Colleges &amp; Seminaries

The Challenge Is for All of Us

By Mark A. Taylor Gary Weedman”s analysis deserves careful reading and thorough discussion among church leaders everywhere. Here”s why: Most of us attend congregations led by ministers and other staff members who graduated from one of the schools listed on pages 14, 15. Most of us attend churches that send financial support to one or several of them. Many of us have urged our own children to attend one of these schools. We have strong emotional, philosophical, and financial ties to these colleges and universities. They deserve our support: they continue to serve faithfully, they continue to improve the quality

March 20, 2012

Interview with Terry Stine

By Paul Boatman After a career in ministry and missions, Terry Stine is completing his fifth year as president of Boise Bible College in Idaho. Many were surprised when you became president of Boise Bible College. How did that happen? Well, my lifelong ministry objective is to preach the Word and go where God sends me. My end-of-life goal is to hear “well done, good and faithful servant.” Wherever God sends me, I go and I stay there until he moves me somewhere else. I”ve never looked to jump from one location to another. But you have been

March 19, 2012

What Good Is a College Education These Days?

By LeRoy Lawson With ever larger numbers of college alumni running the country, and not doing such a good job of it, what good is a college degree, anyhow? Are colleges just cranking out more dumb people with diplomas? A friend recently asked my opinion of the “dumbing down of America.” He was referring to the general agreement that, in spite of record numbers of college graduates out there, Americans as a whole appear to be less civil, less informed, less able to reason, and less articulate than ever. (Even the term “dumbing down” is evidence, isn”t it? Is there

March 19, 2012

21st-Century Challenges to Biblical Higher Education

By Gary Weedman Our colleges face the same 21st-century issues as the rest of higher education: rising costs, changing demographics, the impact of technology, the effect of globalization, and, especially for us, a question of whether what we do provides value relative to expense or need. The history of our institutions makes these challenges even more acute, since from their origins they have been independent of one another, which hinders any unified response to these 21st-century challenges. I want to address five issues that we must consider if our schools are to remain healthy and effective. 1. Show Me

March 18, 2012

Christian Colleges, 2011-12 (Chart)

By Staff Our annual chartÂ provides attendance and faculty figures, income and expenditures,Â contact information, and more for 29 colleges affiliated with Christian church and church of Christ. Click here to view theÂ 2011-12_college_chart.

March 18, 2012

2012 College Reports: Building, Teaching, Serving, Growing!

By Staff We asked colleges and seminaries associated with Christian churches and churches of Christ to provide updates on what”s happening at their institutions. Here”s what they had to say (these are listed alphabetically): Alberta Bible College Practical ministry experience has been a hallmark of the education and equipping experience at Alberta Bible College since its inception 80 years ago. Under the direction of the learning services team, ABC is more fully integrating several new practical ministry lab experiences into its regular programs, in addition to the ongoing weekly involvements in local churches and parachurch ministries. Beginning this fall,

March 8, 2012

Emmanuel Offers Web-based Degree Completion

By Jennifer Taylor Last month, Emmanuel Christian Seminary (Johnson City, TN) began offering a new independent study course called “Current Trends in Theological Education” to help students complete unfinished degrees. The online course is designed for previous Emmanuel students who have been absent from course work for more than five years and have completed every degree requirement except the thesis. The new course covers each of the five academic areas studied at ECS””Old Testament, New Testament, church history, doctrine, and Christian ministries. In each area students will complete about 400 pages of reading, review lectures by various faculty members, and

February 2, 2012

Lipscomb University Adds Benefit to Prison Program

By Jennifer Taylor Five years ago, Lipscomb University (Nashville, TN) established the Lipscomb Initiative for Education (LIFE) program to provide opportunities for their students and inmates at the Tennessee Prison for Women (TPFW) to learn and grow together. Each semester as many as 30 Lipscomb students enroll in a liberal arts course held at the prison; classes have included art history, Christian ethics, and conflict management. Both students and faculty travel to the prison for classes. The Lipscomb students work toward their bachelor”s degrees and, until recently, the inmates worked for credit hours to be applied toward a future degree

December 30, 2011

Lincoln Christian to Begin Offering MA in Bioethics

By Jennifer Taylor Next month, Lincoln (IL) Christian University and Seminary will begin holding classes for its new Master of Arts degree in bioethics. The off-campus program will be taught at the Methodist Medical Center of Illinois in Peoria and will also include online components and some clinical experiences. LCU&S designed the program for three groups of students: health care professionals (physicians, nurses, paramedics, medical school students in residence, and hospital administrators); pastors, chaplains, and counselors; and others working in related fields, including pharmaceutical representatives, hospital legal counsels, and graduate theology, philosophy, or political science students. The program will “produce

December 4, 2011

ACU Adds Major in Digital Entertainment Technology

By Jennifer Taylor In Abilene (TX) Christian University”s digital entertainment technology program, students practice a variety of skills while preparing for careers as animators, computer game designers, and app developers. The interdisciplinary major combines the creative with the computerized, requiring work in art, script development, and writing as well as technological comprehension. Abilene professors provide training in the full process from concept to publishing, with an optional focus on mobile game development. Â “We wanted to become Christian leaders in the digital entertainment industry,” says Brian Burton, assistant professor of information technology. He says the demand for the program”s students exceeds

November 13, 2011

WJU Makes Connections in One-Day Fund-raiser

By Jennifer Taylor Â This fall, William Jessup University (Rocklin, CA) tried a new approach to fund-raising””and set a record in the process. Vice President for Advancement Eric Hogue had three goals: to recruit new donors, help WJU students, and to raise the money without taking the staff away from work. “Give:24″ accomplished all three. Every member of the staff, faculty, and administration was encouraged to participate by asking 24 friends and family members to give $24 each. They made the requests and promoted the effort via social media and e-mail during the month of August; donors could give online during

October 10, 2011

Johnson, Other Colleges Partner for PhD Program

By Jennifer Taylor Eight Christian universities and graduate schools have partnered together to offer an online PhD in leadership studies. This new Center for Global Studies, under the sponsorship of Johnson University (Knoxville, TN), will prepare students around the world for academic or ministry leadership. The program “is an online, research-based, interdisciplinary degree that seeks to facilitate the leadership abilities and roles of Christian men and women working in inter-cultural, cross-cultural, and/or international contexts,” the center writes. The degree includes classes in ethics and research and requires focused electives in educational leadership, organizational leadership, or theology of leadership. The proposal

August 5, 2011

Milligan Recognized as ‘College of Distinction’

Milligan College in Tennessee is one of the 200 colleges and universities nationwide to be featured in the 2011-2012 Colleges of Distinction, a college guide honoring schools demonstrating excellence in education. Institutions featured in the guide take a holistic approach to admissions, consistently excel in providing undergraduate education and have a truly national reputation, according to the guide”s criteria. “One of the things we frequently hear from our students and alumni is how much they appreciate Milligan”s faculty,” said Milligan President Bill Greer. “The caring faculty and the many opportunities students have to serve inside and outside the classroom are

May 6, 2011

Johnson Bible College Changing Name to Johnson University

Johnson Bible College announced it will become Johnson University, a name change intended to support Great Commission work, alumni access, student recruitment, and international recognition.

May 6, 2011

Emmanuel’s Name to Change June 1

Emmanuel School of Religion will become Emmanuel Christian Seminary on June 1, reflecting leaders’ belief that the current name no longer communicates clearly with today’s society.

March 22, 2011

Milligan Names Greer Next President

Bill Greer, a longtime Milligan College faculty member and administrator, has been selected as the Tennessee college’s next president following Donald R. Jeanes’s retirement.

March 16, 2011

Milligan Students Helping at Free Tax Clinics

Milligan College business students are helping Washington County residents prepare and file taxes through VITA, gaining hands-on experience while serving taxpayers at Grandview Christian Church and other local sites.

March 12, 2011

Brad Dupray

Interview with Douglas Foster

Douglas Foster discusses Christian higher education, tracing how Stone-Campbell schools have balanced Bible study, ministry preparation, liberal arts education, academic excellence, and unity across movement traditions.

March 10, 2011

Mark A. Taylor

Our Annual Campus Tour

Mark A. Taylor surveys trends from Christian colleges and seminaries, highlighting external focus, institutional growth, student demographics, and questions churches should ask about supporting Christian higher education.

March 10, 2011

LeRoy Lawson