Why Bible Colleges Are Closing…

Bayly—a person I know a bit if only online—is making the point that these colleges are collapsing in great part because of their soft-pedaling or outright repudiation of a Biblical doctrine of sexuality. Bayly himself comes out on the harder side of the complementarian ethic, going a bit further than I would.

Put differently, he’s arguing that a lot of people assume that intellectual and academic excellence means accommodating modern cultural mores instead of confronting them. While of course we do not need to confront just for the sake of confronting, but rather because Scripture requires it, I have seen a lot of cases where people who ought to know better choose to simply go with the flow, the exact opposite of what Scripture and logic tell us.

Plus what Jim noted, and the basics that a lot of people don’t have the means to spend an extra year or two to get a Bible college degree and also learn their trade.

[Bert Perry]

Plus what Jim noted, and the basics that a lot of people don’t have the means to spend an extra year or two to get a Bible college degree and also learn their trade.

What is the benefit of a Bible College diploma? Spiritually speaking, one would know more about the Bible but ar there not more affordable ways of gaining the same objective? I assume one could teach in a Christian school, but demand for CDS teachers declines every year. Likewise for a pastoral position.

I’ve mentioned this many times before, but I believe the ideal route is an undergrad in a secular professional field, and an MA from a seminary. If there is a solid Christian university (e.g. Maranatha) that offers secular professional training with a very, very strong Bible core, that would be even better. As long as your undergrad training equips you to earn a decent living. A BA in Youth Ministries won’t do that. Get a professional degree in a secular field with a strong Bible minor, and do an MA, instead.

• Look into some sort of program where you can do your first two years of undergrad while in high school for free. Washington State has “Running Start.” I did it when I was 16 - 18, before I joined the Navy.
• Do your first two years of undergrad at a community college, and transfer into a University as a Junior. You’ll save oodles of money.
• Join the military for four years, learn a secular trade, and then go to school using your GI Bill for free. The free education is worth it. And, you’ll get professional training to do whatever job you qualify for, and you’ll hit the ground with four years’ experience in that field. If you’re really ambitious, you go into the military with your Associates already (see “Running Start,” above), and use your tuition assistance to finish the last two years of your undergrad for free while in the service, then leave after four years and do an MDiv (almost) entirely for free using your GI BIll.

As the great philosopher Charlie Sheen said, “winning … !”

I probably am in a rather weak position, being one whose kids are avoiding Bible colleges with my support, but I would even back away from the notion that Bible colleges are “unnecessary.” We have a ton of spiritually immature church leaders, and such education is not needed? Hardly! The question is how to bridge the gap in cost and make sure that what’s being taught actually meets the need.

To draw a picture, I’ve had the privilege of reviewing a number of resumes from prospective youth pastors, and have looked into the curricula at their Bible colleges, and I’ve been quite frankly troubled that a lot of them seem to have been taught what to think rather than how to think. I remember being surprised to think that a friend who went to Moody characterized his time there as such, but as I’ve been through this process, I realized he’s probably got a point. If we don’t teach the lost tools of learning, as Dorothy Sayers described them, our choices really are people who have been spoon fed some version of fundamentalism or evangelical life—but not someone who’s going to be able to think through the consequences of things like evangelical feminism. It’s a scary reality.

Bert says he knows me “a bit.” Really?

Many years of reading and commenting on my blog, but he knows me just “a bit?” Weird.

Second, Bert says he’s softer than I am on sexuality. So where does he differ? I simply affirm what every single Protestant father in the faith has always affirmed. And Bert never once disagreed with anything I wrote on sexuality. Not once, if I’m remembering correctly. Correct me if I’m wrong, Bert. Precisely what do I write that you repudiate?

What would strengthen us all today is the absence of diffidence in our aligning ourselves with defenders of the faith. There are precious few fundamentalists left.
Speaking personally, I would count myself squarely in alignment with everything Bert has ever written on sexuality. I wish he could or would say the same.

With affection in the Lord.

* * *

BTW, could someone here please commend our book The Grace of Shame to the larger readership of Sharper Iron? I’m certain every last person here would benefit from reading it. Also, if I may be so bold, my own book on Christian fatherhood titled Daddy Tried. The reviews on Goodreads indicate what my doctrine of sexuality actually is—and isn’t. Thanks for tolerating my pleas. Smile.

[Bert Perry]

A lot of them seem to have been taught what to think rather than how to think.

Bert, I’m guessing that you will agree when I say that a good Christian education does teach a student what to think (“sound doctrine”), so long as that thinking is clear Bible teaching. But if I understand what you are saying, you believe that they must also be taught how to think, especially in matters of application and social engagement. If I understand you correctly, then I strongly agree.

Bible college training too easily indoctrinates students with what to think and what to do, without encouraging students to ask questions and develop critical thinking abilities (Acts 17:11). The end result is an interesting conglomeration of some Bible teaching mixed together with “traditions of men” presented as doctrine, which is a harmful and detrimental combination (Matt 15:9; Mark 7:7; Col 2:22).

Your observation reminds me of some advice my father shared with me before I went off to college, and has shared with me numerous times since. He said, “Son, be a critical thinker, but without a critical spirit.” By God’s grace, I have practiced this perspective and may continue to improve at doing so.

Tom: that’s about what I was trying to get at. Thanks! One minor addition is that I would say that we ought to teach people how to think before teaching them what to think. There is a risk, yes, but if our doctrine is correct…

Tim; “a bit” simply reflects my habit of understatement, as well as the fact that I’ve not yet had the good sense to visit you in Bloomington, but rather know you only online. Regarding the specific distinction in doctrine, the one point where I was not yet convinced, and where I grant I do not remember engaging, is on the point of whether, and how far, male headship ought to extend into the secular world. It would seem that Lydia’s servants—since she dealt purple I’m guessing she at least had servii to guard the wares she sold—would have had to confront this issue had they come to faith. Am amenable to being persuaded, but just have not yet been so. Blessings!

Is that there are less parents who value Christian post-secondary education for their kids. Churches have too often turned inward and do not have the vision to see their sons and daughters be part of the expansion of the gospel of Christ.

[TylerR]

I’ve mentioned this many times before, but I believe the ideal route is an undergrad in a secular professional field, and an MA from a seminary. If there is a solid Christian university (e.g. Maranatha) that offers secular professional training with a very, very strong Bible core, that would be even better. As long as your undergrad training equips you to earn a decent living. A BA in Youth Ministries won’t do that. Get a professional degree in a secular field with a strong Bible minor, and do an MA, instead.

• Look into some sort of program where you can do your first two years of undergrad while in high school for free. Washington State has “Running Start.” I did it when I was 16 - 18, before I joined the Navy.
• Do your first two years of undergrad at a community college, and transfer into a University as a Junior. You’ll save oodles of money.
• Join the military for four years, learn a secular trade, and then go to school using your GI Bill for free. The free education is worth it. And, you’ll get professional training to do whatever job you qualify for, and you’ll hit the ground with four years’ experience in that field. If you’re really ambitious, you go into the military with your Associates already (see “Running Start,” above), and use your tuition assistance to finish the last two years of your undergrad for free while in the service, then leave after four years and do an MDiv (almost) entirely for free using your GI BIll.

As the great philosopher Charlie Sheen said, “winning … !”

(an MA without an undergrad Bible/pastoral ministry degree, I mean)

[Steve Newman]

Churches have too often turned inward

What is particularly sad about this is that churches with an inward focus either don’t recognize it, or worse, refuse to acknowledge it.

It depends on the person. But, generally, I agree with you. However, I continue to be wary of the MDiv as the “gold standard” for preparation, as if the degree guarantees competence. I believe a solid apprenticeship and mentorship in a local church, combined with an MA, can better prepare a man than an MDiv. We’ve all known men with advanced degrees who couldn’t preach their way out of wet paper bags. In my field, I’ve known NCIS agents who shouldn’t investigate kindergarten fights. There are attorneys who have their JD, have passed the bar, but shouldn’t ever leave the library. And so it goes, in every profession.

There is something to be said for a basic graduate degree, coupled with a meaningful apprenticeship and practical experience. It is a mistake to generalize, because people are different. I’ve known men with MDivs who have no discernment, are theological infants, and are absolutely unqualified to lead a preschool Sunday school class.

But, back to the article, I suspect Christians schools which attempt to broaden their base without compromise (e.g. BJU) will see their enrollment grow. MBU and Faith are prime examples. I appreciate MBU’s innovative and aggressive approach to online and virtual education. I wish Central and Detroit had jumped on this train a long while ago. I understand many professional educators and administrators have reservations about online and virtual education (Dave Doran has said as much here, many times), but I believe these fears are groundless.