What are the benefits of attending Bible college?
Does a Bible college environment offer more opportunities and rewards than a secular college? These questions can best be answered with another question. Which institution provides the more effective tool for being a servant of Christ?
One of the key advantages of a Bible college education lies in the fact that the graduates are more mature and experienced. The time spent pursuing their education not only enables them to grow in knowledge and wisdom, but in maturity. This will have a critical impact on their future ministry. Additionally, the individual pursuing the ministry as a career may discover that becoming a pastor or pulpit minister isn’t for him after all.
Second, and more obviously, a Bible college education forces students to delve more deeply into God’s Word and the study of theology. Their experience in the classroom exposes them to more and diverse insights and ideas that they otherwise may not have ever known. Correspondingly, it enables them to further develop for themselves their own positions regarding certain key doctrines of faith. This will prepare them to better confront controversial issues such as baptism, predestination, suffering, evolution, and the like.
By becoming more steeped in the Word and more assured of their beliefs, the students’ faith and commitment are strengthened. In other words, students become more confident of their faith, enabling them to better deal with the sometimes difficult issues they will invariably face in the church.
Third, in many Bible colleges, students become familiar with others outside their particular faith or denomination. This allows the students to see those ideas and beliefs that differ from theirs and provides a whole new perspective. Such experiences will enable the students to better adapt to relating with those of various religious communities.
Bible colleges also offer advantages to those who may not be considering a career in the ministry, but want to become more knowledgeable of the Scriptures as well as their particular faith. Some Bible college students enroll simply to learn more about how to better incorporate their faith into their workplace, especially those pursuing careers as counselors or teachers. Then again, many students attend Bible colleges to learn more about the Bible itself.
Last, but not least, Bible colleges provide a great environment to learn. Though Bible colleges teach subjects such as theology and church history, as well as the Bible itself, they provide the students with the skills to dig into certain dimensions of spiritual growth and development that may be unknown to them. Such an educational experience and environment provides the student with the opportunities to realize a whole new and greater perception of the things of God. This, in turn, enables the student to develop new sense of growth and maturity not only personally and socially but, more importantly, spiritually.
