Another Degree Mill

I know, my good brother.

 

Many years ago I worked at Hume Lake Christian Camps during the summer. It is recognized as one of the best Christian camps in America. They have some of the best speakers in the world each week. I will never forget when I was told that one of the speakers only had a fourth grade education. Apparently he had learned a lot since fourth grade. So furthering one's education can be done through the hard work of study and discipline.

 

One of my professors told the class to get your degrees and then once you get them throw them away. Many people have degrees but little temperature. Degrees with a lot of temperature and godliness is powerful.

 

Good counsel, I say.

 

Another degree mill??

Whodathunkit?

I do like one new twist, though.

No faculty listed - just "Adjunct Faculty!" :thumbs: :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

CBC and Cecil Johnson have been rattling around for a long time and been kicked out of several states. To the best of my knowledge Jack Van Impe was offered an honorary degree and turned it down, the degree was issued anyhow, so the story goes. If I remember correctly this information came out of John Bears book I purchased in the early 80's. I can't figure out how he (Cecil) stays out of jail.

 

What bothers me more than the deceitful diploma mill is the idiots who will take the easy route out to get a degree in hopes of getting a "job." It is nothing more than a degree. One who attempts to study so little is worthless in any kind of ministry if one would call it that. If one is not wiling to humble himself long enough to devote himself to some serious study that just tells his listeners what he values.

 

GB, not to defend these so-called schools, but what would be the difference if one memorizes the few books listed and walks away with that knowledge and a piece of paper, or one who goes to a legitimate schools, memorizes what they teach and walks out with a piece of paper?

Do you know how many walk out of legitimate schools with no more knowledge than one who applied his mind to self study and followed a few texts as guides?

I have seen graduates of legitimate universities who only know what the professors taught. They were as useless in the field as they were before they entered the school.

Cheers,

Jim

 

That is a very good point!

 

I have seen the same thing many times too. Your point proves what I have said all along. From my college days I have not known one person whom I was in the Navigators with who stray from the faith, but I have known several who were in church with me and a few I was in seminary with who have "thrown in the towel". That is the reason why I would sugest that a person should never be a pastor until he has led a small group or at least one person discipling them first. Leaders have followers. If they have no followers then they are not leaders. If they cannot or do not prove their leadership with one person, then how does he prove it with a larger group.

I would much rather listen to a lesser educated man who walks with God and makes disciples than one who has a great education and does not know God and does not make disciples.

Success happens when both a teacher and student do their best. Motivated students want good teachers because they know that they will learn the most from them. Sometimes students who are not very motivated begin to change their attitude because they see through being disciplined what they learn when they are forced to perform. They learn to set priorities and learn that they must work hard. They also experience the results of their improved discipline and hard work.

No teacher can do more than introduce the student to a lifetime of study. I cannot begin to teach what I have learned over the past 35 years in the construction industry.

If a student is given the proper tools for a lifetime of serious study then it is up to him to use them. I see it all the time when those who were students with me in seminary who are now pastors have neglected their personal study in "pastoring" the church they are at. They have little more than additional experience with people and an introduction of the Bible they studied in seminary. I think they are worse off because they have learned that people respond to good oratory and they have learned to "get by" without studying.

All of us get what we focus on.

 

I teach at the university level in a field where not one of us could know all there is to know in the field I teach in. At best we would probably know only about 5% of what is known. We have students who are young and old whose parents are in the same business. Regularly I learn new things from students. (I was in the field slightly more than 35 years before I began teaching). When I listen to them I learn more than I do now. I find that when I listen to them they respect me more too. On the first day of class I tell my students that there is no possible way for me to know more than 5%. So I use that to engage them in conversation about how they must be lifelong learners.

Regularly my students talk about how a supervisor did not care about their ideas. I use that time to discuss about how they will be different when they are approached by a younger person 25 years from now.

It also gives me an opportunity to learn more from my students and teach them as a Christian who cares about them and what they think.

 

Diploma mill

I have followed the progress of distance education since the mid-1970's. Although I have not kept current for the past few years, I still know my way among the credible programs, the "less than wonderful" schools, and the degree mills.

I am acquainted with Cecil Johnson and have tracked CBC for sometime now. Cecil basically has one credible diploma--a Th.G. from Tabernacle Baptist (Rod Bell's old school) in Virginia Beach, VA. As far as I know, all of his other degrees are of the mail-order variety.

Cecil Johnson once offered me just about any degree that I wanted if I would write his doctoral program in psychology and counseling for him. When he explained his ideas for the program, I realized that his expectations could be fulfilled by simply copying the College Outline Series in psychology. I politely declined his offer, however, I would have be more than happy to offer consulting services for a fee to improve his program and make his front a real school.

CBC is located in a two office suite at Station Square in Rocky Mount, NC. When I visited him, he did not have a fulltime secretary. Course work appears to be on read a book and write a synopsis basis. Of course, there is no one on staff who is qualified to grade the work or critique it.

Yup, it's a diploma mill alright.

 

Diploma mill

Bill, I think Jack Van Impe wanted the degree and did work (i.e. wrote a few papers) for it. Van Impe's "earned" Th.D. is from CBC if my info is accurate. This is per Cecil Johnson, who told me the story, but I don't remember the details. Van Impe endorsed CBC for a time, but he may have backed off. He may be embarrassed by his association with CBC. However, if not from CBC, where did Jack Van Impe get the doctorate that he claims?

The one who puzzles me is Kurt Koch. Koch accepted an honorary doctorate and endorsed CBC. Why would Koch, who had a Basel doctorate, as I recall, want another doctorate from a nickel-and-dime outfit in the US? Pride is deceitful, isn't it?

I do know that Dr. James Kennedy accepted an honorary doctorate, which was listed in his vitae on his web site until I called attention to it. I contacted the Kennedy organization, when I found the listing, and got blown away by a staff member. However, the degree disappeared from the Internet shortly thereafter. I think Cecil Johnson awarded the degree to Kennedy with a covering letter. Dr. Kennedy, thinking that CBC was a small legitimate Bible college, accepted the supposed honor and someone, either Dr. Kennedy or an enterprising staff member, posted it on their web site. My objection was not the honor for Dr. Kennedy, who well-deserved honoring, but the use of Dr. Kennedy's name gave an aura of respect to a disreputable organization.

Anyway, you are right that good old boy Cecil may be doing skullduggery. On the other hand, I wonder if all is kosher on Jack's part. Does Jack Van Impe list his CBC degree in his vitae? What do you think?

 

Martin, from what I read of your post, you emphasize accreditation. Do you think there are any Christian/Biblical schools that are good schools not accredited by the six regional associations and the USDOE? Sometimes even this accredidation does not make for a good school. I would assume, especially in a ministry type school, some would be good without the regional accredidation.

I work for the federal government, and have seen people fired or disciplined for trying to get a promotion by using degree mills on applications for promotion. The particular one that has caused the most problem is Almeda University.

 

Double....

 

"Reformed Theological Seminary" does have a "virtual campus" located in the Charlotte, NC area, that would be legit. Since the primary 'needs' of a "virtual campus'' these days is a handful of computers, this still has a possibility of being a legitimate location.

And I'm also fairly sure there are more than enough degree mills, in NC, just as in many other locales, as well.

If not, I can find you one or two somewhere, I'm sure, maybe even right here in KY. :thumbsup:

Perhaps the name might have some slight variance, as even a 'degree mill' would likely not be able to use the same exact name as a legit place.

(The aforementioned Cecil Johnson's name is seldom used in the same sentence, as the word "legit" I think.)

Ed