Degree Programs[ Objectives | Program ]
Christ’s explicit command is to make His gospel known throughout the world. To this end, God’s people must be prepared and sent to communicate the gospel in areas where the church is weak or nonexistent and where Christ is still unknown. Lancaster Bible College is at the forefront in preparing God’s servants to take His message to the world.
The goal of the Department is to generate in all students on the campus a concern for world evangelism and a commitment to a sustained participation in missions. To accomplish this, the Department arranges missions chapels, works with the Student Missionary Fellowship, conducts the Missionary Conference, invites special lecturers, supervises internship programs, organizes HIS (Helpers in Service) Ministry Teams, student short-term missions teams, encourages prayer for the world through weekly times of prayer for missionaries, special prayer chapels, and week-end prayer retreats, and invites an experienced missionary to serve as missionary-in-residence each year.
The objectives for the whole student body are:
- That every student at the College will begin some personal involvement in missions on the basis of learned biblical instructions, informed views of missionary needs and opportunities, and direct contact with individual missionaries.
- That every student who graduates from the College will follow a life-style and undertake a ministry, whatever and wherever it may be, in a manner that evidences concern for the missionary mandate of the Church.
- That pastors and lay-workers who are graduated from the College will demonstrate an ability to respond to multi-cultural challenges in their own churches and communities.
All students major in Bible so that they are able to communicate its message. Building on this foundation, the Intercultural Studies Department prepares the potential missionary to communicate the message cross-culturally so that the missionary can participate effectively in outreach to people among the three billion in the world who are currently unevangelized. Through courses and related activities, the missions student is enabled to plan and follow strategies for initial evangelism and church planting, for leadership training, and for church growth and extension. To accomplish this distinct purpose, the Department offers its curriculum to its missions students.
The student who completes the curriculum will be able to:
- Effectively communicate the gospel cross-culturally.
- Pray intelligently for the world.
- Evangelize, disciple, and plant churches in any culture of the world.
- Communicate the burden and needs of ministry to churches for prayer and financial support.
- Develop and sustain healthy relationships with the local church, mission board, and national church.
The specific program in the department is: