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grams to enable students to fulfill, as effectively
as their potential will allow, God’s purpose or call-
ing for their lives. We prepare students for various
vocational responsibilities, whether they serve
God in their home country or in a crosscultural
setting. We also understand that vocational
responsibility must always come with a balance of
home, church and other community responsibili-
ties. Fulfilling one’s responsibilities in a godly, bal-
anced way is our reasonable ministry (service);
this perspective is equally true whether one
serves in a vocational ministry position or in a vol-
unteer ministry position.
Program Design
To fulfill these personal and vocational goals, we
offer a variety of academic programs, with Bible
as the core of each. To master the Bible, it is nec-
essary to know its content and understand its
meaning. Further, to apply the truth of the
Scripture so that it changes patterns of thinking
and behavior is vitally important. Skill in observ-
ing, interpreting and applying God’s Word is nec-
essary. Bible surveys, book studies, topical Bible
studies (e.g., theology) and Bible-related subjects
are designed with these purposes in mind. To
develop skill in the use of the Bible, tools for
study and communication are learned and used in
such courses as hermeneutics, biblical languages,
homiletics and others. However, to make Christ
known in the full sense of the word, it is neces-
sary not only to study the Bible and Bible-related
subjects, but to know the people to whom we
would make Christ known and how to communi-
cate best with those people.
As an institution of higher education, there are at
least two relevant reasons for studying general
education. First, an important part of studying the
various disciplines in general education is to
become the fully formed, creative, reasoning,
social creatures that God designed us to be. In so
doing we enter into richer relationships with both
God and our neighbors. The second vital reason
to study general education is the ability to com-
municate Christ effectively. By becoming well-
formed, not only will we have reasoning skills,
worldview understanding, anthropological knowl-
edge and historical perspectives that will enable
us to reach others, we will have richer cultures
and worldviews into which we can draw people.
Educational Triad
We often describe our educational process at CIU
as an educational triad. Three educational com-
ponents come together to provide balanced edu-
cation. The first component is academic
excellence with Bible at the core. This component
focuses on “Content” and may be characterized
by educating one’s “head.” The second compo-
nent is spiritual formation by which students grow
toward maturity in Christ. This component focus-
es on “Character” and may be characterized by
educating one’s “heart.” The third component is
ministry skill development or experiential educa-
tion in which students systematically practice
skills related to personal and vocational goals in
the community away from the classroom. This
component focuses on “Competence” and may
be characterized by educating one’s “hands.”
Doctrinal Standard
Teaching at Columbia International University is
based on the great fundamentals of the Christian
faith, all of which center in the person of Jesus
Christ, our crucified, risen and glorified Savior and
Lord. The following, together with other Christian
principles of doctrine and practice, including the
affirmation of the full trustworthiness of Scripture,
which in its original writing was verbally inspired
and without error, shall be the basis of the faith
and doctrine of Columbia International University:
1. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the writ-
ten record of His supernatural revelation of
Himself to man, absolute in its authority, com-
plete in its revelation, final in its content and
without any errors in its teachings.
2. All men in their natural state are lost, alienated
from God, spiritually dead: “All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
3. Salvation is only by grace, a free gift of God,
through faith in the Lord Jesus, who died for
our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Cor.
15:3). Those who thus receive Christ by faith
have their sins forgiven (Eph. 1:7) and their
hearts cleansed (Acts 15:9), are born of the
Spirit, become children of God (Jn. 1:12, 13)
and are made new creatures in Christ (II Cor.
5:17).
2012-2013 Undergraduate Programs
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