College is more than just a place to continue your education after high school. The time you spend at college will change and shape you in ways you could never imagine.
Sure, college is a place to gain knowledge, skills and experience, unlocking a variety of careers and jobs. And, yes, college will help you get a job, keep a job and make more money. But college is also a time of exploration—determining who you are and who you will become. You’re setting the course for your life by many of the decisions you make and through the people with which you come into contact. College is a place that allows you to spread your wings and determine where and how you want to fly.
When you go to college, you’ll be exposed to lots of new ideas. This can be especially true for a Christian who chooses to attend a secular university. The people you meet and the curriculum taught at secular universities often espouse ideas that are far from those found in the Bible. Attendance at a secular university also unnecessarily places you in harm’s way, making you an easy target for an enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy you.
In Philippians 4:8, the Bible instructs us, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise dwell on these things.”
When you choose to attend a secular university, it can be very difficult to follow the advice given in this Bible verse. You’ll be constantly bombarded and challenged by ideas, behaviors and practices that go against those taught in the Bible. For these and many other reasons, you should consider carefully the merits of attending a Christian college or university.
What is a Christian College?
In Matthew 22 when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
At a Christian college, Christianity and higher education are closely linked to the concepts found in these verses in Matthew which instruct us to love God above all else. A Christian college equips its students to have a biblically-based mindset—thinking, behaving and performing as the Bible instructs—as they prepare themselves for the vocation God has chosen for them. As part of their training, students are also equipped to be agents of change based on a fully formed Christian world view.
This demonstrates the biggest difference between secular and biblically-based colleges or universities in the US (where the predominant religion is Christianity)—Christian principles are integrated into the curriculum. According to the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, part of the mission of a Christian college is to “support a coherent approach to education in which the development of the mind, spirit, body and emotions are seamlessly woven together in the quest not just for knowledge but also for wisdom.”
According to this, a Christian college equips its students with a very important asset—wisdom. Proverbs 8:11 tells us, “For wisdom is better than jewels; and all desirable things cannot compare with her.” Biblically-based colleges help students discern how God wants them to serve (their life’s work) and where they can make the biggest difference and do the most good while using the talents and desires that God has imparted to them.
Other activities such as community service projects, chapel services, mentorship from spiritual guidance counselors and student-led focus groups which closely examine and discuss the Bible are common on Christian campuses and work together to instill Christian values.
Reasons to Attend a Christian College
We’ve already touched on a few excellent reasons to attend a Christian College. Let’s look at a few more.
As stated earlier, college is a place that allows you to spread your wings and determine where and how you want to live your life. At a Christian College, you’ll discover and more fully solidify your God-given purpose and passions. You’ll learn how to read and interpret scripture to nourish your spiritual life, to solidify your foundational beliefs and for academic purposes.
Education at a Christian College should do more than prepare you for a job. It should also help you:
At a biblically-based college, the faculty and administration will act as friends and mentors who take an interest in your personal and spiritual life. They, as well as the friends you make, will hold you accountable in your studies and your behaviors. These same people will also challenge, encourage, pray with and worship with you on a daily basis, acting as a spiritual safety net. You’ll develop lasting friendships with them that will serve you well during your time at the college as well as many years into the future.
At a biblically-based college, you live, learn and grow within a community of believers who are committed to living a life that is pleasing to God. According to their mission statement, at Geneva College, you’ll receive a comprehensive education that will equip you for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor, just as Jesus commanded in Matthew 22.
At a biblically-based college or university, you’ll learn to live a life centered on certain core values. Geneva’s core values state that with Christ as King and under scripture, students will:
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 16, 2019
Faithful Doubt: Habakkuk, written by pastor Travis Scott, explores the short prophetic book of Habakkuk, in a practical and meaningful way through the lens of a doubter. Travis approaches the passage of scripture from an honest and humble perspective, recalling difficulties experienced as a husband, father, and pastor.
Our perspective of ourselves can impact the beauty and value we see there. This view can end up being very different from how God and others see us. When we look at ourselves, we tend to see all the qualities that we dislike. But we need to adjust our perspective and make sure we are using the lens of Christ.
Handing our cares and worries over to God gives us peace which keeps us from falling into doubt, as stated in Philippians. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
At Easter, a good question to ask is, "How are people saved?" This should be a question that Christians can easily answer, and indeed most can. However, sometimes Christians are less knowledgeable about the doctrine of justification and its important distinctions than perhaps they should be.
When someone shows us mercy, they are not giving us the punishment that we deserve. Jesus models this action for us in multiple ways. The importance of the exhibition of mercy by Christians is displayed throughout the New Testament, and there are many ways for us to show mercy daily.
In a world that has been impacted by sin, there is always more that can be done to ensure a mindset of good stewardship and redemption. It starts with understanding that God intends to connect man’s physical existence with the environment from which he was brought forth and continues with educating people with sensible information.
"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." Yet sometimes, when the world seems to be in crisis all around you, resting in the Lord seems nearly impossible. With worldwide pandemics, civil unrest, and violence on every news headline today, how can you turn your focus to the Lord and find your hope in Him? In the year of COVID, you may find that your stress and anxiety levels are higher than normal. How should you respond?
Find a semblance of balance by planning when and how you will take advantage of your newfound sense of freedom.
On this National Day of Prayer in the United States, we remember our students in their finals week taking exams, finishing papers and closing out the semester at home. We are thankful that God has provided them and entrusted them into our care during their college years. We pray God will uphold us in this task and them in their challenges.
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