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tual inquiry), hearts (spiritual formation) and hands
(practical ministry skills) in a balanced way.
CIU serves students from more than 40 states
and more than 30 foreign countries with the
majority coming from five Southeastern states.
More than 52 church denominations and inde-
pendent fellowships are represented in the faculty
and student body. CIU graduates serve in voca-
tional Christian ministries and in the marketplace
with about 30 percent of CIU graduates working
in crosscultural contexts.
Mission
Columbia International University educates peo-
ple from a biblical worldview to impact the
nations with the message of Christ. The imple-
mentation of this educational purpose through
the Undergraduate Programs of Columbia
International University (CIU) is expressed in the
following statement: The purpose of undergradu-
ate studies is to prepare students to become
world Christians who serve God with excellence
in crosscultural, church, marketplace and other
ministry roles.
We pursue this mission as a postsecondary aca-
demic community modeling, mentoring and moti-
vating students to cultivate spiritual vitality and
character formation, to acquire knowledge in bib-
lical content and gain interpretation skills, to
develop competence as critical thinkers and
communicators, to formulate a comprehensive
biblical worldview for themselves and to explore
and initiate experiences that are ministry-focused,
based on their calling.
Our purpose is summarized in our motto, “To
know Him and to make Him known.” Both the
curriculum and the community life at CIU are
intentionally designed to stimulate a dynamic
context in which each student is assisted and
encouraged to pursue the following institutional
goals:
•
Know Christ by learning submission to His
Lordship and dependence on the Holy Spirit,
thus making progress in conforming to His
image.
•
Know the Word by gaining mastery of its con-
tent and understanding of its meaning, by
assimilating and applying its truth and by devel-
oping skill in the use of study tools
•
Know oneself by an increasing awareness of
spiritual gifts, personality types and personal
potential.
•
Know people by becoming sensitive to their
needs and the contexts in which they live, and
by improving communication with them, what-
ever their cultures.
•
Know the skills required in a particular area of
ministry. By “ministry” we consciously and
intentionally include those who are called by
God to minister in and through professional dis-
ciplines – whether in communication, educa-
tion, psychology or other professional
disciplines where training programs are being
developed.
In addition to the faculty, the university provides
resources for learning, the incentives and the cur-
ricular guidance necessary for progress toward
these goals. We expect students to be active par-
ticipants in the spiritual, academic, social and
physical dimensions of college life. As they do,
they come “To know Him” better and are able “To
make Him known” more effectively. We believe
that God’s purpose for Columbia International
University institutionally and for its faculty and
students individually, is achieved only by the
supernatural work of the Holy Spirit through yield-
ed believers.
Philosophy of Education, Goals and
Faculty Responsibilities
Overview
The basic educational philosophy of Columbia
International University is derived from two
essential goals, one personal and one vocational.
Personal Goal:
We desire growth in personality,
character, spiritual maturity and knowledge. At
Columbia International University, our objective
experientially is to know God and become
increasingly like His son, Jesus Christ. To become
like Christ implies that we know who He is. Our
knowledge of Christ has two dimensions: to
know all we may know about Him cognitively and
to know Him in intimate relationship experientially.
Vocational Goal:
We design professional pro-
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2012-2013 Undergraduate Programs