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If you had asked me a few months ago what makes CBC different from other institutions, I would have said: small class size, Christian environment, quality instruction, family atmosphere, and personal relationships. All of that is true, but that answer really doesn’t get to the essence of it. God had to reveal that to me.
Since I’m a slow learner, He did that in multiple ways. He taught it to me through music with songs like, Love the Lord, Knowing you, Jesus, and Great are you, Lord. He taught it to me through Bible study with verses like Psalm 34:3, John 17:26, and Matthew 22:37. These verses tell us to magnify God, understand who He is, make His great name known, and appreciate the unfathomable love of God. He also used others to bring awareness. Marieca Ashworth, one of our employees, sent devotionals from Proverbs 31 Ministries that really spoke to her heart to me. One of those talked about our purpose: “We are created to know, love, and glorify God.” Right after I read that devotional, I heard Dr. Stan Norman state the very same thing. We exist to 1) Glorify God, 2) Know God, and 3) Love God. These things describe what we do, why we exist, and why we are different. We teach students to glorify God, to know Him, and to love Him. I wish everyone could see this happening daily on our campus, but since that is probably not possible, I want to share a few examples with you that were written by our faculty.
“Giving God the glory is the heart of the CBC Worship Choir. Besides being a “class,” many students view the worship choir rehearsal as a time of renewal and a moment to refresh the soul with music. We focus to make that time all about God by giving our best in rehearsal and reflecting on the words of truth in our songs. We try to spend a few moments each day with prayer, Bible readings or recounting a blessing that God has given to someone in the choir. We become a family over the semester and when we refer to a concert – we view it as leading worship. I feel that the college age student is at risk – if the devil can get them now, he can wreak havoc throughout their lives. We want to share God’s truth daily and try to be a haven of spiritual Truth for these students on a daily basis.” Jim Turner, Assistant Professor of Music
“Helping students know, love, and glorify God may be easier for me since I teach in the Bible Department. With the Bible being the subject, I get to speak to my students about God in every class session. I urge them to see the truth of the biblical texts we study and the personal relevance of the material. I remind them often that my goal is not merely to communicate information, but facilitate life transformation. I remind them often that God is the only one that can transform their lives. I also pray at the beginning of each class session that my students will come to know God, honor Him, and experience His best that day.” Dr. Martin Jameson, Assistant Professor of Bible
“In my education classes, I stress relationships. Of course, we know that until one has a personal relationship with Jesus, all other relationships will be superficial at best. From an education theory point of view, we know that until human basic needs are met, which include love and belonging, learning is difficult. So, I talk with my students about how our CBC mission and our Pillars of Strength really fit in so well with our mission as educators! We discuss how our classrooms and schools are our mission field and how sharing the love of God through our actions and reactions will make a huge impact. Our schools are committed to academic excellence and lifelong learning…just as our CBC mission statement emphasizes, along with the addition of integration of Christian faith and spiritual development. We also talk about how education is a service profession and what better way for us to serve God than though sharing his love with our students, fellow teachers, parents, etc. in the schools where we are employed. As our CBC Pillars of Strength express…we seek to honor God – this is why we work at CBC. It is a ministry. So, as I help prepare future teachers to go out and represent CBC in the schools, I encourage them to honor God by serving and loving others every day! This is my prayer for each student that sits in my classes and it is my prayer that I will continue to point them toward God each day.” Robin Clark, Assistant Professor of Education.
Written by Dr. Gary McAllister, Vice President for Academic Affairs
To learn more about Central Baptist College visit cbc.edu/WhyCBC or connect with a Personal Admissions Officer by contacting them at admissions@cbc.edu or (501) 329-6873.