The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-14, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 42."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 1993 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

The Professor of the Christian Education Department, at Biola University, made this statement. “If the Church was doing its job, we wouldn’t be here,” referring to attending Biola University. [What I am saying is], if the church was doing its job I wouldn’t have to be going to Biola University.

Answer

I understand what the guy is saying. What he is saying is, if the church was providing the full range of education you wouldn’t need that. I don’t agree with that. And I’ll tell you why I don’t agree with that.

A college education is not something that a church can provide. I mean we are not here to teach you the wide range of academic subjects. But, I think a Christian college is a tremendous thing, because what happens in a Christian college is you learn that wide range of academic subjects that prepare you for career in life, but you learn it in the context of a Biblical perspective, which I think is really true education-that’s true education.

So I think when Christian colleges come along side the Church, and they say, “Look, we want to teach mathematics, and science, and history, and English, and business, and whatever else, with a Biblical perspective, that, that is a tremendous assistance in the life in Church as young people are preparing for all kinds of things in the world. I think there is a sense in which the church needs to be doing a better job in theological training. But I don’t think the church can become a college or university and cover the wide range of things that are there.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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