Hello?

Welcome to BB, I am new too. But they have been nice to me. no worries.

Well I know nothing of either of those colleges. you might try looking at Charleston Southern University. they are baptist, and they are closer to you. www.csuniv.edu

 

Welcome RD

Tell us a little more about yourself. What do you want to study? What are your career/life goals. Why are you interested in these two schools in particular? How conservative/liberal are you?

I have visited Crown before. It is a fairly conservative school. I think they are Biblically sound although I have had some personal problems in the past with Clarence Sexton that would prevent me from recommending Crown without some reservations.

There are a number of excellent schools closer to you. Within Florida you have Trinity in Jacksonville (http://www.tbc.edu/), and Clearwater in Tampa (http://www.clearwater.edu/), both of which I would recommend, Trinity if you are going into ministry and Clearwater if you want a more rounded liberal arts education. Pensacola is of course in Florida. You can find a fair amount of discussion about them here. There are definitely some problems there but they are closer to you and a good value if price is a big consideration.

My favorite school is Bob Jones in Greenville SC(http://www.bju.edu/). Again you can find a fair amount of controversy about them. I am SBC and more liberal than Bob Jones on many issues but I still love that school. My wife is a BJ alum and we use their home school material. I went to a large state college and I have visited many conservative Christian colleges. For the wide range of majors and quality of education I don't think you can beat Bob Jones. It definitely has a "big college" feal to the campus. Oh it is not perfect, but if I was a high school senior today that is where I would go. You should contact them and arrange a visit. Most schools have special visitation days where you can stay in the dorm, audit some classes, and spend time with current students.

This is an important decision for you and I am glad you are taking it seriously.

 

In florida I would also recommend Clearwater, we have several students there from our church, and one of the VP's came from our church as well. I would not recommend Pensacola, cheap perhaps, but do a search on Pensacola on this board if you want to see discussions on the issues there. The thread currently on this topic is off topic, but earlier in the pages it was actually about pensacola.

As far as anywhere else. I would also recommend Maranatha in Wisconsin. www.mbbc.edu It is a great school, high quality academics, and solid Bible program. I graduated from there several years ago. BJ is fine as well, not necessarily Baptist, but it is a fundamentally sound school. The entire pastoral staff of my church attended there, and it seems to have worked out OK for them

 

I've been to visit Clearwater, and I would too affirm that it would be a good choice. If you live in Tampa, you might also find it would be a good value for you, becuase they accept Florida and Federal student aid and grants. When we visited, the admissions counselor told us there was quite a bit of money available for Florida residents.

If you really want to see the other two schools, you should ask your pastor about the possibility of a church-sponsored campus visit- perhaps to Crown and a couple other schools he would recommend, so that you could compare their programs and make a better-informed decision. I would strongly recommend finding a way to make a campus visit to wherever you are contemplating attending. Brochures and such cannot give you the whole picture.

 

I have been to Crown and... I didn't like it.
I. The food was terrible!
II. The atmosphere was a stuffy.
III. When I went down there it was really hot! Now I am a Michigan boy so you wouldn't understand.
IV. I don't like colleges being underneath local church they tend to miss use the students so that the church can grow. (I am looking at you Hyles)
V. The sidewalks where really curvy and weird.
I got dizzy. ( actually that was a plus!)

Well that is just my opinion. Pray about it.

Matt
Good Luck!
Oh Yeah there is always Northland Bible Baptist College up in Dunbar, Wisconisn. Nice and cool. Friendly people accreditied. Good Place. Think about it.

 

( Matt quietly shuts his mouth on the issue of colleges.)

 

Well, I am really familiar with West Coast Baptist College (in Lancaster, CA), but I don't know if that's too far from home for you. I have personally been there 4 times. The students are really great and on fire for God, as is the faculty. It has nice facilities and it's growing. They really love God there, and are IFB. Preaching is great, too.

The only downside is the rules can be overbearing to someone not used to them (girls have to wear skirts, etc), but it's not really any tougher than Pensacola. Plus, you said that you know that kind of lifestyle, so it's all good!

Becca

 

Who runs Heartland in Oklahoma?

 

RubberDuckie,

I have visited Crown and I know some students there. I highly recommend Crown College as a school to prepare young men for the ministry. It is a Local Church Ministry that has the primary purpose of training people for ministry, A True Bible College. As far as Pastor Sexton is concerned. He is a very Godly man and has a tremendous heart for people. You would be well trained if you went to Crown.

I have heard wonderful things about Heartland and the people there, but I have no first hand knowledge of that.

 

Amen Pastor J!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been to Crown twice. Both visits were GREAT!!! I VERY highly recommend Crown.
In fact Lord willing I will be going there myself next year. I to am a senior.

Cline

 

I know they're a little ways away, but...

Faith Baptist Bible College, Ankeny, Iowa http://www.faith.edu

and Northland and Maranatha (already mentioned) are wondeful choices for missions and ministry training. Faith Baptist Bible College (my alma mater) is the school sending the most new candidates into foreign missions through Baptist Mid-Missions. They have wonderful and substantial scholarships available for missions majors as well. A different flavor, perhaps, than the southern counterparts you mentioned, but in my experience, a lot less about personalities and a lot more emphasis on the things that matter.

Dr. Robert Delnay, now at Clearwater, was a prof for many years at Faith. My wife used to help Mrs. Delnay in the library before they left for Florida.

By the way- I visited Clearwater with my youth group (I was a youth pastor) a couple of years back. I understand how you might make the conclusion you have about the student body.

I also visited Crown on the same trip- different atmosphere than I was used to. I was not at all crazy about the "shrine" to Curtis Hutson, and all the name dropping of "close personal friends of Dr. Sexton" that our tour guide offered... but again, that's a matter of preference and style of ministry, I suppose.

 

A friend of mine attended there last year for one semester, and than transferred to Maranatha, the above reason is one that he listed. He also as a side bonus played football in HS, so has really enjoyed playing football for Christian coaches. It was a totally new experience since he went to public school, and he has been really impressed with the students at MBBC, which I consider to also be a true Bible College, whatever is meant by that statement! It even has Bible College in the name!

 

Crown college is a great college. I am also considering that college (I'm a senior too) I visited crown last year. I loved the atmosphere and the fact that Pastor Sexton is very big on standards and all. THey are finishing up a brand new building as well. I know people that are attending crown right now. They love it and it as great college...

 

Heritage Baptist University, Greenwood, IN is good college because of being more humble.

 

I noticed the "shrine" to, Greg. And that was kinda weird. It reminded me of the Hyles "shrine", but not as bad.
I wouldn't call it preference and matter of style though I would call it... I was going to say idoltotry, but that wouldn't be very tactful now would it. So I will call it man-centered.
There that works better. Now no one can be mad at me. I feel better.

Matt

 

I am currently a student at Ambassador Baptist College. I recommend it to you if you are at all interested in going into the ministry.
It is very much Baptist and takes a great stand on the Word of God.

www.ambassadors.edu

 

I would recommend Ambassador, too! I used to live right around the corner from it (small world!).

Becca