Blending Identity and Mission with Academics
When Dr. Gentry Sutton was instated as Warner University’s fourth president in February of this year, he brought with him a new motto for the university to not just say, but live by. Warner University is to be academically challenging, biblically faithful and culturally courageous. At Royal Cup, you can expect this to be a major theme as you hear the heart of the university from various speakers, including the president. Beyond the lexicographic order of the motto (Google the word), here is why the motto is important for you, as an incoming student and Royal Cup participant.
Let’s imagine a world in which Warner University was not academically challenging. The consequence of lacking academic rigor is producing incompetent graduates in their vocational fields, or worse, graduates who don’t make it in the workforce at all. They can be biblically faithful and courageous culture-changers, but if they aren’t proficient in their craft, they won’t be respected in their field.
Now, let’s say Warner University was academically challenging, and culturally courageous, but missed the biblically faithful step. At that point, dare I ask, should we close our doors? The whole mission of the university, and the “why” for so many esteemed faculty and staff goes out the window. We lose our purpose, and that purpose is to expand God’s Kingdom on earth. Academics and athletics are merely the vehicle by which we carry out the Great Commission from Matthew 28.
Finally, let’s say Warner University was academically challenging and biblically faithful, but we lacked courage in our culture and lacked the ability to empower our graduates to be courageous in their fields. Have you ever read Matthew 25, specifically verses 14-30? The master did not deal kindly with the servant who buried his talents. Academic knowledge, good grades, a degree or multiple, teamed with strong vocational capability and biblical faithfulness mean little if we don’t have the courage to stand for it.
Our world needs academically capable, biblically faithful, culturally courageous college graduates. This is why it is vital that Warner University upholds these standards in order for our graduates, and future graduates (that includes you, Royal Cup participant) to do the same.
