President Emeritus Brushaber used to say, “Almost every day at Bethel someone is saying something that makes me uncomfortable.” I was always glad when I wasn’t the one he had in mind! His point, however, was a very important one. As a Christ-centered university, our job is to educate, not indoctrinate. How do we do that?

We begin by hiring faculty members who are committed Christ-followers, who are experts in their academic disciplines, who are called to teach, and who understand the developmental level of our students. These faculty members continuously upgrade their own knowledge, go through regular evaluations and peer review, and are affirmed and reaffirmed by our trustees on a systematic basis. We have an amazing group at Bethel!

We have a curriculum that is developmental, grounded in our core values, and guided by stated educational outcomes. We know that entering students are different from seniors. We recognize that what happens in a seminary classroom is different from what happens in the MBA program and is different from what happens in the College of Arts & Sciences. Regardless of the level of student we are teaching, our goal is to help students love Jesus more, not less, and to be well equipped to serve Him now and in the future.

Good teaching often begins with questions, not answers. Good teaching creates enough cognitive conflict or disequilibrium to promote real engagement with issues. Good teaching balances challenge with support. A Bethel education will expose students to people and ideas that are not Christian. This is an important step in helping students see and evaluate ideas in our culture so that they can develop a genuine Christian response to the world around them. It is an essential step in helping students develop a “storm hardy” faith—one that will stand up in real life beyond the campus.

We support the church, were given birth by the church, but we are not the church. When I go to church, I want my pastor to preach the Word, challenge me to live my life in a Christ-like way, and to comfort me with clear preaching of truth. I’m not looking for disequilibrium; I’m looking to be surrounded by God’s people who will help carry my burdens and journey with me in Christian obedience. While much of this happens at Bethel, it may be more important for us to afflict the comfortable before we comfort the afflicted! We know that this is the best way to produce long-term disciples with hardy faith.

When our students do internships or clinical placements in health care settings, schools, businesses, or social service agencies, they encounter real people whose ideas are different from their own. When our students take part in the Interreligious Symposium that has been part of our campus for more than three years or sit in table groups at the St. Paul Interfaith Network discussions of race, gender, or homosexuality, they learn to think deeply and care genuinely for people that Christ loves—even though those people have opinions or beliefs that are contrary to Scripture. So, for students looking for an education that is narrow, sheltering, unengaged with the challenging ideas of today’s world, keep looking – Bethel is not for you. For students who want to engage the world, develop storm hardy faith, challenge the world, and change the world, welcome to a place that will do everything possible to equip you to be an adventurous Christ-follower!