Biblical Aspirations
As a body of believers at Crown College, we commit to pursuing truth and learning to serve Christ together. We desire to be a community whose belief and behavior is inextricably intertwined in order that we might reflect the kingdom of God to the world.
“29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 NLT
Principles and Standards
As a Christ-centered community of growing Christians who desire spiritual transformation and value academic excellence and a globally connected community, Crown College has chosen to adopt the following principles and standards that reinforce and support a biblical worldview and lifestyle. These guidelines are at the heart of who we are as a body of believers. Some of these principles and standards apply to believers in general, and others are particular to Crown College.
Authority of the Word of God - We believe that the Word of God is the inerrant revelation for Christian belief and behavior and is our ultimate authority. By following the Scriptures regarding lifestyle decisions, an individual may discover a life of holiness in relation to God and others.
“10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:10 NLT
The Lordship of Christ and the Spirit-filled Life - We believe that Jesus Christ desires a personal relationship with every individual and invites us to enter into life in Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. We recognize that apart from Christ we can do nothing, and as we surrender to Him, His love will flow through our lives. This personal relationship is fostered by individuals who open themselves to God by practicing various spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, fasting, discipleship, stewardship, accountability, service, fellowship, witnessing, and individual and corporate worship. When we experience God’s transforming power, we will develop personally and flourish as a community. This leads to a life which glorifies Jesus Christ, enriches the believer through the fruit of God’s Spirit, and radically impacts a lost world.
Christian Character and Maturity - We believe God calls us to develop a healthy lifestyle that balances the spiritual, emotional, social, physical, and intellectual dimensions of who we are. All of these areas are integral parts of the curricular and co-curricular experience at Crown College.
The Bible describes character qualities that should be present in the lives of believers. These include love, joy, kindness, peace, patience, humility, compassion, forgiveness, hospitality, integrity, self-control, generosity, care for the oppressed, commitment to justice, and the recognition of the rights and needs of others. We believe that these characteristics are fully developed only through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God also identifies character qualities and actions that should not be present in the lives of believers such as abusive anger; malice; jealousy; lust; sexually immoral behavior including premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality; impure desires; prejudice based on race, sex, or socioeconomic status; greed; idolatry; slander; profanity; lying; drunkenness; thievery; and dishonesty. According to Scripture, these qualities are not acceptable for the Christian, and therefore, are unacceptable for members of the Crown College community. We need the transforming power of Christ for change to take place in these areas. The guiding principle for these choices comes from Philippians 4:8, “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” Specific guidelines and standards of conduct are found in the Student and Employee Handbooks.
Conclusions About Community Life
As such we commit to the principles and standards of the Community Covenant and the expectations outlined in the Student and Employee handbooks in order to maintain the spirit and health of the community. These principles and policies are binding for all who voluntarily choose to become part of the Crown College Community as representatives on the Board of Trustees, employees who minister and serve on behalf of Crown College, and undergraduate students in the School of Arts and Sciences.
Recognizing that we have an obligation to hold each other accountable to biblical standards and to the commitments we have made, appropriate action will be taken to teach, influence, reconcile, discipline, or even dismiss those who disregard these community expectations. If some find themselves unable to honor these commitments, withdrawal may be in order. We will strive to have all disciplinary procedures characterized by Christian love. This Community Covenant is subject to change only by action of the Board of Trustees.
Approved BOT 5/12, eff. 7/1/12 |
