Purpose and Future Direction
I'm excited about the future of CIU. It's a future you can be a part of, cast in a vision that I shared with a group of alumni recently.
At the foundation of this vision are the historic roots of CIU. Roots that are nourishing the blossoms of tomorrow. Those roots include the Authority of Scripture, World Evangelization, the Victorious Christian Life, and of course, educating people. When you combine these elements, the purpose of CIU becomes clear:
" CIU educates people from a biblical worldview to impact the nations with the message of Christ."
Part of this "new" vision is a revival of the original vision of CIU's first president, Robert C. McQuilkin. McQuilkin said the two-fold message upon which CIU was founded is:
Victorious living in Christ is gloriously possible to yielded, trusting hearts; And the gospel must be taken to the ends of the earth before Christ shall return.
But practically speaking, what does that look like at a Christian institute of higher education?
A Biblical University
In a 1948 publication celebrating CIU's (then called Columbia Bible College) 25th anniversary, McQuilkin wrote: "Neither a Bible institute nor a liberal arts college, CBC offers a curriculum with the spiritual advantages of the former, cultural advantages of the latter." In other words, what our founder was describing is a biblical university.
As a biblical university we will aim to grow and expand the liberal arts programs in the undergraduate school, while continuing to strengthen our Bible and ministry program. But to produce the same highimpact graduates of the past requires different methods for the future. That's because the world has shifted radically in the last 60 years. Here at home, the United States is no longer a Christian nation, but a post- Christian nation. Meanwhile, overseas, typical missionaries are often not wanted in the least reached parts of the world. However, unreached cultures aggressively recruit those professionals who can help develop their societies.
"Professional Christians" and "Christian Professionals"
So to meet the challenges both in the United States and abroad, CIU will produce "professional Christians" such as pastors, but also "Christian professionals." Those are graduates who are able to enter closed countries because of their professional training, but able to evangelize the country because of their Bible training.
Here at home, they can be entering the marketplace to be salt and light in their chosen professions. Only as we produce more "professional Christians" AND "Christian professionals" will we impact the nations with the message of Christ. Do you know someone who wants to serve God in one of these capacities? Then send them to CIU.
Please join us at this exciting time in the history of CIU as we, by God's grace and for God's glory, grow a biblical university.
William H. Jones,
President