Starting Christian College, Leaving in Spiritual Deconstruction?

[@DS-zo8xs]

I love that melissa lets her guests have the floor without unnecessarily interjecting while they're speaking.

[@marionward7115]

She is a great host. Also, not too many ads. Subscribe!

[@lydiahiott6164]

That is a sign of a great interviewer.♥️

[@Threnodist1]

Another point about parenting regrets: God was the father of Israel. He did everything perfectly. Israel still fell into terrible sin. You can do everything perfectly for your child, but you are still dealing with a soul with free will.

[@margiematson781]

Thank you so much for this! This is so needed right now. I am so saddened and discouraged thatbwe no longer can feel safe sending our children to "Christian schools". I see it woven in everywhere on all campuses. It starts to feel like you have nowhere to turn.

[@reneewachter1925]

It is the time dear where “ look up your delivrance is near”. As for the children, although we want the best for them, the best is at home. It is the most important to have sound doctrine at home from the bible.

[@John_Lete]

​@@reneewachter1925 Amen! Well put...foremost Jesus is at the door and most important is His saving grace for Jesus is about to take up His bride...meanwhile teaching at home surely is important for the well being of young ones.

[@italophile2011]

Theology Mom, please rethink the slogan on your t-shirt. Every parent co-parents with the government, national and local and in the Church. Government is portrayed in the Holy Scriptures as the ally of the family, of the parents. Starting with the 10 commandments, these are principles of government, which Christ and the Apostles recognize is necessary for law and morality. We are in our mess because the various modern churches teach that the government is not our concern. The low information churches divided against themselves is what supplies the Christian institutions, not the other way around.

[@RCGWho]

@margiematson781 I think we need to stop default thinking about automatically sending them to college. I have a homeschooling friend with 7 children. She used to be a hard-core college proponent. She now has 2 at college and 3 at youth with a mission. 1 is at college to become a doctor, which obviously requires attending college. The 2nd is a runner, so I think it's more about track and field for him. Think outside the box and let God show them the individual path for their lives.

[@RCGWho]

@@italophile2011 Obeying the laws and respecting and praying for those in authority is way different than belief in a nanny state, government dependence.

[@72586jejones]

My siblings and I were raised in a Christian home. My brother and I both went to the same Chrisitan college. I left still a Christian, my brother left an atheist. I think it has way more to do with his friend circle, as I worked at the college and knew many of the professors my brother had. They definitely were not the kind to support CRT, wokeness, etc. His friend circle heavily influenced him. Not everyone who attends a Christian college is a Christian. Working in admissions, I was forced to accept kids with GPAs lower than 1.9 and students who had no faith background but could offer the school success in sports. When someone is willing to pay a Christian college, the administration will take their money, regardless of whether or not the student will experience success or bring the school down with their morals. I think Christian schools need to be way more vigorous in who they accept at schools instead of seeing dollar signs. It only a takes a little salt to make water unpalatable. In turn, this does eventually lead a Christian school to adapt to culture. I can tell this is happening at the school we attended. All the old professors who encouraged thought are retiring and new folk are coming in. It's sad. As far as Biola, I was there on a work trip when Obama was elected. Let's just say you could tell the school was liberal, and not in a good way. It has definitely succumbed to a California way of thinking.

[@jesusfreakof2000]

My old school is still very careful to whom they let in but I've even seen some slight shifts that leave me slightly concerned and let me say, they are still quite conservative compared to most.

[@mossyoakmom8880]

I have to say Christian lower education is the same. We sent our children to Christian schools their whole lives and I can agree.

[@copper_lily]

I attended Liberty in '93 and can say that even though Jerry was still alive, it was no different than a secular school in composition/beliefs of the student body. And at the time, a prospective student had to submit an essay of their written testimony and why they wanted to attend and how they felt they could benefit LU and impact it for Christ. We had convocation 3x a week and church services on Sunday. Most classes started w devotions & prayer. Yet we had new agers, atheists, and even a satanist in the dorm room next to my boyfriend (now husband). There were homosexuals as well. There were drugs and rampant fornication on campus. After this experience and many others of friends, we made sure to tell our children that if they go to a "Christian" college, they are going to have to be very discerning about who they are around and what is being taught to them. The wolves have been in the sheep pen a LONG time. No school is exempt. Yes, some may be better than others but all have been infiltrated. Guard your hearts and minds and stick to the Word.

[@stevelizzio1785]

I attended Liberty and found my wife there… I have friends who kids there now and they love it … every Christian school has kids who are struggling and hiding their sin … And every school has to work at protecting their culture but I would recommend Liberty to anyone looking for a spiritually challenging culture.

[@truthhearit1471]

@@copper_lily Jerry Fawell has his own issues of falling into sin.

[@stacroge25]

My eldest son has gone to Christian schools since 2nd grade. He is now at a Christian university (Biola!). I encourage him to nurture his walk with Jesus and to look to Jesus as his measure for everything, not man!

[@JoyfulNoiseLearning]

I almost went to Biola!

[@magyarmainer4692]

Love this ❤

[@kintsugi-c6u]

Her part about parental regret was very touching. I'm honestly experiencing the destruction phase...I don't want to but I just can't reconcile the problem of evil and suffering and God's "silence" if you will. It's been painful. I wish my parents cared about my spiritual well-being like Mrs. Bontrager. She's a good mama. I was just kind of left to my own devices. College wasn't the catalyst for my shaken faith, though. I'd say it's been depression. But I'm not willing to sacrifice my soul so I can't just walk away. Universities in general are so left-leaning. I have a Sociology degree from a secular college and they taught ALL the things - transgenderism, conflict and queer theory, gender ideology, racism, etc. Luckily, I was in my late 20s by this point and didn't absorb any of it but if I went when I was younger, who knows. I'm not surprised it's creeping into Christian education just like it's been infiltrating the church. We should definitely be diligent about what kids are learning.

[@thejohnbeck]

I think a large part of the response is people wil have to push back against or leave false teaching churches

[@zerobyte802]

For me, the problem of evil is exactly what brought me to God. I look at the world, and it's obvious that evil exists. If evil exists, then so too must God. Therefore, I choose God over evil. I will do what I can to help others make that same choice. I will pray for you. I lost my faith in my mid-twenties. A friend of mine was a big part of that. Ironically, I was trying to disciple him, but his constant disdain for religion seeped through me until one day I realized I no longer believed. It was simultaneously the most liberating thing I'd ever experienced, AND the most disconcerting thing. I hadn't anticipated how lost I was going to feel once the anchor of my entire world view was gone. I became depressed for over a decade before really finding some kind of meaning in my life. Even that didn't last though. When I saw what the world had become in recent years, I began to despair again. Then I realized that God's way was the best way. I chose to follow God again, even if I didn't "believe" in the same way I had when I was young. It didn't take long for God to enter my heart again after that. I'm so thankful that he kept me safe in life until I would return to the fold. Now I believe MORE than I did when I was young.

[@zerobyte802]

One thought about evil in the world: God loved us enough that he came into the world and lived life as a man, and look what the world did to Jesus. his family said he was crazy. His home town tried to stone him. He was a good, kind, wise, compassionate man, and the world chewed him up. The politicians hated him and had him tortured to death for defying them. His closest friends abandoned him to his fate and denied ever knowing him. God knows it's hard. He went through it himself just for us because he cares so much. Hebrews 4:15 states: "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

[@RebeccaJeffersonOAC]

Praying for you. The things in this world are not out of his control. God hasn't left us alone without the witness of His Son and Holy Spirit. He is always, always with us

[@michellesanchez9]

This comment hit me to my core. I am also a sociology major, and I am a believer, and I am truly sorry for the things you feel with your parent. I just want to gently ask if you feel like some of Sociology has discouraged your faith in any way whether subconsciously or not in sone way if you can possibly recall at any time in your life ? God is not suprised at your questions and hope you know that he is with you in your questions. I will be praying for you. 🙏🤍

[@cottagekeeper]

Wow, this is so needed! I appreciate the gentleness in which this subject was discussed. It is heartbreaking that she can’t recommend one Christian University for undergrad. I do agree that college is something that maybe you don’t pursue.

[@MrSeedi76]

I think it's a really good thing to study theology at a mainstream university. But you need to prepare. You need to know how to defeat the "progressive" arguments before you even start. But if you do that, it's a great thing because we as Christians need to understand the attacks waged against a Bible based faith and that means we need to be able to dismantle the arguments that undermine the Bible and our faith in the name of theology. The reason why false teachers like Bart Ehrman for instance, or Err-man as I prefer to call him, is so devastating to many Christians is because they don't know the twisted type of "scholarship" his stuff is based on. People should learn all the German higher criticism, all the stuff that modern day "Bible critics" use to destroy the faith in order to rebuke it, strengthen their flock (if they become pastors) so people can see through the lies. No "atheist Bible scholar" can explain the Bible to us but he or she can still do a lot of damage if we aren't prepared and never heard about the arguments used.

[@TheologyMom]

Please allow me to clarify my position a bit more. As I said in the second half, I take an approach of teaching parents how to vet a school for themselves, rather than mentioning specific schools. It's way too big of a decision to trust some random woman on the internet with. Everyone has their own threshold for what they deem appropriate and tolerable. I want people to make up their own minds. Hope that helps to clarify.

[@John_Lete]

Many whom finish chistian schooling come out having the mindset set on was taught and it is grievous since when the saving grace gospel of Jesus Christ is presented, the graduate mindset tends to turn the head and stick with the wrong theology taught is in school. There can be good things learned in Christian college/school, though majority of the time there is indoctrination that twisted the mind beyond the point of learning good things...more like learning the correct gospel of Christ. Best schooling that can be done as for learning christian truth, it is by reading the Bible with the mindset of Jesus being the teacher by His Holy Spirit and surely Jesus' Spirit of truth teaches the best and no needing to worry which way to go.

[@SusieQ3]

I love Krista's shirt! This is actually a great topic. Thank you both for taking the time to parse through this for us.

[@joshua_24.15]

Thank you for this conversation! I dropped out of Southeastern Seminary a few years ago. They had affirmed all the right statements, but when a pastor came into chapel in Feb 2021 and elevated George Floyd, condemned Jan 6th and re-interpreted the story of the paralytic who was lowered through a roof to make it about racism, I knew that I couldn’t stay there. Ironically, the pastor’s name was James White (not Dr White from Apologia) and I believe you can find the sermon online still. There were other issues too (just look up Walter Strickland). Sadly, this has been influencing the church for a longer time than most realize. The book “when helping hurts” was published in 2009 and has been very popular in missionary training. It’s content perfectly outlines the narrative of CRT. It was required reading in one of my classes and I wrote a paper on its CRT worldview. My professor recommended against the topic saying CRT was not known at the time. Nevertheless, I wrote it because the worldview was blatantly obvious to anyone who has done a little research. I pray for this institution, the pastors and professors, and the SBC in general that they would repent and turn back to the gospel and proper hermeneutics.

[@js1423]

You mean Mr James White. His doctorate was from an not-accredited school

[@lizabaker6833]

Yes, I feel very sad my daughter has cancelled me. And almost one of my sons has. It’s a huge regret and I feel very alone too and am not sure what Christians to trust anymore. I pray a lot and regret and am in deep grieving but on a positive note my walk with God has deepened. Your last words on this interview were hard but the story is not over yet…

[@John_Lete]

May Jesus by His Holy Spirit lead the way for the heart knowing whom to listen and trust...foremost trusting Holy Spirit for He is the Spirit of truth and our Lord Jesus Christ surely is faithful in completing all that He has for us His children. We all fall short, surely our only hope lays in Christ...the hard thing is having patience while God opens and closes doors, which His plans never are according to our time. This is a reminder for me too cause it can be so easy to forget and get caught up in the questions of what do I do and what will be, but our Saviour surely knows best and surely Jesus is faithful when we lack faith and His victory for our lives surely is as He knows is good... All we have is faith; believing our Heavenly Daddy that He has us in the palm of His hands and His plans and timing is always the best road to be on...as hard as it can be to believe when we fall in doubt but may our God Jesus Christ mend the way for all of us His children from young to age and being His glory for without His saving grace we have no hope. Surely in Christ we have assurance that He will fulfill, complete all that He started. Blessings in Jesus name, for you and your loved ones, His will be done as He knows is good and in the end all being in Paradise with our loving Daddy; our Saviour Jesus Christ. 🤍🕊️🤍

[@JoeyJoe-JoeJrShabadoo]

Get off the internet, stop listening to these two strangers and go listen to your children! You are on this video trying to validate yourself for not listening to your children! You can not see god, you can not speak with god, but you can see and speak with your children! You can not control your children! You have to listen and accept them as the individual that they are. Be proud of them for being able to think for themselves and have the courage to be themselves. Be a good mother and learn from your children and in turn it will make you a better person

[@natashamiller4860]

I understand your struggles as I am dealing with similar struggles with my child, too. It is so heartbreaking and the heartache and regret is real. My faith hasn’t been shaken and I trust God’s plan for what we are going through. It is so hard when it involves our children and the loneliness and isolation is so real. And the judgment and condemnation from others is real too and it definitely is not helpful. It reminds me of how Job’s friends and wife responded. You are in my prayers!

[@simbarashekunedzimwe1372]

Having Jesus Christ is the greatest treasure. AT the end of the day, everyone makes their choice. We pray without ceasing for our loved ones and the world generally, even if/when they abandon us. God answers prayers. God bless and help you.

[@rhondahart2416]

My oldest daughter and I have just reconnected after years of silence so indeed the story is not over yet! Pray !

[@Vikinggal1234]

Cedarville University is a school that takes a very solid, biblical stance on the cultural issues of our time. I’m very grateful for the faculty and staff there. My son has grown tremendously in his faith while a student there.

[@TheologyMom]

I’ve heard good things about it. I just haven’t interacted with anyone in the administration there. I wish someone would reach out to me so I could interview them.

[@SammyMaeQ]

​​@@TheologyMomMy son graduated from there just over a year ago and he had a good experience. My daughter graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic. She has a good friend that joined the staff after graduation and she feels they are still on track, possibly even more so with the new president that came in after her graduation.

[@TheologyMom]

@@SammyMaeQ I've never heard of that school. I'll look them up. Thank you.

[@Amy-tm3rh]

I think Grace Seminary in Winona Lake, IN is still on track. My kids went to Grace College next door. My son works for Dave Ramsey and is still solid. Many have gone off the rails, though, sadly. More from fellow students than from professors in some cases.

[@ruthannguenther8353]

I got a degree from there in the early 2000's and at the time they taught Critical Race Theory under the guise of loving your neighbor. They have a diversity officer. They have in the past hired based on ethnicity. I want them to be a solid school because I loved my time there, but students need to be on guard against popular CRT lies.

[@matthewsmith2578]

This is a great topic. Thank you, Melissa.

[@rebekahearly1144]

“The short version that I gave to my mother” is a pretty good test for whether you can explain something 😊

[@rachelray3250]

Great interview! Thank you so much for covering this topic with the edifying combination of gentleness and boldness that you both did. We Christians need to stay in God’s word, and we need to be praying for each other and supporting each other with the truth of God’s word. This world is tough and having a village of brothers and sisters in Christ who unwaveringly stick to the word of God is so important.

[@aprileweeks]

John Rosemond in his forward Teenage Proofing said God was a perfect parent and his children rebelled. This really encouraged me!

[@TheologyMom]

I do appreciate a lot of Dr. Rosemond's work. He was helpful to me as a young mom.

[@Susan-f5u]

I need to find his books. We are great grandparents of three. We reared 6.

[@RCGWho]

Rule #1. Stop worshipping education.

[@stevescuba1978]

Education is just the accumulation of knowledge. It is a worthy goal to be more educated. However, if what you learn does not bring you to the Truth, it is just dangerous.

[@ironknightbcpg7778]

Cold knowledge, when education becomes your idol rather it speaks Truth or lies. Either way will not only make you intelligent on the matter but cold hearted and spiritually dead at heart that only God can resurrect (1 Corinthians 13:2 & James 3:17)

[@ChristopherWanha]

I agree more with OP, people idolize education in a weird way. Like scientism, nothing wrong with science and updating your ideas with reality but placing a disembodied science or "education" as your authority makes it easy for people to embody its (ed/sci) authority in order to manipulate, often condescendingly believing the masses to be unworthy of truth.

[@reneewachter1925]

I turned my regrets in a search of my own spiritual state for being blind to that. So, much repentance was needed. And “ all things come together fir the ones who love the Lord according to His purpose” God does repair damages made by ourselves and others. Be encouraged!

[@TheologyMom]

This is a great perspective. A book that we recommend at the ministry along these lines is, From Heartbroken to Hopeful. We interviewed the author a while back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKalc3xthdN1oKM.

[@TGBTG7]

Thank you, Melissa for this interview and thank you Christa for speaking so beautifully to the heartbreak, that can barely be described, on behalf of parents whose children have rejected them.

[@lori342]

An important thing to note is that, for roles like social work and counseling, there are certification requirements that often include a lot of the stuff you're concerned about. They will have to take some of those classes to be and to get certified and there's a line universities have to walk to stay accredited.

[@SusieQ3]

​@@dand4485 idiotologies 😂 I think it's a matter of biblical illiteracy, and not having answers to very old, yet very often asked questions like "if evil, why God?" Kids aren't as well equipped to answer these questions as they should be, but colleges are very good at asking the questions then saying that since you have no answer, you really have no God.

[@lori342]

@@dand4485 I don't know if you were responding to my comment because I didn't disagree with you. They were discussing how to choose a Christian college environment. The advice was solid. I was specifically commenting on how in certain fields, there's no way around including certain things without losing accreditation which will allow the graduates to go on to work in certain professional fields. If you exclude entire universities based on their social work or clinical mental health counseling programs you might be missing out on some solid Christian environments. I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm saying that sometimes it's not the fault of the university. It's the fault of the accrediting body in certain fields, many of which happen to be fields where we have an opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of the community without compromising or values. I would suggest watching the video.

[@gregorytoews8316]

At some point christian institutions will have to choose between accreditation and biblical integrity.

[@lori342]

@@gregorytoews8316 that's a fair point but unless things change that will mean having a smaller reach to help people who don't realize that specifically Christian counseling can help them. I go back and forth about that a lot in my mind. I ultimately decided against getting a master's in social work for that reason, but it limits my ability to do good work in larger organizations. I'm still praying about it honestly.

[@fingerzfrienemy2226]

Spoiler alert: satan wins again.

[@reneewachter1925]

My kids went to christian schools from pre K to college. I wish i knew there what I know today. I agree with what you say, keeping in mind that parents desire to send their children to a “ purer” environment than the world when most parents do not apply the basic of biblical living at home.

[@Deuteronomy649]

We went to Biola around the same time. I graduated in ‘91. There were major issues even back then - lots of progressivism, but at least the Bible department was solid at that time. I loved having a class with JP Moreland. Best class ever. But some of the profs didn’t have Biblically orthodox beliefs. One of my English profs and a student got into an argument in class about whether or not God was a universalist. The prof held that He was. I left Biola pretty disillusioned. I’m thankful for my husband who helped me process through things I was struggling with at this time and kept me grounded in my faith.

[@sandyhardy3419]

My kids went to school 20 years ago, and I have this concern… My friends and I unfortunately referred to it as the cemetery… Thank you for doing this

[@pastor1988]

The forthrightness of this episode is refreshing, succinct, and incredibly useful. Wonderful!

[@suzanturner369]

She is absolutely correct! I have been a Christian for 63 years. I have lived through church history when most pastors didn’t have a college education. The lack of education was a handicap on them. At that time, new pastor came up through the ranks by being mentored by the older, mature pastors. I watched as times changed, young men were sent off to Christian college to promote the cause of Christ. Offerings, taken, men, women, even the poor elderly sacrificial gave money to support the cause. I saw those new pastors return home, better educated, but with a watered-down social Christianity. I saw that the office of pastor begin to gain great prestige and a better price tag. Thus, the role became attractive by this worlds standards. Candidates were judge on paper and not on righteousness. I believe, this is why the church is in the condition, it is in today. I am not against education, I am not against pastor making a good income. But, education and money is power… that power can be used for good or evil. Being in a church structure dose not make us immune to this principle. Our family was privileged to send off my oldest grandson to college. Sadly, we could not find a Christian college that simply aligned with the inertia Word of God. I have to say, it was heartbreaking! The decision was made to send him to a local college. That the relationship and dialog could remain open and daily.

[@twig1960]

Masters University and Seminary is great!

[@lisaengel89]

Yes!!

[@timvandermey4792]

Yes! Just brought our oldest there for wow. Very confident, the institution is biblically solid. Praying they add more degrees or satellite university in another state so that degree expansion is possible, for example, nursing-medical. Danya

[@zoetaylor9191]

Social worker here! Went to a secular school and for a little bit had some non biblical views but God is faithful and He brought me to His truth. It’s true how much it is engrained in you to make social work your identity and social work is meant to dictate your views versus your views dictating how you do social work. I do trauma therapy for veterans and I love love my job, but struggle because I have to be more sly regarding introducing faith

[@emg708]

As the wife of a vet. thank you for being there. You are so needed.

[@CaffeinatedChrista]

This is the conversation that I am going to share with folks that are really needing more info, encouragement and advice regarding Christian colleges & college in general. There are a lot of parents trying to navigate this topic with a varying degree of info. I've personally been wrestling with this topic and GREATLY appreciate the candid advice and raw emotion. The struggle is real. God bless!

[@RenamedBeloved]

So interesting! I will have a video out tomorrow speaking on this exact topic. I graduated from seminary in 2021 & feel led to continue to speak on my experience which resulted in deconstruction & now (through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ) reconstruction.

[@SammyMaeQ]

I've seen so many go to seminary and emerge unrecognizable. I'm so glad you've found your way back!

[@RenamedBeloved]

@@SammyMaeQ Amen me too & thank you!

[@kptmrvl4967]

What a wonderful video! Thank you for sharing this, God bless you both

[@user-fn7vq9xf6h]

Wow Thanks Krista that was awesome! And of course Thank you Melissa for that great interview! 🙏🕊️

[@rockpfsh]

Have you done a deep dive on Inerrancy/Infallibility of scripture? I find that topic to be similar to this one. Christians tend to be equally as apt to create their own extrabiblical worldviews as they are to gullibly swallow the world’s subtle replacement versions. Uh, you want to train your kids to be able to handle the need to discern spiritual things like this BEFORE they get to college. Not an easy task but more important than ever.

[@crosbym7500]

The Mama bear apologetics is a great book on teaching children discernment and how to think biblically on the current worldy ideologies running rampant right now

[@MsMaria990]

Thank you both. Parent regret is very real. Thank you For the hope. ❤❤

[@LuanaCupcake]

Good information. God is working. Thanks Krista and Melissa.

[@jinyeahjiang5474]

Thank you for the information and the encouragement. From a mom who has some regrets, hasn't given up, and is trusting in the grace of God for myself and for my children, even as I finish running the race of raising my children with my husband.

[@juliedavis3799]

Love the T-shirt!

[@robertyoder7178]

i knew back in the mid 80's that eastern mennonite college was going in a bad direction, my friend was becoming so politicized he was a different person, it took over a weekend of being together on a trip before he was remembering what being a christian was actually about .....

[@Farmhouselivingroom]

Discernment is key! Not everything or everyone will agree with the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of you! Good interview!

[@dezc8082]

This made me cry. Thank you for the encouragement.

[@bernermom2044]

Absolutely loved her ending message!! Very encouraging and I’m on the same page. Much love to you both 🙏🏻❤️

[@paulreilly4510]

When I graduated from a historic denominational christian college in 82 the school was solidly biblical theologically and socially. Some 20 years later when one of my children went to the same school I was disappointed in the drift. On one visit when I saw students line twerking to horrid music in the student center I actually became sick. I was also told that athletes were recruited primarily on the basis of talent with little regard for their faith. I understand some arguments for ministry to these athletes, but it seems much like hyper seeker sensitive churches that go a mile wide and in inch deep. Fast forward to today and this school, along with it's associated denominational seminary is closed, the campus sold. I was sad when it closed, but from my limited perspective I am not surprised. Over this same period the denomination has fully embraced egalitarianism. Not interested in picking fights with family but I do think these things are of a piece.

[@CSDGrace]

I love this! Thank you for the conversation and I love the shirt!

[@NettyB]

Great interview between two brilliant women! Thank you.

[@heatherknox3463]

I’m a bagger at Trader Joe’s! Thanks for the shout out

[@package2go]

As a single mother who failed to teach my son Biblical discernment I think that teaching young adults how do do this research on their own is so important. This is not the only situation in their lives that will require this kind of research to make Biblically sound decisions. Guide them through the process and be there to provide wise counsel and keep the focus on Godly principles. I am trying to help my 32 year old figure this out now and he has already made so many worldly choices that he is dealing with and it affects his current decision making process. Question - How can support be given to a Presbyterian seminary when the Presbyterian Church voted to allow same sex marriage in 2014? Are they separate for each other? Maybe this is this answer-Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (not to be confused with the Presbyterian Church in America, which opposes same-sex marriage)

[@twig1960]

Thanks for the encouraging wisdom. Thankfully there is God’s grace for my big mistakes.

[@NicBathurst]

Yes! Parenting regret is REAL! Thankyou for acknowledging this ❤

[@followerofchrist4064]

Excellent interview. What a plethora of wonderful information. So much good wisdom. Love what she said at the end about trade jobs and so many great gems about guilt parents feel. Thank you so much, both of you. God Bless!!

[@AfricanSheep]

This was an excellent discussion and I don't even have kids!

[@amisgirl1]

I hope you make a short of the passage on parenting regret. So good.

[@adrienneterrance6311]

Parenting regret is real. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.❤

[@orbyfan]

The same problem exists in Canada. Ambrose University has a faculty member who boasts of being a critical race theorist. Ambrose's "Deeper Life Day" last year focused on horror movies, and of 10 members of the 2023-24 Student Council, only one listed the Bible as their favourite book. Regent College is woke on race, and a few years ago hosted a lecture on "The Black Experience in Biblical Interpretation." Trinity Western University's Mars Hill student newspaper had as its managing editor a few years ago an active practitioner of a certain abomination mentioned in Romans 1. The King's University, meanwhile, has an annual week taking pride in the same abomination, which they once pretended to oppose. The problem with statements of faith is that there are churches, schools and organizations that may have good-looking statements of faith, but they don't follow them in practice.

[@santamax70]

My son attended Leavell College, the undergrad side of New Orleans Baptist Theological, and now he is a fully deconstructed atheist. As a parent, it feels like I lost a huge part of him. Mind you, this was not the initial catalyst, but at least one professor and a graduate led him down the path. The professor had the nerve to tell him that if he told anyone, he would deny all of it. 😢

[@IzzyNChrist]

I'm so sorry, that's terrible. Don't stop praying for your son

[@annette8770]

I hypothesize that the root of this pervasive problem may be in the trail you follow to the new buildings, expansion, programs, etc. Sadly, even in Christian education, always follow the money. I saw this beginning when a student at a then Bible college, now a university. This was the ‘80’s. Because my mother was a graduate from there in the ‘70’s, as a young teen I experienced the teaching and atmosphere in her night classes and summer classes. I was that weird kid. Fast forward a decade and I sat in those same classes and under many of the same professors. While there they began the many changes that were necessary to gain national accreditation that would allow them to grow to the university level/status. In order to keep that federal financial aid, a certain level of accreditation with certain accrediting groups was necessary. The changes ranged from more trash cans and street lights to policy changes. Losing federal financial aid means losing students. Losing students means no new library, football field, programs, etc. The atmosphere began to change. The solidly Biblically conservative approach began shifting ever so slightly to the left. I don’t feel it was some plot, but more of an outgrowth of the other movements in the church world influencing. The church growth, word of faith, etc. began its influence that seeped into everything. I distinctly remember the divide and correction between the “old guard” of the faculty and administrators and the “new breed,” of their heirs apparent.

[@2jesusbtheglory]

Hillsdale in Michigan accepts ZERO from government bc of this!!

[@nerychristian]

Christians shouldn't be relying on a piece of paper to tell them they are knowledgeable and spiritual. I've rarely met a seminary graduate that I have thought was spiritual and that I wanted to emulate. And even if the seminary is teaching what they should, once they graduate and serve in the church, most of what they learned goes out the building. Churchianity will still guide the decisions of the pastor. It's all about keeping the status quo going.

[@josephpurdy8390]

And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. 2 Chronicles 34: 14

[@annette8770]

@@nerychristian once there was a professor whose students had been studying intensely for 3 years. There was a really important test. One student dropped out before the test was given. The remaining students, despite the intense studying and in depth teaching failed miserably. They were suspended for three days. The prof met with them and reviewed the material, re-taught, reiterated, and left the class. He told them they would be getting a tutor to further help them. The tutor came. The students went on to teach others and a few wrote some really impressive dissertations, thanks to the inspiration of their tutor. When it came time for the final exam, all graduated with honors. A few of their dissertations were published and were so flawless, far beyond hypothesis and theory, they are as reliable as the law of gravity. Those published works are what the universities are supposed to be centering their curriculum around. I know Wiccan, new age, NAR, WOF, Mormons and Muslims who are very spiritual. We aren’t told to be spiritual to show ourselves approved. Hosea didn’t relay God’s message by saying the people perished for a lack of spirituality, the people were being destroyed by a lack of knowledge. In all the higher education I received, the pearl I gained was a professor’s simple statement that stuck in me. “All extremes are dysfunctional.” I have found this to be most applicable in the church world. Higher Christian education is supposed to be educating and equipping their graduates to rightly preach and teach the Word of God to equip themselves and the congregations they will be leading to know and be able to defend the Gospel. Far too many are failing to do the assignment.

[@emg708]

Very good point, and applicable in all school settings. Private and public schools in my area are accepting money and giving in on principles because of it. I have also seen this among the home education community. I refuse to accept money to “help” me teach my children. It comes with strings.

[@juliewood792]

Absolutely outstanding video! Thank you so much for sharing! ❤😊

[@teresaabernathy460]

I couldn’t help but think about a booklet I read in 2017 by Lighthouse Trails. It gave a list of Christian colleges that are teaching spiritual formation. The majority teach this and the list that does not is very small. Also, everything Krista said makes sense from remembering what Trevor Loudon( long time expert in the tentacles of Communism) and his documentary Enemies Within the Church. They have infiltrated government, education and the church from many years ago.

[@trackydoo]

My husband is a chemist. And while he graduated back in 2014, before all this crap started, he does have to deal with DEI and woke agendas at work. So, I wouldn't be surprised if, in school, none of the majors are safe.

[@nerychristian]

Unfortunately all schools are at risk of kneeling down to DEI because they need to get federally accredited by the government. Maybe the best thing for most people is to just go to a trade school. Money shouldn't be the end goal of our lives.

[@TheologyMom]

You are correct. That's why I say that it's a spectrum issue and why I take an approach of education rather than just telling people names of schools.

[@dottielove100]

Wow. That was a great interview. She sounds like an amazing person and I will be looking her up. Thank you Melissa

[@southernbelle1269]

I homeschooled our oldest child from pre-K to 12th. We used all Christian Curriculum and involved in so many activities under our homeschool covering with great families. She did not go to a Christian College. I just want to state, she is estranged. It is a cultural trend. We all have parent regret but we were good parents. Please know it might not be college only but culture that is pulling adult children away.

[@kintsugi-c6u]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that she is estranged. Cultural influence is so strong.

[@kathiekesterson9635]

We have a similar thing that happened with one of our four children. She definitely is following the lie in these cultural trends. At the time she fell away from God and our family she was attending a church where the pastor was questioning the infallibility of the Bible from the pulpit. So many in that church fell away from the Lord and eventually the pastor left the ministry. We tried to warn her about the lies she was embracing but she wouldn’t hear it. We pray for her and our grandchildren daily and pray she comes back to the Lord and raises her children to know Him.

[@nathanwatson1915]

Maybe sheltering kids from The World till they're 18 isn't the best idea?

[@UnmanWeston]

​@@nathanwatson1915Ah yes. The great woke commandment: thou shalt expose thine infants to the world in the name of socialist accommodation. This is horrible advice.

[@RCGWho]

@@southernbelle1269 It's a trauma, blame, unforgiving, therapy based culture and their friends pull them away from their families.

[@Crystal-pv1sf]

I have my degree in holistic nutrition and just attained it recently. Thankfully I didn’t have a ton of core classes needed because I already had my associates degree but I definitely got some pushback on my beliefs because they didn’t “align”. But my professors thankfully graded fairly despite my disagreeing

[@Crystal-pv1sf]

But I’m also 42 now so I’m not young and my faith is solid.

[@newcreationcoachingllc6491]

Was CRT in nutrition? Or are you referring to something else?

[@Crystal-pv1sf]

@@newcreationcoachingllc6491 yes, there was CRT embedded in many of my nutrition major classes. Not as bad as some core classes but it was there.

[@magyarmainer4692]

Great guest !

[@laurastone6776]

This was so good!! I would really love to have some discussion on how specifically the critical social theories have impacted some of the most common degrees

[@donnag1582]

Thank you so much for the encouragement.

[@mrspmullen1]

I loved my experience at Biola ten years ago. I was listening to some of their chapels during the pandemic and before and realize they have shifted so much since I had been there. I would only feel comfortable sending my kid to their apologetics department.

[@newcreationcoachingllc6491]

Something we should be in prayer about frequently for the sake of the culture as a whole.

[@maureenjossick429]

I love that this kind lady studied Bible exposition, I LOVE preachers that believe in ‘Sola Scriptura’ I’m NOT insinuating that she’s preaching. I just live that she’s learned all this, and is able to be an important part of the body of Christ!! THIS is what women can do instead of concentrating on what the WORD says we can’t do. This is Gods Word, who are we to argue with God? I believe the Bible literally, and science has confirmed just about everything in the Bible had come to pass, archeologists used the Bible, to find places to dig, and they would find evidence! But I love knowing this, because it gives hope that I can be useful to the Lord. I’ve been struggling with what I am here for..though I Trust God, so I will let Him lead me..but my flesh gets so weary of having to always struggle, but I NEVER blame God for that, I ask Him to forgive my weak flesh when I am angry, upset,etc.. due to traumatic trauma throughout my life, a lot of my “mental health” is showing through physically. At least that’s how my doctor explained it..the shaking, crying profusely sweating,heart wanting to bust out of my chest, it’s hard feeling trauma not just inside, but outside too..and absolutely no one cares. Thanks for the recommendations of schools and seminars, and what to look out for indoctrination wise! I appreciate that!! This was a great show!

[@Mr.biggstrength]

Thank you

[@HappyHolyHealthyLife]

I started a graduate school Counseling program at a Catholic university, and last night, my professor went on an anti-religious tirade regarding the necessity of using transgender pronouns, affirming gender identity and being open to "ethical non-nonmonagamy". She then insinuated that anyone who is religious needs therapy to overcome their bias, and she went on to say that she deconstructed from her religious upbringing... I was stunned! 😳

[@Jay-zx5hx]

Wow. . . . Smh

[@floccinaucinihilipilifications]

Good for her… now the class gets to think about, react to what she’s stated. She might be right or wrong about some or all. Class gets to think/justify their own beliefs. I’m excited for you! Maybe therapy will help. 😉😅

[@CarlHobson-zm2gk]

​@floccinaucinihilipilifications the class gets to think about her anti-Christian bigotry, but guess what, when someone like this gets in power--- the kids are silenced. Try to work your way through that fact, you won't just need therapy, but a whole team from Vienna!

[@jeb11505]

I hope you reported her!

[@emg708]

@@floccinaucinihilipilifications I had a friend who attended a secular college in Virginia (2018). She was given definitions about political leaders written by the professor. If she didn’t answer the test with that definition, she was marked down. In a different class, one student was caught blatantly cheating in class by stealing the answer key and copying it. When the professor confronted the student, he yelled that the professor was a racist and said he was reporting him. The prof. apologized to the student and said he must have been mistaken. When my husband was attending a military university that same year, his professor gave him a C on a paper she disagreed with him on, but gave no note saying where he was wrong. She just found it politically incorrect based on her own ideals, so she marked him down. This same teacher was liberal with correction at other times. I can’t imagine how much more vindictive these professors are nowadays.

[@phillip0537]

Really great topic, thank you for doing this. Another Seminary that is worth looking at is Western Seminary in Portland, OR. Their faculty teaching positions and document on "Toward a Classic Strategy for Evangelical Renewal" are prominent on their "About" section and very solid. It has been a decade since I was actually there, but this step at least passes the test that is laid out in this video.

[@lizabaker6833]

This so good. Thank you for doing this.

[@jerryloufretz1797]

Parents are told not to send their children to Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma,Wa because they will lose their faith there! Actually happened to my pastor's there.

[@jerryloufretz1797]

My pastor's wife, that is.

[@terrypaul7706]

@@jerryloufretz1797once you realise ( revelation) that everything you have ever been told about scripture is a false understanding .. then Christ has come 😉

[@emg708]

@@terrypaul7706according to?

[@janicephillips6813]

It is important to teach your children how to spot heresy even at "Christian" universities. To know what they believe and why. To not assume that "Christian" professors will probably already sympathetic to critical theories.

[@saraz9017]

Got into a Facebook argument with an old college prof regarding critical race theory 😢 Helpful tips here

[@AlbanusWambua-ld1ef]

Our father is love and his son his love.His love is everything just maintain it.

[@_aPaladin]

seems a lot of young people coming out of Christians College, steep neck deep into spiritualism deliverance. You sinned today, cast out that demon! You sneezed today CAST OUT THAT DEMON! Etc etc... forgetting that if we have the Holy Spirit living in us, no demon can live alongside the Holy Spirit!

[@GyvonJante]

As a Christian parent we are to prepare our children for the euros and allow them to live in it. They have to find their own way and own walk with God. “Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord.” - part of the apostles persecution was so that God could have the word spread out to the euros and not be stifled and regiven over and over unto the already converted. Gods word will not go out void. If you have given the word unto your child then TRUST GOD that the word is imprinted in them and that Jesus is their way. We can’t hold our children’s hands forever - God Made it so.

[@mrupholsteryman]

I love that shirt!

[@rickyt3961]

Thank you Mellissa! 🏫👩🏼‍🏫

[@pillarcollege]

What a great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@couturedeana]

This is way over my head. I graduated High school in 1973. We trusted everyone. I don’t trust anyone anymore.

[@terrypaul7706]

You are to trust your I AM! Awareness of being

[@JoeyJoe-JoeJrShabadoo]

Thank Reagan for that

[@mlt2007rd]

Great episode!

[@eternian6693]

Interesting topic. Seminaries should be affiliated with churches. Churches should then be sending elders to the seminaries so they can become better teachers at their local churches. All seminaries should offer remote learning.

[@lauratownsend2040]

I felt this at a private Christian school with a psychology major, graduating back in 2001.

[@inezannestes8162]

Thank you for this information.

[@NotEasyButSimple]

SES is in my backyard. I don't have the funds to go back to school yet but their free online resources and youtube and the annual conference is great. I'm not reformed but will look up BTS. Never heard of it. But I really want to learn especially for my kids sake. I honestly don't plan on forcing college on my kids, but hoping i invest enough in them before that, I give them time to really consider what productive path they want to take next after high school. Having a BS and Masters... I wish I knew what I know now, I probably would have taken the time to learn who I am and pursue trade or some alternative route. I have no interest in going down my degree field anymore, but a lot of loan to pay back. SMH!

[@troylee4196]

I'd like to hear her view on what the benefit of Christian organizations are and the standards necessary

[@e.t.thegaijinfarmer3288]

Hi Melissa, Thank you for your great videos! I’ve enjoyed quite a few of them in the past week or so. I’m curious to know if you have a video on A Course in Miracles??

[@juanitasetzer6513]

Really great interview!

[@samsmom400]

Thank you!

[@daveschmidt5713]

Krista Bontrager has hit a bullseye.

[@SockPuppetSeminary]

Started our own seminary as protection. Seminary is only required if you want a government license to perform marriages. All Christian theology information can be found online. Thank you for this video. This content encourages what we are accomplishing here in Rochester NY. 👨‍🎓🙏🏻😇

[@reneewachter1925]

I am glad you talk about the taste for accreditation. Christians cannot have both the real sound teaching and the accreditation, knowing when the school gets accredited it is not because they love God with all their heart, mind and spirit……

[@nerychristian]

Seminaries shouldn't even be concerned with being accredited by the government. They should be purely focused on preparing people for the ministry. If someone wants to attend a seminary because they need a Masters or PhD, they are doing it for the wrong motives.

[@susanshore9647]

Another excellent video.

[@sharonpoitra193]

Please take a look at how Native Americans are being encouraged to interpret scripture. I think Richard Twiss, now deceased, was a big part of this. There's also a Native translation of the NT.

[@JohnMark1313]

Don’t we all come to the table with our own backgrounds and experience that shape our way of looking at things? I attended conservative Bible college and seminary and was taught narrow doctrinal perspectives promoted by each. Later I spent several years in Africa working in the field of Bible translation and learned that bias is not just in how we interpret the scripture but also in the translations. I attended two international Bible translation conferences and the majority of attendees were old, white, western men, the same demographic that make up English Bible translation committees. Choices are made, choices that are impacted by bias.

[@RCGWho]

So are you opposed to old, white men?

[@JohnMark1313]

@@RCGWho No, I am one. We must acknowledge we all have a bias and that English translation teams do not have a lot of diversity. With language and translation, there are many choices to be made and those choices often align with one's demographic.

[@RCGWho]

@@JohnMark1313 There's a translation for everyone these days. I'm opposed to modifying scripture based in race. I have race obsession fatigue.

[@JohnMark1313]

@@RCGWho Some would suggest that our current translations are already "modified". We cannot escape our background, education, experiences, etc, they flavor what we do. What is necessary is that we recognized bias exists, even in our English translations.

[@Rassi97]

My oldest went to a very liberal university to get an engineering degree in the 20 teens. We had a lot of conversations about what his professors may try to sell him, but because engineering focuses on understanding the processes of how to make things that work, he ran into very little critical theory infused teaching. Fast forward to a few years ago when he went back to get his masters in eduction. It was a completely different story. He came out believing a lot of Marxist dogma. I absolutely struggle with parent guilt and pray God continues to work with him.

[@marksutton5540]

That was so good.

[@gospeljoy5713]

I would love to talk deeper as i have a perspective that few have. Growing up in a conservative Christian family linked to a well known Christian leader former dittohead former hannetized former levin listener.

[@DivineDissident]

She says at “20:00” that these people should “learn how to think in a Christian way before going on to secular learning”. I understand what she means by that and honestly its an indoctrinated way of thinking. Its not critical thinking, its not looking for the evidence, its not thinking for yourself, its understanding and seeing the world through the established Christian worldview thats been imposed as THE WAY Christians should think. There’s little room for any thinking at all, but obedience to the established doctrines, rules, and adhering to historical views. Deconstruction is the best thing thats happened to me spiritually because that’s when I learned to really think, and found out that much of what people claim is biblical is refuted by the Bible itself if you read it in context. I understand that parents want to keep their adult children holding to everything they believe, and not send them to schools where they might learn something else, but they also need to allow their adult children to think for themselves. I think part of the problem is that most of these Christian adult children havent been taught to think for themselves or encouraged to do and so they will be accustomed to following what their teachers teach them. The world has some wild and crazy ideas but so does “the church”… imo anyone that has come to a place to actually learn to think critically for themselves is stepping forward in their maturity as a person.

[@reneewachter1925]

Agreed, although Christian or non christian professors in Christian colleges have same goal: Keeping students and the college “ happy”. So, the bible is not the basis for success. Some of my children went to christian college some did not. The spiritual of both groups are damaged. Very sad!