New Beginnings are Exciting

Hi Folks,
Tomorrow Christian Life College - Madison launches into existence. The registration and orientation for the first semester's first class has gone well. Like all new beginnings there is a bit of excitement mixed with "oh, I hadn't thought of that yet".

Christian Life College-Madison is going to be an off campus program of CLC in Mount Prospect, IL. You can check out CLC's web site at http://www.christianlifecollege.edu/
I am going into this as the school's Academic Dean and as thus am taking the challenge of academic integrity seriously.

I've been asked a couple of times, "Why do this?"

I have been a pastor for almost 35 years. I went through seminary training and although there were value differences I've always held on to my academic training in that Christian worldview as an invaluable part of my own formation.

NOW, I have a huge concern for this generation's ability to relate Christianity's values and principles - gained from scripture - back to the world in which they live in.
I'm writing some material for the school's eventual web site. Here's what I wrote in the section on "About Us":

"We want to equip Christians with the knowledge of Christ so that they may walk in confidence and excellence in the world around them. 'A life of steadfast discipleship to Jesus Christ can be supported only upon assured knowledge of how things are, of the realities in terms of which life is lived' -Dallas Willard.
Serious and thoughtful Christians find their faith under attack in many institutions of learning because of assertions that their faith and beliefs cannot be based on knowledge in the context of modern life and thought. As a result beliefs are relegated to mere “opinion”, or rituals based on outdated traditions. The result is that Faith stands separated from Knowledge. Even Christians fall prey to believing that knowledge is an enemy of a life of faith. We do not.
CLC-Madison seeks to bear witness to truth and knowledge in both matters of faith and academics.
'God has room for people with very little sense, but He wants everyone to use what sense they have...God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all...One reason why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself!' - C. S. Lewis"

It's worth considering isn't it?