What makes a college "Christian"?

• - Who do they allow in leadership positions? Are the administration, faculty, staff, and students expected to be Christian?
• - Does the mission statement for the university include anything about God, Jesus, or Christianity?
• - Do they hold chapels? Do they make an attempt to nurture the spiritual life of students?
• - Is Christianity (specifically) built into the curriculum?
• - Does the University expect its students to uphold biblical standards aside from just basic “moral” rules as part of their handbook?

• 1. Does the mission statement promote Christian values? A good indicator of a university’s spiritual inclinations can be found in their mission statement. This can usually be found on the homepage of their website. The mission statement is the core goal of the university for its students. Universities that have mission statements that include biblical values, God, Jesus, or anything along the lines of preparing Christians for something are clearly serious about declaring their spiritual goals for their students.
• 2. Is the Bible and Christianity built into the curriculum? The curriculum is also a great way to determine how prevalent Christian values are in the university. Many universities will have options for “religious studies.” Something to look for is the schools that have classes devoted to studying the Bible or developing your faith. Many Christian universities will dedicate classes to informing and developing the faith of the student, giving them an academic avenue to examine the bible more closely.
• 3. Does the university have a commitment to Christian administration and faculty? Often, Christian Universities will require Christian beliefs in those they put in authority. This comes down to leading by example. It is hard to build-up young Christians and prepare them for the world if those who make the decisions for the University or who teach them about the Bible don’t believe it. That’s not to say that everyone working at the university must be Christian, but many Christian universities will try to keep a high percentage of professors and administrators in the faith.
• 4. Does the university provide opportunities for spiritual growth? Do they hold chapels, bible studies, and offer Christian mentorship and counseling? Chapels are offered at most Christian universities, some require attendance, some do not. A good way to tell that a university is serious about nurturing students’ faith is how many opportunities it provides for spiritual growth. Chapels, bible studies, and campus ministries are common at many Christian colleges and, while not a requirement, are great resources to consider when determining the school that will best prepare you for what God has for you.
• 5. What sort of conduct does the Universities expect from its students? Most University websites will have a copy of their student handbook that you can look up. Browse through the rules and expectations and see if the sort of standards they set for students are based on biblical behavior and align with God’s word. A University that is intent on preparing men and women of God.

These are just a few things that you can look for to determine if a university is “Christian,” or a place that would be beneficial in building you up in your faith. These are not requirements, just indicators that can help give you an idea of where a school’s priorities are. Again, there is no specific, set definition of what makes a college “Christian,” but there are certainly ways that you can check to see if it will be a good fit for you, academically and in your spiritual development.