Christian education is more than it used to be.
In the olden days – like 20 years ago 😊 – Christians routinely spent a year or more at Bible college after high school. Nowadays, that’s become a lot less common.
On the one hand, there’s been increasing pressure felt to get on with studies that lead directly into the workplace. On the other hand, however, research shows repeatedly that students who take Christian higher education after high school are significantly more likely to keep their Christian faith and to stay engaged in the church.1
Why is Christian higher education important?
It’s been an alarming reality for years that young adults have been abandoning the church in droves after graduating from high school2 (in Canada, see “Renegotiating Faith“, which follows the earlier report, “Hemorrhaging Faith”).
But what about those who remain in the church?
Barna has identified core markers of what they call “resilient disciples” – those young adults who lean into and deeply embrace their faith. Barna president David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock remark,
“Our research supports the contention that learning matters. Young resilient disciples report nearly double the spiritual intake in a typical year compared to habitual churchgoers… The habits of learning, of steeping ourselves in a Christian way of thinking and seeing the world, matter.” 3
Barna’s and World Vision’s 2021 data corroborate this conclusion, showing that what resilient disciples say they most want from church is to deepen their knowledge of God and to grow in their faith.4
These are the hallmarks of Horizon education.
In his recent book written to address young adults who are deconstructing (or losing) their faith, A. J. Swoboda makes the keen observation that:
“Faith is a gift; beliefs are not. Forming beliefs takes time and often hard work.”5
Investing the Time
On the question of time, we’ve discussed that eight months at Horizon is the hourly equivalent to more than 10 years of listening to sermons alone.
What is one to do?
Horizon offers a solution that combines career studies with Christian education – the best of both worlds.
By partnering with institutions like Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Edwards School of Business (University of Saskatchewan), Horizon lets students combine career-based training with biblical and Christian worldview formation, preparing them to make a difference in both the church and the world.
How does it work?
The process is simple. Students start by applying to a Plus+ program that is set up to combine studies at Horizon with studies at a partner school (like Saskatchewan Polytechnic or Edwards School of Business).
Next, we’ll guide students to enrol in the partner school so they’re ready to combine programs.
Finally, after both programs are complete, students graduate with both a degree from Horizon and a certificate or diploma from the partner institution! (By the way – it can also work for students who have already completed another program, too. Horizon studies can combine with different programs not already pre-selected in our Horizon Plus+ degrees. Just talk with us to explore your options!)
What Have You Got to Lose?
In the end, then, with Horizon’s partnership opportunities the question really is, “What have you got to lose?”
When you combine that time investment with the simultaneous opportunity to pursue career studies to serve inside or outside the church, what has a Christian young adult got to lose by enrolling in a Horizon program? Or maybe the better question to ask is, “what have you got to gain?“
Connect with us today for more information!
Dr. Jeromey Martini
President, Horizon College & Seminary and Professor of New Testament Studies
1 Rick Hiemstra. Competition for Character Education, What Emerging Adulthood Means for Christian Higher Education in Canada. Faith Today Publications, 2018. Electronic PDF.
2 Rick Hiemstra, Lorianne Dueck, and Matthew Blackaby. Renegotiating Faith. Faith Today Publications, 2018. Electronic PDF.
3 David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock. Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in a Digital Babylon. Baker, 2019. Page 95.
4 The Connected Generation, How Christian Leaders Around the World Can Strengthen Faith & Well-Being Among 18–35-Year-Olds. Barna Group, 2021. Electronic PDF. Page 29.
5 A.J. Swoboda. After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith without Losing It. Brazos, 2021. Page 20.
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