Benefits of a Christian Higher Education
By Gary Ledbetter
College-bound students must take into account an amazing array
of details as they finally decide where to enroll. For the
Christian student, an additional characteristic should be
considered--compatibility with his or her beliefs and lifestyle.
My experience as a Christian college graduate and as the father
of children who attend a Christian university suggests some
benefits you should consider.
Relationships are an important part of any educational
experience. Students away from home for the first time will find
relational aspects of their education even more crucial. A
Christian school is uniquely equipped to provide positive
relationships for its students.
For one thing, most Christian schools are smaller. The largest
may be only one tenth the size of a state's public university. A
smaller student body allows for better attention from the
school's faculty and administration. Size and the tendency of
believers to watch out for one another can provide encouragement
as well as accountability to a young person facing new
challenges and opportunities. Certainly, a state school is
interested in encouraging students, but a school with a
Christian mission statement will be better equipped to meet
these needs.
In addition to relationships, a Christian university or college
will normally provide an atmosphere more familiar to Christian
students. A non-Christian campus, especially a large one, can be
quite a shock to incoming freshmen. The more wholesome
environment on a Christian campus can provide just as many
opportunities without all the distractions and stress. This is
not to say that believers should be shut away from the world or
be afraid of their neighbors. Higher education is an important
job, and some students can find the flash and noise of a big
college town detrimental to a good education.
A final benefit of Christian higher education is perhaps the
most significant. The quality of a Christian college experience
is higher than any other. Christian educators have an additional
motivation to do their work with excellence--the call of Christ
on their lives to do just that (I Cor. 10:31, Col. 3:17).
Quality may also be enhanced by the emphasis on subjects and
teaching deemed by God to be of first importance. A biblical
focus will inform the manner, content, and even the scope of an
educational experience, and Christian schools may be less
influenced by cultural (or educational) fads.
A Christian college or university should also teach from a
biblical worldview. Ultimately, there is little point in
attending a school that calls itself "Christian" if it does not
approach all truth as being from God. This is a potential
strength as well as a challenge to Christian schools. A biblical
worldview will see God as the source of truth in mathematics,
science, history, and all other disciplines. Christians believe
that God not only made all things, but also knows them
intimately. Therefore, His lordship over our studies is not
limited to biblical studies.
Not all students have the same needs, not even all Christian
students. For many, though, a solid Christian college or
university will be the right choice. A Christian school can
provide a positive educational experience and a strong biblical
foundation for all the things God will call upon them to do in
the years that follow.
Gary Ledbetter serves as the communications director for the
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, located in Grapevine,
Texas. Gary is a 1978 graduate of the Criswell College, and he
and his wife, Tammi, have three children.
Back to Articles Page |
