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The present study sought to investigate the perceptions of 300 ministers, 85 recent graduates from theological colleges, and 954 church members regarding (a) the effectiveness of ministry education, (b) priorities for ministry education, and (c) the acquired competencies of ministers. Participants were surveyed using the Inventory of Ministry Education Perceptions and Priorities (IMEPP), which displayed good validity and reliability in the study. Results of the study indicate that participants were largely satisfied with the effectiveness of ministry education and the acquired competence of ministers. However, on the whole, ministers and recent graduates were less satisfied with their ministry education and acquired competence than were church members. The study also identified significant differences between ministers, recent graduates and church members with regard to the priorities they perceived theological colleges should pursue.

Journal Issue.

Series of brief paragraph-length essays in response to specific questions, such as: how do I deal with groups who are not functioning well together? how do I get students over anxiety about the course? and should class be fun?

This study investigated the impact of the Christian college educational environment, both academic and nonacademic, on student spirituality. Nine hundred fifty-three self-reported surveys, representing 18 U.S. Christian colleges and universities, were used. The typical respondent was female, Caucasian, and a resident upperclassman. For the purposes of this exploratory study, spirituality was operationally defined as “spiritual formation,” referring to one’s growth towards spiritual maturity, which is reflected in one’s relationships with God, self, and others. Findings reveal interesting trends about factors associated with spirituality on campus, and relate student perceptions of spirituality and the Christian college experience. Results indicate that students perceived many factors of their Christian college experience as positive. In particular, the nonacademic aspects of college life were perceived to be more influential on spiritual formation than the academic. For example, students rated their peer relationships as being most significant to their spiritual growth. Results also illustrate demographic differences in perceptions of the various aspects of the Christian college experience. Practical applications suggest assessing the existing range of college academic and nonacademic offerings and training for faculty development in class assessments. Other applications include providing programs for students experiencing emotional crises or pain. Recommendations for further research include studying other factors such as sports, counseling services, church involvement, family support, maturation factors, and the impact of computers. Research may also benefit from focusing on certain survey items more specifically, such as various kinds of peer relationships and cultural diversity. (From the Publisher)

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to develop a working definition of service-learning, identify the best practices of service-learning in the context of Christian colleges and universities and, based upon that information, develop a model for replication. The study undertaken included: (a) examination of the findings of unpublished data from a survey on service-learning at 90 Christian colleges and universities and notes from a conference on service-learning at faith-based institutions; (b) a thorough review of the literature on service-learning and the mission and purpose of Christian higher education; and (c) interviews with practitioners from seven Christian colleges or universities that met prescribed criteria for best practices in service-learning, A content analysis resulted in a comprehensive definition of service-learning, key elements of best practices in service-learning, and a model which incorporates guidelines for Christian colleges and universities to use when developing service-learning programs. The comprehensive definition incorporates characteristics from previous definitions, but includes an added component of institutional support for service-learning. The best practices in service-learning in Christian higher education corroborate this finding and include key elements. The model for designing a service-learning program at a Christian college builds further upon the definition and best practices and includes eight guidelines. The model guidelines are meant to address the philosophical and practical implications in designing an effective service-learning course and program in Christian institutions of learning. The data from this study strongly suggest that Christian colleges and universities should implement service-learning as a means of furthering their faith-based missions through their curricula. (From the Publisher)

This paper explores the place of religion within the assumptions of the modern research university. The issue for Christianity is essentially epistemic: Given the criteria for truth or plausibility that prevail in advanced academic communities, what are the warrants for Christian belief? Are the prevailing criteria defined such that Christian claims can have no epistemic standing? The modern-day clash between Christianity and academic discourse go to the heart of the differing projects. For the academy, issues are admitted at arm's length, while Christianity moves beyond discussion to decision, to trust and to faith. This paper is not another screed against the modern university. Instead, the author regards the modern university as one of the great inventions of the human mind, and the university today can boast of its humanistic ideology. The author considers the sciences and arts as marvels of human ingenuity and emotional insight. The place of Christian belief within academic humanism is pondered. (From the Publisher)

Prayer is a primary spiritual discipline for Christians. Nonetheless, few contemporary scholarly discussions have ventured into exploring the role of prayer in college teaching. This paper extends the conversation by reviving three themes in writings about prayer and academics and making application of those themes to teaching and learning today. (From the Publisher)