Thursday, August 29, 2019

Convocation 2019



CIU open for “Business” in the William H. Jones Global Business & IT Center


By Bob Holmes

On the first day of the 2019-2020 school year, a couple staff members stood in the cavernous entryway to the new William H. Jones Global Business & IT Center directing students trying to find their way to the very first classes being held in the much anticipated $20 million building.

It was May 2018 when a ceremonial groundbreaking at the entrance to CIU signaled the beginning of the project named for CIU Chancellor Dr. “Bill” Jones who also served as CIU’s sixth president. The Center is a training ground for best business practices at home and abroad; for business as mission; and a hub for the Monticello Road community business development.

“At first I didn’t think it would get done on time, but it’s beautiful,” sophomore Mackenzie Sanchez said about the building as she waited for her Introduction to Business class to begin. Sanchez and the other 50 students in her class could look out floor-to-ceiling windows and view a neatly landscaped hillside leading up to Monticello Road. Overhead and just behind Professor Amy Dubois was a huge media screen.

The two-story structure includes a number of classrooms, meeting rooms for collaborative projects, and offices for staff members including those involved in CIU’s rapidly growing online programs.

Meanwhile, roaming the hallway to take in the historic day was CIU Provost Dr. Jim Lanpher and Scott Adams, dean of the School of Business & Professional Studies who said he is still in awe over this centerpiece for CIU’s growing business program.

“This is just wonderful,” Adams said as he struggled the find words to match his feelings. “This is the culmination of several years of planning to have a first-class Business program. It’s just incredible. This is one of the most modern facilities for business schools in the state.”

The CIU IT Department is also located in the building, enhancing the campus IT functionality and infrastructure for all staff and students. It also offers the potential for IT academic programs in the future.

As contractors continue to put a few finishing touches on the building, a formal dedication is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Columbia International University ranks #1 among colleges and universities in South Carolina by BestColleges.com. Excitement is growing on campus with CIU’s first baseball program in development, and online with CIU’s new Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.

Program Highlight: MA/MDiv in Bible Exposition

Dr. Brian Gault
by Dr. Brian Gault, Associate Professor of Old Testament

Has God placed in you a passion to communicate His Word? How can you be equipped to fulfill His calling? Whether you are a church or parachurch leader, CIU’s Bible Exposition program (MA/MDiv) can provide you with specialized knowledge and skills to understand, apply, and communicate the Scriptures effectively. In the words of our graduates, the uniqueness of this program combines its biblical foundation, cross-cultural application, and hands-on training. But most important is the faculty’s investment in our students.

If you are looking to delve deeply into the biblical text, to change your own life as well as the lives of others, consider this a personal invitation! 

Courses are available fully online.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Friendly Reminder


If you are planning to graduate this Fall (Dec 13) submit your Graduation Application by September 4 to avoid a late fee. Applications received after this date will incur a late fee in addition to the application fee. No applications for Fall graduation will be accepted after October 21.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

SC Lt. Governor visits CIU to address symposium on aging


South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited the Columbia International University campus to address a church-community partnership symposium on Aug. 22. The event was hosted by the CIU School of Business & Professional Studies.

The symposium titled “Faith and Community: United to Serve,” brought together faith leaders and community organizations from across South Carolina, stimulating partnerships to address the growing unmet needs of seniors and their families.

Evette, who was introduced by CIU President Dr. Mark Smith, said she understands the needs of seniors noting that her 91-year-old mother lives with her.

“It’s important to me, I’m compassionate and passionate about making sure (seniors) have the services they need,” Evette said, adding that she was pleased to see the role of the faith community because “government can’t do everything.”

“Our faith community really steps in, in South Carolina, something that I’m very proud of,” Evette said. “They step in and fill in the gaps that we can’t.”

Evette was joined by Acting Director of the South Carolina Department on Aging, Steven Morris.

The day included panel discussions led by cooperative ministry leaders from around South Carolina, break-out strategy sessions, and recognized experts who addressed community needs.

This is the second time Evette has spoken on the CIU campus. She addressed a discussion on criminal justice reform last spring.

Columbia International University ranks #1 among colleges and universities in South Carolina by BestColleges.com. Excitement is growing on campus with CIU’s first baseball program in development, and online with CIU’s new Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Nathan Smith (MDIV Ministry Leadership, 2014)

What ministry have you been doing since graduating?

Since graduating from CIU, I have served as the Sr. Pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA. God has been very gracious to us as a church. I took over the church with a regular attendance of 1200 on a Sunday ("regular" being defined as the discounting of summer travels when so many are gone) to a Sunday attendance of 1800-2100. We are recently debt free as a church and I have a wonderful team of 12 staff pastors and 20 support staff to share the ministry load. I am an expositional preacher that deeply believes in the innate power of the Holy Spirit working through His revealed Word. I also believe that we have a responsibility and joy to tell the nations about Jesus. I grew up on the mission field in Tanzania, East Africa, so missions and a love of cultures is in my very bones. We as a church have a passion for reaching the nations (primarily among the unreached), and we have a vibrant missionary training program. We have sent a number of families out from our own congregation and currently have 15 units in the missionary pipeline who have committed to go as long-term workers building the church abroad. We are also sending out kingdom builders overseas who are not traditional missionaries, but rather people who have surrendered to use their vocation in very closed access regions. We are also intentional about our local community where we desire to serve and love all peoples and be a church community that is representative of all peoples. As I say every Sunday, "we are a church of broken people all in need of God's grace." I desire that our church be a gospel loving, gospel proclaiming community that upholds Christ in all we do. Having studied in Israel, I have had the privilege of leading several teaching/discipleship trips to Israel from our church where I endeavor to intersect the Bible with history, archaeology, and culture. I have also been blessed to speak at missions conferences here in the States and in various ministry settings such as Word of Life, New York. I have also been blessed to participate in God's work for the nations by teaching, encouraging, and learning from missionary workers and nationals in North Africa, the Middle East, India, China, and Sub-Saharan Africa. I have also taught as a visiting lecturer in several university settings. I see my role as an expositional preacher, leading and serving a wonderful community of believers while helping to mobilize and equip them for the building of the kingdom.

How did your education at CBS prepare you for your current ministry?

The evident missions passion across the faculty was refreshing and challenging. Theology was not presented as static knowledge, but rather as an authoritative revelation in the movement of redemption history. I also appreciated the array of different denominations and cultural backgrounds that made for good Christian to Christian sharpening, healthy debate, and challenging perspectives. CIU broadened and deepened my appreciation for God's Word and His purposes to redeem peoples for His glory, all in the context of rigorous study and academia.

How did your education at CBS prepare you for your DMin?

The MDIV was theological but also very practical. This helped me bring both orthodoxy and orthopraxy into my DMIN so that the doctorate had direct application to ministry, but also explored the nature and person of God. I feel that the MDIV gave me ministry tools and perspectives that helped me in the normal course of pastoral ministry, but it also whetted my appetite for a deeper walk and knowledge of the Triune God.

What do you appreciate most about CBS?

Rigorous academia through the lens of missional application couched in a historical, redemptive narrative. If that is too much of a mouthful, then a fervent knowing of God while caring about the world.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Dr. Brian Gault publishes on Song of Solomon


Dr. Brian Gault (Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew) publishes Body as Landscape, Love as Intoxication: Conceptual Metaphors in the Song of Songs, Ancient Israel & Its Literature 36 (Atlanta: Society for Biblical Literature, 2019)

"One of the chief difficulties in interpreting the Song's lyrics is the unusual imagery used to depict the lovers' bodies. Why is the maiden's hair compared to a flock of goats (4:1), the man's cheeks likened to garden beds of spice (5:13), and the eyes of both lovers described as doves (4:1; 5:12)? While scholars speculate on the significance of these images, a systematic inquiry into the Song's body metaphors is curiously absent. Based on insights from cognitive linguistics, this study incorporates biblical and comparative data to uncover the meaning of these metaphors surveying literature in the eastern Mediterranean (and beyond) that shares a similar form (poetry) and theme (love). Gault presents an interpretation of the Song's body imagery that sheds light on the perception of beauty in Israel and its relationship to surrounding cultures." 

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Lehigh Hanson commits up to $500,000 in support of CIU’s revitalization efforts along Monticello Road


By Bob Holmes

Lehigh Hanson, Inc, has announced that its Hanson Aggregates subsidiary in Columbia is committed to donating up to $500,000 to Columbia International University in support of CIU’s revitalization efforts along Monticello Road, the corridor to the CIU campus. The company, which has operations near Monticello Road, presented an initial donation of $100,000 to the university on Aug. 20.

CIU has purchased seven properties transforming the formerly blighted area into a commercially-viable district. A Dairy Queen/convenience store combo will be situated on three lots at the corner of Monticello Road and Peeples Street just off Interstate 20. A new sheriff’s department substation will be located on another nearby lot. Negotiations continue with other businesses who are considering Monticello Road an excellent location for growth. CIU cleared the properties of vacant buildings and a barroom earlier this year.

Scott Dickson, Vice President & General Manager for Hanson Aggregates Southeast LLC was on the CIU campus to meet CIU President Dr. Mark Smith and present him with a check for the donation and discuss the importance of CIU’s efforts.

“The university has taken a leadership position on this, and the fact that we’re in the building materials business, and can support improvements in the community just fits with the message of Lehigh Hanson,” Dickson said. “What we’re trying to do is be more and more involved with the communities where we live and work. This is a great example of that.”

CIU President Dr. Mark Smith says it is critical to have partnerships with companies such as Lehigh Hanson who want to see crime reduced, economic development in the area improved, and jobs created.

“Those are things that universities care about and we want to partner with them,” Smith said. “As more partners come together you’re going to see this community change for the better.”

Hanson Aggregates Southeast LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lehigh Hanson, Inc. Based in Irving, Texas, Lehigh Hanson, Inc. and its affiliated companies are part of the HeidelbergCement Group, the global market leader in aggregates with leading positions in cement, concrete and other downstream activities.

Columbia International University ranks #1 among colleges and universities in South Carolina by BestColleges.com. Excitement is growing on campus with CIU’s first baseball program in development, and online with CIU’s new Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.

Program Highlight: Ph.D. programs in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies

We are so excited to begin our Ph.D. programs in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies. Each concentration has several possible specializations.

PhD Concentrations
Biblical Studies
Theological Studies
New Testament Systematic Theology
Greek Historical Theology
Old Testament Apologetics
Hebrew Ethics
Biblical Theology
Hermeneutics

We have tried to create a program that combines the strengths of the American model and the strengths of the European model, while minimizing the weaknesses of each. Since it is designed to be similar to the European model, completing it in three years is a real possibility. Most students in the American model have great difficulty in completing the PhD in 3 years.

This program is significantly less expensive than most PhD programs, with tuition being $22,950 for a 3 year full-time student or 5 year part-time student. Many comparable degrees can cost over $50,000. For example, see the chart below for tuition comparisons. A few caveats. First, realize that that the costs listed below assume you finish the program on time at each school. Since all the schools in the United States below follow the American style for Ph.D. programs, finishing in three years is uncommon. Some schools have very expensive continuation fees. Second, since CBS’s program is online, there is no cost of moving or finding a new job. Some of the schools listed below have a much higher cost of living than where you might currently reside.

SEMINARY
Total Tuition Cost
Columbia Biblical Seminary $22950
Dallas Theological Seminary $22925 (if have Th.M.)
$38135 (if don’t have Th.M.)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary SBC Students: $22200
Non-SBC Students: $28200
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary SBC Students: $23640
Non-SBC Students: $47400
Military discount: $23640
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary SBC Students: $31240
Non-SBC Students: $55522
Asbury Theological Seminary $33915
Liberty $33915
Regent $39000
Westminster Theological Seminary $39660-$49575
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School $45630
University of Aberdeen $61341
The University of Edinburgh $73140

Furthermore, the degree is fully online. We refer to our degree as a modified European model. The first two courses are 16 week online courses. Then the student takes a course on designing their dissertation. After that, they work with a qualified PhD mentor to research, write, and defend their dissertation.

The response has been more than we expected. Currently we expect about 20 students to be enrolled this fall. We will have about 4 Old Testament students, 7 New Testament students, and 9 Theological Studies students. While many are located somewhere in the United States, we have students in Germany, Costa Rica, and Thailand. We already have over 40 more students that we will be talking with for the fall of 2020.

If you'd like more information on the PhD in Biblical Studies or Theological Studies, you can simply click on these links. Otherwise, please contact our admissions office at yessem@ciu.edu.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Alumni Spotlight: Phil Thompson (MDiv, 2014)


Phil Thompson graduated with a Masters of Divinity with a focus in Academic Ministries in May, 2014. He has served in various roles in his church since graduating (The Church at Cherrydale), including making several trips to Peru to train pastors. His full-time role is serving at The Gospel Coalition, overseeing the online learning endeavors (which serves about 300,000 online learners worldwide since 2017), managing video distribution, and assisting with an overall web strategy.

Phil has enrolled in the PhD in Biblical Studies program that will begin this fall. He will specialize in the New Testament. When asked how his MDiv at Columbia Biblical Seminary prepared him for the PhD program, he said: “My MDiv gave me the theological and practical tools necessary to identify areas where ongoing research in New Testament issues could benefit pastors, educators, and practitioners. It also provided me with the research and writing skills necessary for a high-caliber PhD program.” Once he finished his PhD, Phil plans to continue working with The Gospel Coalition, bringing more theological and ministerial training resources to more languages around the globe. The PhD will enable him to engage in that work with a higher degree of confidence and with a greater ability to collaborate within the academic community. He said, “I also plan to continue my personal trips abroad to train pastors as well as serving within my church as a resource for the planters and missionaries we are sending out.”

Phil said that one of the top reasons he decided the pursue his PhD at CBS was his trust in the faculty. He also said, “Over my time in the MDiv program, I built a friendship with Dr. Croteau, had the opportunity to help him with research, and enjoyed watching his influence in the academic community up close. He, and so many of my other professors, became paradigmatic for me. So when Dr. Croteau invited me to join the PhD program at CBS, I was thrilled to pursue it.”

Friday, August 16, 2019

Dr. John Harvey To Speak At Anniversary Worship Service


Sunday, August 18, Dr. John Harvey will be speaking at the 10:30 a.m. service of the Filipino-American Friendship Ministry of Christ where Jake Bolotano serves as pastor. The church is celebrating 12 years of ministry. The church is located at 9500 Windsor Lake Blvd, Columbia, SC 29223. Dr. Harvey's message is from Acts 11:19-30, "The Heartbeat of a Healthy Church."

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Dean's Devos: "Staying Focused in a Fallen World"

by Dr. John Harvey

Psalm 37 recently captured my attention because of what David says about how we should respond to the evil and injustice we see all around us.

When we look around, we quickly conclude that we live in a fallen world. Our initial response might be anger, despair, or worry. In Psalm 37, though, David tells us that we should stop fretting and start focusing. He also gives us four God-oriented strategies for practicing what he preaches.

Strategy #1: Trust in the Lord (37:3).

Trusting in the Lord means re-focusing our confidence on God’s ability to act so that we draw spiritual strength and security from his faithfulness.

How do you need to re-focus your confidence?

Strategy #2: Take delight in the Lord (37:4).

Taking delight in the Lord means re-focusing our affections on God’s word (Ps 1:2), on God’s will (Ps 40:8), on God’s works (Ps 111:2), and on God’s ways (Isa 58:2).

Where are your affections focused?

Strategy #3: Commit everything you do to the Lord (37:5).

Committing everything to the Lord means re-focusing our plans by aligning them with God’s plans and holding them loosely (cf. Jas 4:13-15).

On whose plans are you focused this week—yours or God’s?

Strategy #4: Wait patiently for the Lord (37:7).

Waiting patiently for the Lord means re-focusing our agendas by adopting a quiet spirit that leaves itself in God’s hands and waits for him to act.

Are you willing to wait patiently for God to re-focus your agenda this week?

Monday, August 12, 2019

Alumni Spotlight: Andrew and Julie Halbert

Andrew and Julie Halbert are both graduates of Columbia Biblical Seminary. Julie graduated from the Biblical Certificate program in 2008 and Andrew graduated from the MDiv program in 2010. In 2012 Andrew and Julie joined United World Mission as missionaries with the desire to serve in theological education. Andrew grew up on the mission field in Honduras and later served two years as a missionary in Peru, so Latin America seemed like the best place for them from the perspective of language and culture. After exploring and praying about several opportunities, they decided on ESEPA Seminary in San José Costa Rica. ESEPA (Escuela de Estudios Pastorales – School of Pastoral Studies) was established over 35 years ago to serve the church through the education and preparation of pastors and lay people for ministry. They currently offer Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to a population of about 200 students, many of which are already heavily involved in ministry.

In June of 2013 the Halberts arrived in San José. The first year on the field was full of learning and adjustment. Julie attended a local language school in order to learn Spanish while Andrew was lightly involved at ESEPA teaching certificate level courses. Julie devoted her time after language school to caring for their two young children (Ann Renee – 8 and Bryan – 6). In 2017 the children both began school and Julie began to look for opportunities to serve while the kids were away.

Before moving to Costa Rica, Julie developed an interest in dance-based aerobic exercise programs. She was certified as a Jazzercise instructor in 2011 and in 2017 she became a certified REFIT instructor. The Lord provided an opportunity for Julie to offer aerobics classes at a gym near their home. She has become close friends with the woman who owns the gym and together they are hoping to reach women in the neighborhood for Christ through offering a variety of exercise classes. Julie’s time at CIU was very valuable as it gave her the necessary basics to put together devotional material that she shares after her classes.

In 2014 Andrew officially joined the faculty of the seminary and taught several courses that year including Acts and Old Testament Survey (both at the undergraduate level). In 2015 Andrew was asked to take on the role of Academic Dean, a role which he continues to serve. Since taking over as the Dean, Andrew has felt an increasing need to pursue a terminal degree. He became fascinated with the Hebrew language and the Old Testament during his time in seminary but really fell in love with teaching the Old Testament once he reached ESEPA. Teaching courses helped Andrew to realize that, while his MDiv from CIU was very helpful, he needed additional training to better prepare courses and answer questions in the classroom. He began looking into various programs both in the US and in Europe that might allow him to pursue a terminal degree in Old Testament.

He quickly came to the realization that there simply were not any feasible options for him. Most schools in the US required coursework that either had to be completed on campus during the regular semester or through various modules that could be attended in an intensive format. Both of these options required a time commitment (several week-long intensives per year) and a financial commitment (travel to and from the US several times a year) that he simply could meet. Europe, on the other hand, would require a cross-cultural move for full-time study that meant uprooting his family (again) and, essentially, setting ministry aside for the time necessary to acquire the degree. Neither of these options were feasible.

During his time exploring possible terminal degrees and locations, the Lord brought Andrew back to CIU. He enrolled in (and recently completed) a Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Biblical and Theological Studies. As he was working on this program the new PhD program at CIU was announced and it turned out to be exactly what he needed. The coursework, being seminar-based, could be completed online over the course of one year and the dissertation could be written over the next several years. The program delivered a European model of study through an online platform to a missionary who could not leave his job in order to complete a degree. This fall Andrew will begin his PhD in Biblical Studies with CIU and will continue serving ESEPA Seminary as the Academic Dean. Both Andrew and Julie are excited about this opportunity and are grateful for the Lord’s provision. They pray that this degree will contribute to their efforts to serve the rapidly growing Latin American church!

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Speaking Engagements for Dr. David Olshine

Dr. David Olshine (Professor of Youth Ministry, Family, and Culture) shares his speaking schedule:




Friday, August 9, 2019

Dr. David Croteau Speaks at Heritage Baptist Church

Dr. David Croteau (Professor of New Testament and Greek) will be speaking at Heritage Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA during both morning services on August 11, 2019. Dr. Croteau will be preaching from Ephesians 1:3-14, "Our New Identity in Christ is a Spiritual Blessing."

His next speaking engagement will be at the November 22 meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in San Diego, CA where he will present "A Defense of the Two-Flogging Hypothesis: A Reconstruction of the Floggings of Jesus."

Thursday, August 8, 2019

CIU Online ranked among the best for Christian colleges and universities

A new 2019 survey by College Consensus ranks Columbia International University among the 25 Best Christian Colleges and Universities for an online degree. CIU comes in at #15 in the nation with its combined 32 graduate and undergraduate online programs.

College Consensus crunches the numbers by combining the results of the most reputable college ranking publishers and thousands of real student reviews. Among its rating sources are U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal and Wallethub. Student review resources include websites that guide students through the college choice process. Those include Cappex, My Plan, Niche, Students Review and Unigo.

Why is CIU ranked so high? It’s the faculty that is passionate about your success, the award-winning curricula, the flexible schedules and affordability. Get more information and check out your options for online graduate and undergraduate programs.

Discover how an online degree from CIU can advance your career or ministry opportunities, including an online MBA. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.

Dean's Devos: "How Assurance Works"

By Dr. John Harvey

1 John teaches two central truths about God: God is love (1 John 1:5), and God is light (1 John 4:7-8). Each has important implications—one about our status; the other about our conduct. In a nutshell: Whose we determine results in what we do, which proves whose we are. Together, these truths give us the assurance Scripture promises. Two graphics summarize John’s teaching on assurance.



Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Why machines can't be trusted to do Bible translation

Please enjoy this letter from a student.

"Dear Profs.,


I know it's only Thursday, but here's something start your weekend.

Today, working on my final assignment in hermeneutics, I was comparing Joel 2:28-32 with Acts 2:17-21. For this passage, I.H. Marshall has produced a nice comparison of the LXX text with the Greek NT text,[1] but the Greek is transliterated, which I have more trouble reading than the Greek alphabet. So, I turned to Google Translate, which actually does a pretty good job with Greek in the Greek alphabet. The attached screenshot is the result.


I plan to show this the next time someone in a church asks why Wycliffe doesn't use machine translation. (We actually do use software to produce approximate adaptations of text, but not full-fledged translations.)

By the way, thank you, gentlemen, for all your work on the two courses I've taken this spring and summer. What a tremendous blessing! (And what a lot of work, too!)

Blessings!"

Monday, August 5, 2019

Alumni Spotlight: Michael Rogers

Michael Rogers graduated from CIU in 2000 with his B.A. in Pastoral Ministries and is the ACPE certified chaplain educator for Baptist Health Hospital, Little Rock AR. Michael is responsible for managing and training of Clinical Pastoral Education in Baptist Health System.

"My training at CIU help broadened my worldview while hearing the perspective of others and to think globally concerning the reach and impact of the message of Christ. This servant leadership has helped me in pastoring churches, training spiritual caregivers and being with others in their journey. I am thankful for my time at CIU." 

Michael is married to Teresa together are the proud parents of one daughter, Michaela.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Faculty Focus: Dr. David Croteau

Professor of New Testament & Greek

B.A., California State University, Fresno; M.Div, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; Th.M., Ph.D., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. David Croteau joined the faculty of CIU’s Seminary and School of Ministry in 2013. He teaches New Testament and Greek courses. He was Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Liberty University from 2006–2013. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. He has taught in Tanzania, South Korea and India.