“Great Christian institutions rarely last.” Let’s work to change that.
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This past week, a well-known preacher confided in me with a heavy heart. His adult daughter, once strong in the Christian faith, no longer shares his biblical worldview.
She has become a highly respected physician at a world-renowned hospital, but she now refuses to come home, unwilling to be around what she calls "bigoted, uninformed people." When asked what had caused such a reversal of conviction, the preacher didn't hesitate: he pointed to the church-related yet liberal college and graduate schools she had attended to earn her degrees.
Stories like his are not isolated. They are increasingly common—and increasingly heartbreaking.
Over a decade ago, one of my grandsons, eager to pursue a life of ministry, enrolled in a respected Christian university well known for its training of ministers.
During his freshman year, he sat under an adjunct professor who was openly gay. When my grandson expressed concern, believing that such a lifestyle stood contrary to biblical teaching, he was slandered by classmates as hateful and homophobic. Only months later, when the professor's same-sex marriage was celebrated on the front page of the local newspaper, did the university quietly sever ties. But by then, the message had been sent: standing for biblical truth was cause for public shame—even at a Christian university.
Just a few weeks ago, a 19-year-old ministry student sat across the table from me, asking for advice. He had enrolled at a church-based college that advertised itself as biblically sound. Yet as a freshman, he was already disturbed: one professor taught theistic evolution, while another reduced Jonah's historical account to mere allegory. He asked whether he should stay or transfer. I urged him to transfer—because a young man preparing for ministry needs his faith reinforced and guarded, not challenged and eroded.
The stories above are not the exception. They are symptoms of a deeper and dangerous pattern.
According to Barna Research, 64% of young Christians disengage from their faith during or after college. Only 4% of Generation Z—today's emerging adults—hold a biblical worldview. The erosion of faith is not merely happening at secular universities. Alarmingly, it is happening within Christian institutions that were once trusted to guard Biblical truth and prepare future leaders for ministry.
Kevin Martin, Chief Executive Officer of World Magazine, recently reflected on this trend, writing:
"Here's a hard truth: Great Christian institutions rarely last… Christian institutions tend to decline in one of two ways: They either drift so far from their founding principles that they become unrecognizable, or they cling rigidly to a narrow interpretation of those principles and become mere caricatures of themselves."
Why? Martin rightly points to two causes: intellectual pride and human depravity.
In pursuit of cultural respectability—or simply through passive neglect—Christian institutions fail to guard the pattern of sound teaching and drift from the truth entrusted to them.
This phenomenon isn't new.
Harvard, Yale, and Princeton were each founded to steward and advance biblical truth through the training of ministers. Today, they stand as thoroughly secular institutions, with only faint traces of their Christian heritage left in their mottos and architecture.
Without deliberate effort, even the most respected Christian institutions are vulnerable to slow, steady compromise.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,
I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people (Jude 3).
To "contend" for the faith entrusted to us implies it is a struggle or battle. While we are unlikely to reverse the course at secular universities, Christians must contend for the faithfulness of the institutions that claim Christ's name. It is not a one-time prayer or a passive hope. Guarding what has been entrusted requires wisdom, vigilance, and courage.
#1 Parents and pastors must evaluate Christian colleges carefully before recommending them, ensuring they uphold Biblical convictions and faithfully steward the Gospel.
#2 Churchesmust regularly audit the spiritual health of the institutions they support—and redirect their prayers, endorsements, and finances toward those that stand firm.
#3 Board members and trustees must prioritize theological and spiritual accountability over financial growth or public approval.
#4 Christian colleges and universities must require faculty and staff to annually reaffirm clear statements of faith, ensuring ongoing theological alignment.
#5 Financial donors must verify that their contributions are not inadvertently underwriting drift—and be ready to support institutions that remain true.
#6 All Christians must pray fervently, contend boldly, and sacrificially invest in institutions that still guard the pattern of sound teaching.
While the drift of Christian institutions is real, it is not inevitable. Faithful men and women, committed to Christ above culture, can strengthen and secure the training grounds for the next generation.
"What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us" (2 Timothy 1:13–14).
 | Bob Russell became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church at just 22 years old. That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired. Now through Bob Russell Ministries, Bob continues to preach at churches; conferences throughout the United States, provide guidance for church leadership, mentor other ministers and author Bible study videos for use in small groups. Learn More » |
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