Christian College Education: Is It Worth the Investment?

Choosing a college is a process. The time, energy, and numbers involved can be overwhelming. There are so many factors to consider, but at the end of the day, you have to decide what you value the most and which school will foster those values throughout your educational journey and day-to-day life.

Weigh your options, consider the pros and cons, and discover what makes a top-notch Christian college education worth the investment.

Have you heard the old adage, “You are who you hang with?” While it’s not entirely true, we do believe the sentiment here is correct — the people you surround yourself with will define who you are becoming. 

During your college years, you will create relationships with classmates, faculty, and members of your community that will uplift and encourage you. A Christian community will give you a space to express diversity in ideas, beliefs, and even doubts.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses.” 

Christian college communities are built on service, humility, and togetherness as students navigate new experiences side by side. Your college education is important, so find a place where people are rooting for you and your walk with Christ.

Making God the center of your college education doesn’t distract from academics; it gives purpose to it. 

One of the best things about a Christian college education is learning from the role models around you. Your intelligent and skilled professors not only demonstrate the work ethic they teach, but also apply a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to their field. 

The expertise of your mentors and their love for Christ make them more committed to serving God through their subjects. In class, these passionate individuals help you to intersect academic scholarship with discipleship, so that you develop thoughtful insight and a Christian perspective in your courses. Your worldview will be transformed through these experiences so that when you graduate, you will go forward with confidence.

Take Dr. Tiberius Rata, our professor of Old Testament Studies and associate dean of the School of Ministry, for example. Each day, Rata first starts his class off by praising God, placing Him before the daily activities. In his perspective, being a college student doesn’t simply mean going to class, but it means creating a community that worships Christ. 

“When I lecture, I lecture, but when we sing, we all participate,” Rata said. 

 A Christian college education, according to Rata, is not simply about learning information, but about emphasizing spiritual formation. In his classes, it’s important to point out the numerous ways the Old Testament references Jesus through both indirect and direct prophecies. 

And let us tell you about Dr. Nate Bosch, professor of environmental science and director of the Lilly Center. Dr. Bosch specializes in lakes, streams, wetlands, prairies, and many other ecosystems and forms of life in God’s creation.

His studies allow him to spend ample time in God’s creation, and he leads his students to see that studying His design teaches us more about the Creator himself. Dr. Bosch directs his students to remember Colossians 1:17, a verse that states through God, “all things hold together.” 

“Since Jesus Christ intricately created and actively sustains all aspects of the world around us,” Bosch said, “any education without Christ deeply incorporated into it is incomplete.” 

This isn’t the kind of instruction found at large public state schools. 

Spiritual resources are a significant part of your Christian formation, and they’re everywhere on a Christian college campus.

Regular chapel services with a variety of speakers and worship sessions will uplift you; Bible studies with fellow students will nurture you; prayer circles and churches in the area will surround you.

If you’re not convinced these resources make a Christian college education worth it, we encourage you to dig into these opportunities while you can. 

Tune into a chapel service, join our spiritual growth groups on Wednesday nights, talk to current students about your spiritual values, or serve on our worship team. Furthermore, if you’re a guy, consider joining our Men’s Bible Study.

Public schools may have a club or two for Christian students, but they don’t have the spiritual depth and breadth of resources needed for training and equipping young kingdom-minded individuals.  

As you take advantage of these resources around you, you’ll be investing in more than a four-year degree while pursuing a college education — you’ll be investing in HIS kingdom.

One key difference between a public university and a Christian college education isn’t simply athletics, clubs, or academics. A Christian institution will focus on the most important part of who you are – your faith. 

As you explore a wide range of schools, attending a Christian college is ultimately a choice that you get to make. No matter where you choose to go, seek an education that deepens your understanding and relationship with the Lord. 

So, is a Christian college education worth the investment?

ABSOLUTELY!

If you desire the chance to join a Christian college community and develop your relationship with Christ, explore our Grace College campus. Discover more about our record enrollment and numerous involvement opportunities.