What Does It Mean to Teach from a Christian Perspective?
At Point University, our mission is to “educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world.” It is at the heart of all we do. Every higher education institution teaches critical thinking, research, problem-solving, innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge strategies and skills in its various degree programs. But Point University distinguishes itself by teaching the above values from a Christian perspective. We teach students to grow in faith, to really wrestle through and flesh out their Christian worldviews, and to live that worldview practically in their chosen career paths by taking faith into the workplace.
Christian Education – A Teaching Perspective
Here are three examples of what a class taught from a Christian perspective is not, and what it is:
THE BIBLE
- A class taught from a Christian perspective does not use the Bible as its only authority on its subject matter.
- A class taught from a Christian perspective does use the Bible to speak to the values expressed by its subject matter.
Our professors teach using their experience and the best available resources on their subject. They use textbooks, case studies, videos and lectures from all kinds of sources, many of which are secular. The difference is that in addition to being industry experts, our professors are also believers. If an industry practice or business ethic comes into conflict with the Christian values they see in Scripture, our professors teach that the Bible is our guide for life, and that pursuing the character of Jesus is more important than abiding by worldly cultural norms. Discovering ways to address these kinds of conflicts is one of the greatest values of a Christ-centered education.
LEARNING
- The purpose of a class taught from a Christian perspective is not only to distill spiritual, theological knowledge.
- The purpose of a class taught from a Christian perspective is to distill all the knowledge and skills students need to be successful in their field from the perspective of their faith.
At Point, we believe that teaching students how to live out their faith in a practical, day-to-day manner is a critical part of their lifelong success. Students don’t need to compartmentalize their faith to Sunday mornings. Instead, their faith can inform the way they study and do their jobs. We encourage Christian values like a strong work ethic, integrity, honesty, and respect, and we teach that these values are as important at work, at home, and at play as they are at church.
RESEARCH
- A class taught from a Christian perspective does not diminish practical experience, minimize facts, or gloss over secular research.
- A class taught from a Christian perspective does embrace research, facts, and real-life experience as a way to learn about the world that God created.
At Point, we believe that all truth is God’s truth. We marvel at advances in medicine, physics and chemistry, because with every technological breakthrough, we receive a little bit more insight into
the mind-boggling infrastructure that supports our world. We believe that the precision, the order, and the infinite scope of our universe — both big and small — speaks to a divine order: it points to the hand of God.
We do not believe that God wants us to ignore the world or our needs in it, including financial needs. The most sound financial principles today are supported in Proverbs and in the New Testament, which discuss investment, saving, spending, lenders and debtors.
Point University distinguishes itself from other adult learning experiences by under-girding each subject we teach with Scripture and a biblical worldview — a Christian perspective. We teach many of the same subjects as traditional colleges and universities, but we view the subject matter through the lens of the gospel. For you, that’s good news.