Vision with Conviction
My vision for Warner University is multifaceted: I have a financial vision and a programming vision, but I also have an identity/organizational-culture vision. It is the latter that I would like to share in this short piece.
For far too long, higher education has been dominated by radical progressivism, and the academy has become known as an institution that peddles anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, anti-sanctity-of-life, anti-free-speech, anti-free-market, anti-American, anti-Western, anti-merit, and anti-common-sense dogma. I could write a book about the progressive agenda I encountered as both a student and an employee in state colleges, but suffice it to say here that I landed at Warner because Warner is different. Warner is one of very few universities in the country that has resisted the academy’s typical agenda, and it is one of few explicitly Christian universities that has not compromised its traditional view of Scripture. Warner’s reputation for unapologetically holding to biblical orthodoxy is well known in Central Florida.
I want to see that reputation understood more broadly.
One of the ways we will spread that reputation is by unashamedly providing an education grounded in Truth. Not in relativism. Not in popular opinion. Not in critical theory. Rather, in Truth. A commitment to Truth protects societies and cultures from chaos and destruction—and at Warner University, the faculty and staff’s understanding of Truth is anchored in a traditional view of Scripture and the person and work of Jesus Christ. We will confront and expose cultural lies and deception—not avoid them or be guilted into embracing them.
At Warner, we understand that the most socially and culturally influential careers generally require a college degree. We also understand that, since the vast majority of people in those careers are graduating from institutions that have become slaves to radical progressivism and anti-Judeo-Christian thought, much of the confusion and subversiveness plaguing today’s culture can be traced directly to colleges and universities that have lost their way. Thus, Warner University is a place of extreme cultural significance, and we will own that reality with confidence.
We also understand that many students and parents have become distrustful of the typical university experience. We are raising our hands boldly to let them know they can trust us. We will be upfront about who we are; then we will deliver an education grounded in that identity.
We will continue to graduate future leaders who have been educated to embrace Truth and to reject the lies propagated by the cultural voices that despise Christian faith, Western tradition and achievement, and common sense. We will continue to graduate future leaders who are equipped to help reverse the damage done by decades of social engineering in our educational system.
At the heart of our work will be a bold and unrelenting commitment to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will preach the gospel in chapel, in the classroom, and on the athletic field—and we will do it repeatedly, day after day, semester after semester, year after year. The “integration of faith and learning,” or what is perhaps better termed worldview education, is not just important—it is essential to the Christian educator’s task, especially in a culture that is often hostile to the Christian worldview. However, at Warner we will remember that worldview instruction will always be more effective when the students who receive it have been changed by the regenerating power of Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit, a power that comes from hearing and responding positively to the gospel message. Worldview instruction equips—and necessarily so—but the gospel empowers and transforms. Thus, Warner University will not only teach proper theology, but we will also be guided by it in our educational philosophy.
With these realities in mind, we will soon roll out some new logos and a new motto. I am referring to the motto as the ABCs of Warner—academically challenging, biblically faithful, and culturally courageous.
We will be academically challenging because Warner’s graduates must have the academic prowess to compete for jobs and work up the ladder in the careers that wield the most cultural influence. They must leave Warner so prepared that they are the obvious choices for the jobs to which they apply. While we will maintain our Royal lion logo for athletics usage, an increased use of our academic seal, framed by the motto, will underscore our commitment to academic excellence and the life of the Christian mind. The university’s founders declared that our academic seal symbolized discipleship (the open book), holiness (the Pentecostal flame), and commitment (the cross). I am struck by the parallelism between these three ideas and academic rigor, biblical faithfulness, and cultural courage. We have a history and a tradition worth celebrating.
We will be biblically faithful by not simply teaching Christianized versions of bad secular ideas. Rather, we will evaluate ideas through the lens of an inerrant view of Scripture, discarding what does not align with Truth and embracing what does. Moreover, we will help students understand what it means to live out Scripture’s guidance in their various career fields and academic disciplines.
Finally, we will be culturally courageous because our graduates need the courage to act on biblical convictions and endure criticism in a culture that often mocks those who hold unpopular biblical beliefs. To help impact the culture, our graduates must reject the all-too-popular mantra that people should keep their faith to themselves in the public square. We will model this courage and embolden students toward a vibrant and assertive faith.
Warner University is a rarity in the world of higher education. Part of my vision for the institution is to help more of the nation, and especially the Southeast, understand how special and rare the Warner education is. Common-sense-anchored citizens are desperate for a university experience like the one Warner offers. We are ready and willing to serve them.
