TU Community Lifestyle Standards
PREFACE: The vision of Lancaster Bible College (LBC) is to be a premier Christian learning community that intentionally develops the head, hearts, and hands of servant ministry leaders for global impact. The college exists to educate Christian students to think and live a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving Him in the Church and society. This vision and mission is expressed in a diversity of college communities that encompass all students, on all campuses, at all levels of academic instruction. This includes, in part, traditional college students who study and live on our main campus, students who are living and studying in their own homes distant from the main campus, students who study at a variety of remote campuses, and faculty and staff serving these varied communities. Those choosing to be a part of LBC voluntarily commit to embrace the college’s purposes and to live out the standards established by its leadership.
Dr. Henry Heydt founded LBC in 1933 as part of a Bible college movement which sought both to educate students and to prepare them to serve the Church and the world for the sake of Christ in accordance to the Holy Scripture. In keeping with its heritage, LBC believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and, therefore, the ultimate authority for training in right living1. From its leadership’s best understanding of the Bible, the college develops standards of behavior designed to cultivate in students, faculty, staff, and administration a willing obedience to God by the Spirit’s enablement while trusting in Christ alone for salvation. Ultimately the college desires to use all of its resources and energies to glorify God. Therefore, considering Scripture and in keeping with its heritage, LBC encourages all the members of its community to regularly evaluate whether every aspect of their lives is subject to the authority of the Word of God while bringing glory to Christ2.
1 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 1 Cor. 10:31
In glorifying God we endeavor to love the Lord with heart, soul, and mind, and others as ourselves3. Such commitments require us to understand God’s right to direct our lives4. We will evaluate and modify our practices in view of Scripture for the well-being of others within the college community5. While we live by grace and have certain liberties, we also realize that some things may not be helpful and may indeed be harmful6. We declare without apology or embarrassment that we choose to honor God7 even though such conduct may be seen as counter-cultural by society, friends, and family8. As a Christian community living in the world, we desire to do good works9. We also acknowledge a covenantal responsibility for one another in our Christian community, which reflects the unifying bond of love10. Guided by biblical mandates and Christian concern for one another, we desire to display the fruit of the Spirit and not the works of the flesh in our interactions with people11. Realizing we operate in a diverse Christian context drawn from a variety of church traditions and cultures, we desire to treat one another respectfully with deferential love in areas of disagreement12.
3 Matt. 22:37-38; 4 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 5 1 Cor. 10:23-24; 6 1 Cor. 6:12; 7 1 Pt. 2:9-12; 8 1 Pt. 4:1-5; 9 Matt. 5:14-16; 10 Eph. 4:2-3; 11 Gal. 5:16-26; 12 Rom. 14
Community Lifestyle Commitments and Practices
In view of LBC’s heritage, vision, and biblical convictions, our college community has chosen to be guided by the following commitments:
- Our lives will pursue and demonstrate spiritual growth, which is of upmost importance for a believer.
- Our lives will exemplify a genuine Christian love and respect for one another as the Holy Spirit controls us and manifests His fruit in us.
- Our lives will be marked with integrity in all of our interactions with one another by matching our actions to our words.
- Our lives will portray attitudes of humility toward one another and submission to those in authority.
- Our lives will reflect we are followers of Jesus Christ as a new creation and called to a new way of life in actions, words, and thoughts.
In light of these commitments, the college has established practices so we can live effectively in community with one another, be a light to the world, and ultimately glorify God with our lives. We understand that we voluntarily put ourselves under the authority of the college, and we seek to integrate the following practices in our daily lives:
- We participate in quiet, reflective time in God’s Word, prayer, regular church attendance, and service opportunities.
- We avoid gossip, harassment, and discrimination of any kind; rather we demonstrate an attitude of care, compassion, and service to each other.
- We practice academic integrity, dependability, and keeping our word.
- We avoid media and entertainment that is obscene, vulgar, pornographic, or that represents a lifestyle contrary to biblical teaching. We avoid gambling in order to practice good stewardship of God’s resources. We dress in ways that are modest and appropriate, seeking to respect others and the traditions of this community.
- We abstain from illegal drugs and the illegitimate use of prescription drugs; the campus will be free of tobacco and alcohol. As a community, we agree to abstain from the improper use of alcohol and tobacco and from their presence at college sponsored events or activities.
- We believe in the dignity of every human as created in the image and likeness of God. An individual’s biological sex, either male or female, is sovereignly and irreversibly appointed by God and is an irreversible aspect of his or her nature. Human sexuality is regulated by Scripture which declares that marriage is the union between one man and one woman and that sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage only. Therefore, any sexual expressions outside of that realm (sex before marriage, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, etc.) are immoral and against God’s design. We also are to abstain from the promotion and advocacy of the aforementioned activities.
Reflecting each group’s unique characteristics, levels of maturity, and life experiences, the various handbooks articulate the specific details for groups represented in this community (traditional undergraduate students, non-traditional students, graduate students, and faculty/staff).
Commitment to these Lifestyle Standards
These lifestyle standards reflect the college’s beliefs, mission, values, and institutional preferences. They are intended to facilitate our life together at Lancaster Bible College. I am voluntarily committed to these lifestyle practices while:
- Actively pursuing the highest call of God on my life even if that means giving up a personal "freedom" for the sake of others within the community.
- Seriously recognizing my duty and responsibility to others within our Christ-centered community.
- Carefully practicing faithful stewardship of all the resources that God has entrusted to me.