Where Would You Send Your Children to College?
Posted On September 11, 2012
There are not just different reasons why people go to college, but different legitimate reasons. There are in turn perfectly appropriate reasons why some people don’t go to college. I am not of the mind that anyone’s mind is wasted if it has never matriculated, or doesn’t know what matriculated means. As such, there is no one size answer fits all. Which is why I am framing the question the way I am framing it, answering how I look at the question. What follows may sound something like a commercial. I apologize for that- it flows less from being a faculty member, and more from being a grateful parent.
My two oldest children are students at Reformation Bible College. There are some obvious reasons why this makes sense for us, though it might not make as much sense to you. First, I teach there. I love, after years of homeschooling, continuing to have my children as my students. They, I trust, at least like it. Second, it is naturally close to home, and third, it’s a good deal in terms of the cost.
There are, however a number of reasons why we chose Reformation Bible College that might fit into your own calculus as well. First, it is a Bible college. That is, here my children continue to study what they have, and God willing will study all the days of their lives. They are not merely getting the best wisdom men could come up with, but are receiving wisdom from the God of heaven and earth. They are studying the words of life. There are any number of things that are fitting for people to study, that are perfectly acceptable, even beneficial. There is, however, only one book that equips us for EVERY good work. I’m thrilled that my children get to study the Bible.
I am thrilled also about the men with whom they get to study the Bible. I know, respect, admire, and most of all trust the men who teach my children. These are men committed to the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. These are men who are committed to the Reformed faith. These are men whose hearts I know, which means I am confident they are men who are committed to the spiritual well-being of my children. They are not just my colleagues, but are my friends, because I don’t just respect their intellects, but I look up to their characters.
Though I couldn’t have known this when we first enrolled my two oldest, there is a third blessing I would be remiss to leave out- the students. The men and women, young and old who study at Reformation Bible College are earnest, godly, and honorable. I have no fear that the spiritual or moral momentum of the student body might be a strong, negative pull on my children. We do not have a bevy of rules here, on purpose. We do not have an army of staff assigned to keeping the students out of trouble. We have instead a shared and common goal, to grow in grace and wisdom, and to honor the Lord who redeemed us. We’re still sinners here, but sinners saved by grace.
Faithful curriculum. Faithful faculty. Faithful students. That’s why we chose Reformation Bible College.
Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. serves as professor of philosophy and apologetics at Reformation Bible College.
Originally published on the Ligonier Ministries Blog.