Theological
Development and the Mission of the Campus Ministry
In order to accomplish our mission of turning lost students
into Christ-centered laborers, we
need men and women who are growing ever deeper in their ability
to understand and apply God’s Word to their own lives
and to the lives of those to whom they minister. We need
men and women who treasure Christ, being captured by a vision
of His greatness. We need men and women who are able
to apply the resources of the gospel to the lives of broken
people. We need men and women who possess great confidence
in the promises of God.
To become this kind of leader requires
intentional theological development. It
is for this reason that all Campus Ministry staff are required
to complete the eleven core IBS courses. These
courses provide an important foundation for a lifetime of ministry. Because
of the central role the Scriptures play in all we do, some
staff will choose to pursue additional theological training
beyond these IBS courses.
Theological Education in the Context of Ministry
To understand our Graduate Studies Program, one must
grasp our philosophy of education. We are committed to theological
education in the context of ongoing ministry. Fifteen
to twenty years ago the only viable way to receive formal theological
training was to leave the field and go to school full-time
(generally for several years). Although this represents
the fastest way to complete a degree, a number of drawbacks
accompany this mode of education including the pace of learning
(drinking from a fire hydrant), the drain on support (including
attrition) and disconnection from the ministry.
This is not to suggest that full-time study is somehow “bad.” In
some cases, full-time study makes the most sense. Consider
the person outside CCC who is required to obtain a graduate
theological degree as a condition for employment (e.g., a person
pursuing some form of church ministry). In this situation,
such a person must complete his or her theological training
as quickly as possible. This, however, is not the case
in the Campus Crusade for Christ. CCC staff are not required
to obtain theological degrees as a condition for employment.
As a result, we have the luxury to pursue theological training
a slower (and more developmentally beneficial) pace.
There are several benefits to pursuing theological training
in the context of ongoing ministry:
- You do not have to withdraw from ministry.
- You will experience a great development benefit: theological
education is most helpful when it is combined with practical
ministry.
- Your ministry will be enhanced as you teach out of the
overflow of the things you are learning in your classes.
- You will have access to new resources that can help you
solve ministry challenges or roadblocks. Through your
training you may also have the opportunity to develop new
tools and strategies to help us reach more lost students
with the gospel.
- You will enjoy courses more because you are not drinking
from a fire hydrant (i.e. taking four courses at once).
- You will develop holistically. Part-time study
allows more easily for holistic development (grow in character,
leadership skill and knowledge) rather than merely focusing
on one area (intellectual).
- You will not have to uproot your family and move.
- Your annual cost will be less and you are far less likely
to lose ministry partners.
For Staff Considering International Assignments
For staff members who are praying about or preparing for international field assignments, another option might be considered. Campus Crusade operates a number of graduate programs outside of the United States as part of the International Leadership Consortium. These programs allow staff to study in another cultural context, often at a significantly reduced cost, and experience crosscultural ministry while earning an internationally accredited graduate degree. For further information, please contact our ILC partner institutions.
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