College Bible Class

Of the more than 5,300 colleges and universities in the U.S.A., only 600 (11%) offer higher education in the Christian faith tradition. In formative compulsory education the incidence of Christ centering is even less, about 7%. As Christ in education has declined, so has family life. The U.S. marriage rate is only 7%, with an average age of marriage 28 years. America leads the world divorce rate, now about 50%. Those attempting to preserve family values via home schooling are only 3% of the population.

For some time, society has been aware that “Knowledge is Power.” The quote is commonly attributed to Sir Francis Bacon, Father of the Scientific Method, about the year 1597. The world’s embrace of higher education came first through religion, for the training of clergy, who were among the very few literate members of society. Clerical literacy derived from permanence of and faith in the Holy Scriptures, amazingly preserved for thousands of years. It might be said that those who could read the God-inspired ancient manuscripts were driven by a holy passion to unlock the power of God invested in special revelation. Supernatural truth, that known to have been intentionally shared by God with Adam’s race, creates a zeal for understanding origins and purposes that no scientific method, anchored (as it is) to observation and empiricism, could hope to evoke.

The Holy Scripture (also called the Word of God) rises above today’s vast information power or historically renown knowledge power into the realm of understanding regarded as “wisdom.” This rarified knowledge connects things of visible earth to invisible things of heaven, especially to the Mind of God or Mind of Christ. From Deity sprang the material universe as an awesome expression and testimony of His infallible and powerful thinking. Made in His image, humanity also creates things. But we do so from other things already visibly in existence. Our Creator, the Creator of all things, did His generative work out of nothing, or, more accurately, out of His invisible self. Something-from-nothing creativity is but one of the distinguishing marks of Supreme Being, true Deity. Though God be a Spirit, modern Jew Albert Einstein may have glimpsed the fathomless power of God within his theorem: E=MC2 . It basically says that our material universe sprang from invisible energy of an incomprehensible magnitude. The speed of light moderator, C, raised to the second power (squared), has given many scientists the notion that material creation occurred fast, spawning the popular “Big Bang” theory. The Spirit of the Holy Scriptures describes the whole creation process as lasting six days. Both characterizations of power (energy expended per unit of time) support the notion of God as all-powerful, Almighty, omnipotent.

Surely we are ill-advised to undertake modern higher education without regard to the invisible Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the quickening “dynamite” of God. Trinity God has infinite power we sadly lose or squander if He is not centerpiece in all education, especially higher education. Statistics on secularization of education imply that we are filling our “mind sails” with weakening wind. The rising inventory of modern unsolved problems also testifies that we are not speedily or potently producing answers. The evident solution is to re-Spiritualize education, both primary and higher education, to inbreed divine character early and insure that potencies of higher knowledge not be misdirected. One simple, easy, affordable answer sown in the context of secular higher education is offered in this Blog: the College Bible Class (CBC).

The Principles: College Bible Class in a secular institution should be offered as an elective, so searching minds can seek answers to the inevitable metaphysical questions without being forced into such inquiry by a required course. Since a CBC involves serious pedagogy in the realm of permanent truth, there should be appropriate college credit hours and grading given for those who complete the course.

The Classroom: College Bible Class should be taught in a classroom of the host secular institution, rented and equipped by a surrounding supportive Christian community (e.g., slide projector, overhead projector, easel, computer, smartboard, Bible software) at no cost to the secular institution. Publishing the Good News of God (the Gospel) is a responsibility and burden the Church of Jesus Christ must bear. Music equipment to teach Spiritually inquisitive students the most famous Hymns of the Christian Faith should be part of the CBC infrastructure. The Creator of all does His work with matchless function and form, so the artistic nature of faith reasonably accompanies rigorous teaching of core principles. In this connection, classroom delivery by the CBC teacher rises to the Spiritual level of preaching. Furthermore, associated Hymns of the Church might be regarded as musical mini-sermons possessing very high recall power. Teachers are encouraged to schedule guest speakers for a few of their classes, to give their Christian Testimony. Christian teachers at the secular institution, civic leaders, industrialists, business men, sports figures, etc., can be very effective and memorable examples to impressionable and questioning minds. These guests practice, often quite successfully, what the CBC leader is teaching, affording priceless validation of Christ-centered living and working.

The Roman Church and some eastern churches have successfully used statuary and graphic arts to bring greater visual reality to distant, unseen Biblical history among the illiterate. Since secular academia has become rather Spiritually illiterate, the classroom might benefit from the presence of statues and portraiture (with documentation) that enhance realism of holy figures and landmark moments of Old Testament and New Testament times. We live in highly visual times. The inquisitive of today are accustomed to learning enriched by photography, videos, cartoons, and sketches. Spiritual realities of yesteryear can become alive in the College Bible Classroom with artful wall decorations and peripheral adornments rich in Spiritual truth and creativity.

The Text: Name-inscribed Bibles should be provided by the Christian Community at no charge to the secular institution or secular students. Churches have a tradition of gifting keepsake Bibles to school graduates in their respective congregations, so graciously furnishing a Bible “textbook” not without precedent. Each CBC Teacher should lovingly sign each given Bible as a token of fatherly mentoring or brotherly discipling. In the most holy Christian Faith, nothing is done without love. In the context of higher education, textbook emphasis should be given to scholarly cross-referenced Study Bibles, Concordances, and easy-reference tabbed pages. Like their secular counterparts, notebooks should be included with issued classroom materials. Pens labeled “W.W.J.D.” standing for “What Would Jesus Do?” can be provided to add Spirituality to the discipline of note-taking. Depending on Church community capability, students might also be furnished tablet computers or laptop computers fit with Bible Software. This allows the Counsel of God to be a very present help for knowledge work and scholarship. Protective Bible satchels can be a very nice accessory for damage-free portability in school and elsewhere. To propel CBC students towards deeper Bible truth composing Christian Doctrine, the course Bible text or software should be companioned by a paperback or software copy of the Westminister Confession of Faith, Shorter Catechism.

The Teacher: Male volunteers from the Christian Community who are already college educated and experienced Sunday School teachers, Bible Study veterans, Pastors, or Youth Leaders should be good authority figures and candidates for teaching College Bible Classes. They should continue their Church fashion tradition of “Sunday Best” attire in the secular classroom. Church is a love-marriage-family institution, so it might also be nice to have the male volunteer assisted by his wife, wearing her Sunday Finest. The teacher singleton or dyad should discharge services (1) with love and (2) at no cost to the secular institution. It might be refreshing to continue other Church traditions within the secular academic environment by (1) greeting each arriving student with a friendly handshake, (2) opening class with prayer, (3) closing class with a Biblical benediction, and (4) giving each student a warm handshake on leaving the classroom.

Note on Shaking Hands

Men have used the rite shaking of right hands for a very long time. It is quite Spiritually significant. Jesus Christ is known to set at the right hand of God. Christ in you makes you a Son of God and faithful doer of good (right hand) works. The Holy Spirit is the quickening power of God, His eternal mover and shaker, and seal of the Trinity of God. So, shaking hands implies heavenly agreement and motivation, and composes an enlivening seal to the affairs of man.

Academic Host

Professors of the secular host institution should not be offended by having outsiders handle a College Bible Class. Neither should secular college administrators. Reputable community churches are willing to provide their best staff and Spiritually-qualified teachers at no cost. Academicians might regard this gift from the Spirit Community as adjunct faculty of requisite special expertise, pre-validated by community acceptance of their affiliated Churches co-serving the region. Perhaps a letter of recommendation from a sponsoring Church or the assembly of sponsoring Churches would be sufficient endorsement to approve a CBC appointment. They should be qualified to assess Spiritual credentials, which are special and presumably outside the expertise of a secular institution. Jesus Christ and the teaching Apostle Paul clarified the necessity of fruitful Spiritual qualification if faith is to be shared, if seekers are to be edified:

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John:3.3

(Jesus told Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, he can’t instruct Israel about God if he cannot see and know the Spirit of God)

If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

(God’s man must do everything lawfully [according to Scripture], especially in pursuit of mastery [excellence])

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 2 Timothy:5-6

(Men partnering with God to advance His Kingdom on Earth must already know [experience] the fruits of serving God)

The Tests: Evaluate memorization of key Bible verses, answering key Catechism questions, speedy recitation of name order for all books of the Bible, explaining the Plan of Salvation, singing or reciting verses from old standard Hymns. Memorize 12 Tribes of Israel. Memorize 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. Write a term paper on Biblical conditions of Christian Marriage. Give Certificates of Achievement for these steps of progress. Allow students to recite or write their own Testimony of Faith when appropriate.

The Graduate: The CBC teacher should provide a suitably dated “Sheepskin” certificate of Born Again Christianity (per Christ’s advice to Nicodemus) when any discipled student is converted. Schedule an “informal communion” at the conclusion of the course by holding a pizza party or ice cream party in the classroom or at a restaurant near the school.

The Apostle Paul was a respected Pharisee teacher of Israel and belated disciple of Jesus Christ. He wrote more of the New Testament than any others discipled by Jesus. One of his charges, Timothy, received training chronicled in two very special letters among the total of 27 sacred writings composing the New Testament. Both First and Second Epistles to Timothy can be considered thematic for the College Bible Course. A few timeless quotes from the Timothy letters provide matchless touchpoints of training aptly closing this blog message aimed towards further heightening present-day higher education.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman needing not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 1 Timothy:2.15

(Real pedagogy involves comprehending the eternal truth of God through most careful study leading to shameless workmanship.)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy:3.16-17

(The Bible is God’s self-validating textbook for living right, working right, and achieving perfection.)

#HigherEducation #Bible