Af=
ter 51 years of ministry, a factor in our choice of retirement location in =
2021 was a wonderful Christian University located in a small Midwestern com=
munity. Maranatha Baptist University is a fundamental. biblical, cons=
ervative, accredited, high-quality educational institution. Both my w=
ife and I were in the original student body (transferring as upperclassmen)=
at the founding of MBU. We are both alumni of MBU, all three of our childr=
en are alumni of MBU, both daughters-in-law are alumni of MBU, and our son-=
in-law is a history professor at MBU. I received the first master’s d=
egree from MBU’s graduate school (now seminary).
I remember studying the history of another Christian c=
ollege founded 200+ years earlier with the same lofty goals as Maranatha.&n=
bsp; It was named the King’s College in the colonies of America. It w=
as founded in a church building, with its name a reference to the King of E=
ngland and the King of kings, Jesus Christ.
Its first president declared its purpose and Christian mission:=
“The chief thing that is aimed at in this college is to teach and en=
gage the [students] to know God in Jesus Christ, and to love and serve Him =
in all sobriety, godliness, and righteousness of life, with a perfect heart=
, and a willing mind; and to train them up in all virtuous habits and all s=
uch useful knowledge as may render them creditable to their families and fr=
iends, ornaments to their country, and useful to the public weal in their g=
enerations.”
&=
nbsp;
Yesterday, under a warm =
blue sky of a Wisconsin springtime, we watched hundreds of Maranatha Baptis=
t University graduates march for the 55th year in commencement r=
egalia. The school’s “mission” and “product” =
remained unchanged in its history. Faces of it Class of 2024 beamed with th=
e pride of hard-earned accomplishment and with anticipation of the next ste=
ps in lives of faithfulness to God and service to society.
Yet sadly, over the past 250 years, the King’s Colleg=
e “mission” and “product” has changed radically, no=
w completely askew from its purpose. For the past two weeks it has been a h=
eadline in the news. Instead of high educational standards, it is now a lef=
tist indoctrination center. Instead of character in its students, there is =
hatred and bigotry. Instead of pride from their community, families and alu=
mni, there is shame. Instead of public good, there is anarchy, violence and=
chants of death and destruction.
We’=
ve witnessed it, and stunned at what we see. The King’s College is no=
w known as Columbia University in New York City. And daily its radical unde=
rbelly is exposed for all to identify. A nation, a people, a family, a scho=
ol that forgets God and the principles of His Word is doomed to decay and d=
estruction.
Our prayers for the future of =
Maranatha Baptist University, its administration, faculty, and student body=
are simply to be faithful to is instituional goals, “To the Praise of His Glory.” Taken from the Bible (Ephesian=
s 1:12), this reflects Maranatha’s deeply held religious conviction t=
hat the primary purpose of every Christian is to glorify God through one=
217;s chosen occupation and church, and by serving others in God-honoring w=
ays.
&nbs=
p;
And prayers for t=
he safety and prospering of Christian colleges still holding firm to truth =
and righteous living, training young men and women to go and stem the tide =
of evil produced or endorsed on other campuses today. Our young peopl=
e deserve such schools to grow and flourish for the generation ahead.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected]=
www.grif.net
"Jesus Know=
s Me, This I Love!"
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