With Christ at the Helm: The Story of Bethel College

By: Dennis Engbrecht

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Synopsis: The past seven decades has witnessed an awakening in Christian higher education among American evangelicals. The story of Bethel College in northern Indiana is the embodiment of this reality. Birthed in 1947 by a denomination fraught with reservations and outright distrust of higher education, the college has survived a series of financial crises, experienced denominational realignment, endured the student unrest of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and suffered through an identity crisis in the ‘80s to eventually blossom into the fulfillment of its founders’ dreams by the late twentieth century. What emerges is the story of a college that epitomizes the very essence of its founding denomination: revivalism, a campus culture that encourages a strong sense of community, passionate evangelism, an unapologetic Christian worldview, and a deep commitment to the authority of Scripture. Coupled with a pursuit for academic excellence and the growth of vibrant co-curricular programming, the story of Bethel College is representative of evangelical colleges flourishing across the landscape of twentieth century American higher education.