I am grateful to the many people who have prepared and supported me for this educational opportunity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. First, I am grateful to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has given me the mental capacity and strong desire to complete this degree and six previous degrees/degrees. I also want to thank my wife and children for their support in my educational ventures that began in 1987 when my wife and I got married.
David Dockery gave me the opportunity to serve at Union University in 2005 as Dean of the School of Nursing. I am forever grateful for his mentorship, leadership of Union University, and his conversations with me about this topic of study for my dissertation. He is a statesman and leader in Baptist life, and I am fortunate to have served under him to gain my understanding of Christian higher education.
More importantly than being my promoter, he is a friend, mentor and colleague in Christian higher education. He taught me a lot and I am thankful for his presence in my personal and professional life.
RESEARCH CONCERN
The experts for phase 1 of the study were presidents of non-SBC Christian higher education institutions who were. The theoretical components considered were the Christian persons, principles (vision) and processes (ethos) of the Christian higher education institution. For phase 1 of the study, the population was 95 presidents (experts) of colleges or universities that are members/affiliates of the CCCU but not affiliated with SBC schools (see appendix 3).
Fourteen of the 53 experts (26 percent) invited to participate in this phase of the study accepted the invitation and agreed to be in the study (see appendix 4). Christian processes (ethos) are the ways in which the reality, expression and way(s) of university life are expressed.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the current study provide analytical insight not previously available for Christ-centered institutions of higher education. From a cumulative presence, Christian persons comprised 15 of the 75 factors with the highest mean importance of 3.63. The importance of creating a stable component for the institution adds 7.7 percent of variance to the model, bringing the importance of Christian persons and Christian principles to explain 85.9 percent of the variance for the model.
The focus in this area includes the development of the students for a meaningful life, service and spiritually. With a continuation of the previous transition of the factors and focus on Christian persons and Christian principles, the results now focus on the Christian processes or ethos of the institution. Instead, the current findings extend the ethos to the business aspects and faculty involvement in the institution.
Christian processes (ethos), but from the view of the president and board of trustees these values seem appropriate. The rationale is because the president is typically focused on the people and principles of the institution while other leaders in the institution focus on promoting a robust ethos. In this process, other members of the institution apparently joined him and before long Wake Forest began a new direction.
According to the current findings, the institution had only a 33 percent chance of being successful because the top five factors of the current findings were violated. Unfortunately, their focus shifted to fulfilling the institution's operating principles, leaving them with only a 12.1 percent chance of being successful as a Christ-centered institution. Instead, the acquisition and proper focus of the Christian persona with a balance of operating principles and enduring processes may have preserved some of these institutions to continue as a Christ-centered higher education institution.
The results clearly express the implication that without the right Christian persons, ethos from a spiritual perspective has no possibility of being an important aspect of the institution. Just as hiring the right Christian individuals is critical to the success of the Christ-centered higher education institution, the results underscore the importance of a strong process that promotes the operation and sustainability of the institution. The results of this study must be seen in the light of societal changes that affect the sustainability of the institution.
STEPS OF STUDY
Because the results of this study provide the first prospective approach in assessing the trajectory of the Christ-centered higher education institution, further studies will strengthen the validity of the current findings. The study "Factors that Predict the Success of Christ-Centered Higher Education Institutes" sought to address four research questions. According to the president of the Christian college or university, who are the Christian persons serving or partnering with your institution who influence the missional success of your institution.
What Christian principles applied at your institution do the president of a Christian college or university believe influence the missional success of your institution. What Christian processes used at your institution do the president of a Christian college or university believe influence the missional success of your institution. What is the importance of each of the identified factors (answers to the first three questions) in establishing an instrument for predicting the mission performance of Christian higher education institutions.
The predominant age of the presidents who participated in this phase of the study was 41 to 65 years. Institutions' enrollment in this student level was mainly between 1,600 and 3,000 students. Most presidents at this stage of the study have completed 13 or fewer years of service as a college/university president.
The presidents working on this stage of the study completed three rounds of e-Delphi surveys that addressed the question "What are the factors that predict success in Christ-centered higher education?" The presidents gave 90 importance factors in the first round. According to the president of a Christian college or university, who are the Christians who serve at or partner with and influence your institution. Factors representing Christian persons mean score Faculty, staff, administration, and trustees committed to the institution's mission 4.00 Faculty, staff, and administration demonstrate deep Christian faith 4.00 Trustees understand and act within their roles 4.00.
Achieving values and goals expressed in mission statement 3.43 Effective marketing strategies to tell the story of the institution 3.43 Vibrant and innovative approaches to academic program development and. Fair salary and benefits for all employees of the institution 3.36 Use objective measures to determine success and failure 3.29 To be an institution that is financially affordable for the desired degree 3.29 To be an institution that is financially accessible for the desired degree 3.29 Pursuit of common standards and expectations among faculty and staff 3.21 Providing the highest level of academic training and career preparation 3.21. Assessment of intellectual and spiritual growth of students 3.21 Attention to the culture served by the institution 3.15.
Most of the presidents in this phase of the study have completed 8 years of service or less as a college/university president. Presidents in this phase of the study were asked to rank each factor in each cluster in order of importance. Explanation To have the right people in the institution to perform their position 66.1 Fulfillment of the institution's operating principles 12.1.
Model of factors predicting the success of Christ-centered higher education as determined by experts at SBC institutions. 11 Achievement of values and goals expressed in mission statement 12 Effective marketing strategies to tell the institution's story 13 Fair processes for all employees of the institution. ASSESSING INSTITUTION VITALITY (Explains 7.7 percent of success model) 25 Clear institutional core values.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE INSTITUTION'S ETHOS (Explains 4.1 percent of the success model) 36 Clear mission statement of the institution. 38 Enriching the students' spiritual lives 39 Operating a sustainable business model 40 Students receive biblical training. 44 Community around the college supportive and collaborative FULFILLING THE INSTITUTION'S MISSION (Explains 2.7% of the success model).
EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF THE GRADUATES (Explains 2.1 percent of the model of success) 52 Assessment of intellectual and spiritual growth of students 53 Record achievement of graduates. An appreciative inquiry into the spiritual values of Christian higher education." Christian Higher Education 2, no. The Christian College experience and the development of spirituality among students." Christian Higher Education 2 no.
In Phase 1 of the study, 24 presidents of CCCU institutions, but not SBC heads of schools, agreed to use an e-Delphi approach to provide factors that predicted the success of Christ-centered institutions. In the second phase of the study, the presidents of the SBC institutions ranked the factors in each cluster.
