2:12-14).  

In summary, Mid-South Christian College is an academic institution that encourages critical thinking in search of biblical truth based upon both a clear commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Bible and a firm desire to avoid using the “conclusions” we arrive at from systematic Scriptural study as binding on those Christians who have not arrived at the same conclusions. 

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Milligan University—Bill Greer 

As for Milligan’s individual responses, I’ll just point to things we’ve already said or practices we regularly follow: 

If you’ll confer with Jerry Harris and Mike Mack, you’ll find that I have already answered survey question #1, as part of a dialogue between Jerry and one of our librarians. [See below.] 

As for question #2, see the recent news story I shared with Jerry and that he, in turn, shared on social media, regarding a group’s criticism of Milligan’s Biblical stance on marriage and human sexuality. You’ll find more about our position at https://www.milligan.edu/human-sexuality/. I appreciate the CS sharing this as it demonstrates our beliefs in action. 

As for women in ministry, we have the privilege of helping men and women answer God’s call for their lives, whatever that call may be. Our University mission is to “honor God by educating men and women to be servant-leaders” and our seminary’s mission is to “prepare men and women for effective ministry.” That’s what we do, leaving it to each of our students to discern for themselves what role in ministry God is calling them to fulfill. 

[Editor’s note: The dialogue between Jerry Harris and David Kiger can be found here: https://christianstandard.com/2023/05/my-response-inerrancy-is-a-hill-to-defend-to-the-end/. The pertinent part of Bill Greer’s response is below.]  

. . . Allow me to state clearly that since our founding in 1866, Milligan has adhered to Alexander Campbell’s tenet that “the Bible is our rule for faith and practice.” 

I agree with the following statement that Dr. Kiger himself made to me this week: “At Milligan and Emmanuel we take the Bible seriously because it is the word of God. We believe it is so important that we teach the Bible as part of our general education requirement for all undergraduates and as the core component of our seminary curriculum. We teach and study the Bible in the original languages of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic because we value the unique revelation of God that is in the Scriptures. We affirm the beauty of the Scriptures and love the God from whom the Scriptures come and to whom the Scriptures point. We believe the Bible serves as the guide and directive by which the Church and the individual Christian should live.” 

Milligan takes the words of Timothy quite seriously and believes that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)  I believe this commitment can be seen in the many ways we carry out our work at Milligan, and I am confident that our namesake, Robert Milligan, would be pleased. 

_ _ _

NationsUniversity—John Baxter 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

The best statement about the Bible we know is this: “Whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11 RSV). We affirm the Bible as God’s Word. It is the inspired, truthful, authoritative revelation of God. We use biblical terms in speaking about the Bible rather than the 19th-century term in the question. 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism? 

NationsU courses affirm that mankind is created in the image of God as male and female, and that marriage is between a man and a woman. Our courses openly state the teaching of Scripture against all sexual sin including fornication and homosexuality. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

Our courses affirm what is seen in Scripture. Women were active in the early church, in accord with the principle of spiritual equality. Yet they were expected to act in keeping with social customs of modesty and respectability. Since they were not to violate the relationship of subordination, they were not permitted to assume the role of a pastoral teacher. 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

Our approach to educating students is centered around a rigorous encounter with Scripture. Each course engages the student with the text of the Bible. Students who progress through our courses are trained in principles of exegesis and hermeneutics that help draw out the meaning of the text for its original audience and then apply it to their lives and a more modern audience. Application today is focused on the original meaning of the text rather than redefining meaning based on culture. 

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Ozark Christian College—Matt Proctor 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

In OCC’s published Statement of Faith, the section on “Bible” reads: “God is revealed in the Bible, the uniquely inspired written Word of God and infallible in all that it affirms. The Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)” 

To answer the question directly, we believe Scripture to be inerrant. Since the word “inerrant” requires a much fuller definition, we refer in our classes to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, which can be found at www.etsjets.org/files/documents/Chicago_Statement.pdf.  

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism? 

In OCC’s published Statement of Religious Beliefs, the section on “Gender” reads: “We believe that man and woman were created by God to be two distinct, complementary genders—male and female—possessing equal value, made to glorify Him and who together reflect the image of God. However, as a result of living in a fallen world, we understand that some people experience gender confusion (i.e., perceived gender identity that is different from their biological birth gender). We affirm that those who experience gender confusion are image-bearers of God, and we are called to extend to them our compassion and care. We believe that God’s design for all people is to live out their biological birth gender, and we are opposed to any efforts to alter one’s identity to conform with a perceived gender (e.g., cross-dressing, hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery). (Gen. 1:26-27; Matt. 19:4)” 

In OCC’s published Statement of Religious Beliefs, the section on “Marriage and Sexuality” reads: “We believe that God has ordained marriage as a covenant relationship to bring Him glory. We believe that the Bible teaches that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, permanent union as taught in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-24). By ‘man’ and ‘woman’ we believe the Bible is referring to each individual’s biological birth gender. We believe that God intends intimate sexual activity to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of such a marriage, and therefore that any form of sexual immorality (including sexual activity outside of biblical marriage, homosexual practice, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is prohibited (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gen. 2:24; Ex. 20:14, 17; Lev. 18:22-23; Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 1:18-31; 1 Cor. 6:15-20; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; Jude 7). We desire Ozark Christian College to be an atmosphere of grace, trust and freedom, and we encourage those who struggle with same-sex attraction, as well as those who struggle with other sexual temptations, to share this with trusted spiritual mentors for encouragement, counsel and prayer (James 5:16). We believe that God’s standard for sexual activity outside of biblical marriage is celibacy. We believe that celibacy is a gift from God, possible through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which allows the unmarried to live a life of sexual purity (1 Cor. 7:7-9).” 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

In OCC’s Statements of Faith and Religious Belief, there is no section on women in ministry, and while in places Scripture does address this topic, it does not make it a matter of “first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3). With that said, a succinct summary of our Biblical understanding would be: primary leadership in the church—that is, eldership including the preaching elders (1 Tim. 5:17) we call “preaching ministers”—is reserved for men (1 Tim. 2:12). All other leadership and ministry roles in the church seem to be open to women, including the opportunity to speak publicly a message from God to unbelievers and believers (Acts 2:17; 21:9; 1 Cor. 11:5). God’s mission needs all of His sons and daughters actively using their gifts to build the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

One of our longtime academic deans, Mark Scott, wrote a textbook on preaching entitled Letting the Text Win. That title summarizes the instruction we give students on how to think about any issue, including the ones mentioned above. When cultural expectations—either progressive secular culture or traditional religious culture—or subjective experience conflict with the clear teaching of Scripture, we want our students to “let the text win” by grounding their beliefs in the authority of God’s Word. 

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Point University—Dean Collins 

(When this article was initially posted, we inadvertently left off President Collins’s response. Our apologies to President Collins.)

Our approach at Point is guided by our Stone-Campbell heritage: where Scripture speaks, we speak; where Scripture is silent, we are silent. 

1.  In keeping with the above heritage, we prefer to use “Bible words for Bible things.” We hold that Scripture is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) and true (John 17:17). Therefore, we hold Scripture to be a trustworthy guide for followers of Jesus, a phrase Paul uses six times in Timothy and Titus and John uses twice in Revelation to describe the Word of God.

2.  Regarding human sexuality, the position of Point University is:

a.  The biblical standard is marriage between one man and one woman.

b.  There are two acceptable options for sexual activity within a biblical framework:

i.       Consensual sexual activity within the confines of biblical marriage, or

ii.       Celibacy.

3.  Point University is a parachurch organization, not a congregation with elders commissioned by Scripture to set apart followers of Jesus for ministry. In keeping with the congregational polity of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Point does not ordain people for ministry. Point University’s mission is to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. To fulfill this mission, we seek to educate and equip all who have discerned a call to ministry. The elders at individual congregations will need to discern who may or may not preach.

Again, in keeping with our Stone-Campbell roots: in essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things love.

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Summit Christian College—Dave Parrish 

No response. 

_ _ _

TCM Institute—Tony Twist 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”)    

We believe the Bible is the inspired, only infallible Word of God, and follow it to teach us His will and direct our lives. We still like to call Bible things by Bible names and have no quarrel with the more recent word, inerrancy, since to define it people usually start using Bible terms. Teaching them “to obey” is what the Living Word commissioned us to do. 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

We believe God created marriage as the context for the expression and enjoyment of sexual relations. Jesus defines marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman. We believe that all sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage, including same-sex unions and same-sex marriage, are immoral and must not be condoned by disciples of Jesus. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry? 

We believe that both men and women were created by God to equally reflect, in gendered ways, the nature and character of God in the world. In marriage, husbands and wives are to submit to one another, yet there are gender specific expressions: husbands model themselves in relationship with their wives after Jesus’s sacrificial love for the church and wives model themselves in relationship with their husbands after the church’s willingness to follow Jesus. In the church, men and women serve as partners in the use of their gifts in ministry, while seeking to uphold New Testament norms which teach that the lead teacher/preacher role in the gathered church and the elder/overseer role are for qualified men. The vision of the Bible is an equal partnership of men and women in creation, in marriage, in salvation, in the gifts of the Spirit, and in the ministries of the church but exercised in ways that honor gender as described in the Bible. 

4) How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice? 

The TCM culture is shaped by a strong commitment to obedience-based disciple-making. Our focus is on obedience to the Great Commission motivated by the Great Commandment. We assume that Jesus is very, very smart and that we are at war. If our Leader and Lord, through whom all creation was made, tells us in His Word what we are to believe and practice, we simply follow. Our mission is that we develop Christian Leaders for Significant Service. Our vision is that Every Nation will have Effective Leaders of Disciple Making Movements impacting their Churches, Cultures, and Countries for Christ. This mission and vision gives our students plenty to think about! Yes, we study hermeneutics. But, to help us serve Him and others better, not find excuses for disobedience. 

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William Jessup University—John Jackson 

On all of these questions, see our statement of faith and community covenant here: https://jessup.edu/about/mission/#:~:text=Our%20graduates%20will%20be%20transformed,distinction%20in%20their%20chosen%20career. 

1. What position does your institution take on the inerrancy of Scripture? (Please include your definition of biblical “inerrancy.”) 

We believe that Scripture is inerrant in all that it teaches. Inerrancy flows from the understanding of the holiness (perfection) of God. The lordship of Christ, the authority of Scripture, and the unity of the church are three cornerstones. 

2. What position does your institution take on human sexuality—particularly as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism?  

We are unequivocally committed to the authority of Scripture. Therefore, we are exceedingly clear about the creation of male and female and the biblical teaching regarding marriage as between one man and one woman in a covenant of marriage. 

3. What position does your institution take on women in ministry—particularly in preaching ministry?   

We are generally open to women in ministry in a variety of roles. At the same time, we do have some differences across the university. 

4. How does your institution teach students to think about these three issues—biblical inerrancy, human sexuality, and women in ministry—as they relate to the essentials of Christian faith and practice?   

See above as we consider the authority of Scripture to be unequivocal regarding authority of Scripture, human sexuality. We recognize interpretive differences regarding women in leadership and teaching. 

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A joint statement by 20 college presidents 

As a fellowship of college presidents in the independent Christian Churches, we are grateful for the Christian Standard and questions about our work. We are accountable to the Lord, our Boards, and our constituents. For many years, we have published our confessional convictions for all to read. We want to be doctrinally faithful and relationally transparent, to share “not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (1 Thess. 2:8).  

We also want to practice “in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, love.” In that spirit of unity, as each college shares its beliefs, we share these convictions: 

• Healthy doctrinal conversations are grounded in Biblical authority. We do not want to bend to pressure from secular or traditional religious cultural expectations (Mark 7:8). Instead, like Luther, we want our “conscience held captive to the Word of God.”  
• Healthy doctrinal conversations are marked by loving humility. Even our unity movement has sometimes argued about secondary issues. We want to trust good intentions, focus on issues of “first importance,” (1 Cor. 15:3) and speak with gentle respect (1 Pet. 3:15).   
• Healthy doctrinal conversations are applied with prayerful discernment. Biblical truth remains unchanging. However, obediently applying truth in changing times requires faithful wisdom and contextual awareness (Prov. 26:4-5).  

We thank God for our fellow presidents and intercede for our sister schools. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matt. 9:38), and we understand (perhaps better than most) the need for all of our schools to flourish as Biblically faithful institutions training kingdom leaders for the ministry and marketplace. We look forward to serving our students, our fellowship of churches, and our Lord—together—for years to come. 

Dr. Paul Alexander (Hope International University) 

Dr. Terry Allcorn (Kentucky Christian University) 

Dean Collins (Point University) 

Dr. David Fincher (Central Christian College of the Bible) 

Gonzalo Flores (Colegio Biblico) 

Dr. Bill Greer (Milligan University) 

Larry Griffin (Mid-South Christian College) 

Dr. Stanley N. Helton (Alberta Bible College) 

Kevin Ingram (Manhattan Christian College) 

Dr. John Jackson (William Jessup University) 

John Maurice (Mid-Atlantic Christian University) 

Dr. Silas McCormick (Lincoln Christian University) 

Dave Parrish (Summit Christian College) 

Matt Proctor (Ozark Christian College) 

Dr. Brian Smith (Dallas Christian College) 

Dr. Tommy Smith (Johnson University) 

Dr. Tony Twist (TCM Institute) 

Dr. LaTanya Tyson (Carolina Christian College) 

Dr. Derek Voorhees (Boise Bible College) 

Dr. Frank Weller (Great Lakes Christian College)