Educational Philosophy

Educational Philosophy

Preamble

The Educational Philosophy of Ecclesia College is based on the belief that:

The Bible is God’s inspired and authoritative Word, revealing that Jesus Christ is God’s Son; 

• that man is created in God’s image; 

• that He created us to have eternal life in Him through His Son, Jesus, “Christ in you the hope of glory,” to “separate the holy from the profane,” “extract the precious from the worthless,” discern the spiritual, which is of God, by God, and for God, from the carnal, which is of self, by self, and for self, and to convert our thought, time, talent, treasure, and trust to God’s eternal riches over temporal values; 

• that although all men have sinned and come short of God’s glory, God has made salvation possible through the death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ; 

• that hope, repentance, faith, love, and obedience are fitting responses to God’s initiative of grace toward us; 

• that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth; 

• that the Holy Spirit’s power is demonstrated in and through us for the accomplishing of Christ’s Great Commandment to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself” with His Great Commission to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” and “make disciples of all nations;”

• that Christ’s Church is God’s authorized model and agency for the advancement of His Kingdom. (Luke 10:27; Colossians 1:27; Jeremiah 15:19; Mark 16:15 KJV; Matthew 28:19 NIV.)

Educational Philosophy

In accord with the above preamble of which we are convinced, it rightly and necessarily follows that:

We are to perpetuate and pursue Biblical methods and practices in educating and equipping men and women for their chosen fields of service according to their gifts and callings and for the wise conversion of their thought, time, talent, treasure, and trust into eternal riches to enjoy with God forever over passing temporal values. 

All truth is God’s truth and Biblically consistent, including theology, the arts, sciences, etc., and should, therefore, be mutually integrated with the principle approach to education from the Biblical perspective.  

1) God desires all mankind to come to the knowledge of His truth.
2) God intends mankind to know Him and His ways with His creation.
3) God speaks His truth in love through His Living Word.
4) God calls all mankind to believe in Himself through His Son by His Spirit.
5) God calls all believers to their highest good by building virtue on their faith and knowledge of the truth on their virtue (II Peter 1:5-7).

1. God values and blesses for success the historical, distinct, and effective five-point educational approach for learning, growing, and equipping:

a. Mentoring Program—Christ-centered mentoring for life and learning according to the student’s giftings and callings (II Timothy 2:2).

i. Mentoring Goals
1. A Biblical ever-increasing Christ-life 
2. Foundational values issuing from the Christ-life
3. True vision issuing from the Christ-life and foundational values
4. Relationships embracing the Christ-life, values, and vision
5. Wholehearted involvement in God’s kingdom issuing from all the above
ii. Mentoring Path
1. An ever-increasing heart for God and His ways
a. Discerning and valuing the holy over the profane
b. Discerning and valuing the spiritual over the carnal
c. Discerning and valuing the eternal over the temporal
2. A growing knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and competence in the mentoree’s selected field(s)
iii. Mentoring Team
1. Mentoring Coach selected from the President’s Mentoring Team
responsible for the mentoree on behalf of the team
2. Mentoree’s Pastor/nominator in the mentoring team loop
iv. Mentoring Approach Progression
1. Directive style
2. Coaching style
3. Supportive style
4. Delegative style

b. Academically challenging faith and character-based classroom (II Peter 1:5-7) 
i. Faith in God, His purpose, and His ways as the basis for all virtue with ever-increasing faith and virtue as the basis for all knowledge
ii. Virtue, as related to God’s nature and character defining capacity for life, learning, and effectiveness, understanding that one’s character dictates his/her capacity to contain and sustain his/her ever-increasing destiny
iii. Knowledge, as knowable truth, wisdom, and understanding related to God, His purpose, and His ways in all of life and learning

c. Work-Study Internship Program with hands-on in-service related to the students’ chosen field of service and/or further study
i. Equipped for field of service and/or further study
ii. Work ethic
1. Growing conscience before God and fellow mankind
2. Growing competence in selected field(s) according to giftings and callings
3. Growing commitment to God’s ways with relationships and responsibility in the workplace
d. Community Service Program with practical application and outcomes
i. Growing the student’s heart and mind to give back to the community
ii. Benefiting the community through productive student service
iii. Demonstrating the College’s desire to serve its community
e. Christian Outreach Program in response to God’s loving heart for others
i. Growing the student’s heart and mind to serve God through Christian outreach
ii. Benefiting the church and world through faithful Christian outreach
iii. Demonstrating the College’s heart for effective Christian outreach

2. The indispensable regular Ecclesia College Assembly Program, which should be central to campus life, should also serve as the ideal vehicle for communicating the combined educational philosophy of distinct Biblical-historical mentoring for life and learning, God-honoring faith and character-based classroom, ethical work-study life-style, community service, and Christian outreach.  This assembly-mentoring-classroom-work study-internship-community service-Christian outreach approach can more thoroughly address the student’s three deepest heart questions that call for:
a. Leading students on their search of the “why” of each truth will inspire a growing knowledge, wisdom, and understanding deepening their enthusiasm and resolve of heart for excellence, integrity, and order to live their lives now in the light of eternity.
b. Leading students on their search of the “what” of each truth will clarify their frame of  reference to know the highest good with the right objectives.
c. Leading students on their search of the “how to” will strengthen their confidence in God’s ways as always best.

The Ecclesia College Educational Philosophy is incorporated in the Mission Statement, Educational Goals, General Studies Core Curriculum & Program Objectives.

Educational Philosophy of Ecclesia College
Copyright © January 1, 2005 by Ecclesia College; updated April 17, 2007