What's right with BJU?

One thing I can think of other than the fact that they are now pursuing accreditation is their high academic standards. What I noticed on other boards even among those who have no use for Christianity (especially conservative) is the respect they had for and recognition that BJU was one of those few unaccredited schools that had high academic standards. BJU grads have been accepted into many of the finest grads schools in the US and out performed other schools on teacher certification exams.

Over and over two unaccredited quality schools were brought up BJU & PCC. BJU more so.

Nord

 

Bravo, Rhetorician. Well said.

I spent two years at BJU before transferring to my alma mater of Tennessee Temple. At BJU I learned many character lessons, chiefest of all being to strive for excellency in all I do--well, except how I dress, but that is why I have a wife!

I transferred from BJU reluctantly, due to political issues within Fundamentalism. Years later I discovered that my grandfather had hoped for me to spend two years at each school for the best education! (I fooled him--it took me four more years to graduate from Temple, since I worked full time there. )

 

My years at BJU were some of the best of my life. I feel the academics are superior. True, there are very strict rules but they didn't bother me as I grew up with those same kind of rules. I tried to look at the rules that I thought were silly in the same way I look at some of things that the Lord allows in my life. I don't always understand, but I will accept and trust anyway. I felt BJU always had a reason for the rules even if I didn't know that reason. The students there that had a huge problem with the rules seemed (and I stress seemed) to be imature and undisciplined in their character. I look at some of the universities here in my home state (University of Wisconsin at Madison for example) and I see just how immature college age kids can be. They act like it is one big party and just throw it all away. At least with rules like BJ and other universities like it even the immature ones are held accountable to a degree. I think the strict rules really help with character building. Of course, there are a few things that I didn't alwasy agree with but I loved it there so much. I grew so much sprirtually while there. It was wonderful. My husband feels that way too. My first pastor was a BJU grad and he was great. God doesn't call everyone to the same schools. I knew beyond any doubt that God wanted me at BJU after reading Dr. Bob Sr.'s book "Things I Have Learned". I met my huband there too my last year. It is just a great, great place to be if you have the right attitude I guess. For me, it was like Heaven on earth--just so surrounded and saturated with God and His Word. I grew up in what I call a christian, but not really a godly home. My parents were strict with their rules (for which I am thankful) but we only attended church Sunday mornings and there was really no mention of God during the week. I would go out in the hay mow as a little girl and read a New Testament I had hidden there. I was so hungry spiritually. That hunger seemed to be satisfied when I went to BJU. I just ate everything up. I guess I am rambling, but for me it was everything I needed.

 

BJU's quality of education is rather solid. I would never recommend an unaccredited school (you'd think that for the amount of money you're giving them, they could at least be accredited), but if one is not concerned with accreditation, then BJU is fine.

 

Academics and variety of majors is a big plus. Even without accreditation they are widely recognized as being an academically superior institution. The variety of majors is unparalleled in fundamental schools.

 

I have two kids that went there. Turned out just fine!

[ March 17, 2006, 06:36 PM: Message edited by: Timtoolman ]

 

Nothing.

[ March 17, 2006, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: Dr. Bob ]

 

Rhet,

You would have had to attend BJU to understand my answer. The question is, "What is right with BJU?"

If the question was asked on the BJU campus, "What is right with Dallas Theological Seminary or TEDS?" the answer would have been "nothing is right with DTS or TEDS." Don't go there!

I've applied the same standards I learned at BJU to this question.

It is a legitimate answer. Certainly one BJU could understand. And therefore it is valid for this thread.

 

Thanks Dr. Bob,

I understand your reasoning. I was hoping that my explanation in the post would suffice. I was merely applying the principles taught to us at BJU to BJU!

Therefore, my answer, though not what was intended by the OP, was an attempt to drive that point home.

Blessings

 

This is a trick question. What's "right" about BJU are the things that people like. If you don't like something, then you consider that thing to be something wrong with BJU.

Consider their music standards. If you still hold the old standards, you like BJU's standards. If you don't hold the old standards, you think BJU has sewage for brains and their standards are something wrong, not something right.

And so it goes. For the record, I love BJU, although there are things about them that I dislike intensely. I'd send kids there by the truckload if I could.

 

A humble, dedicated, highly-qualified faculty. I think the most attractive thing for me about BJU was the faculty. In my other experience in higher education I haven't seen anything quite like them. They are highly qualified academics, yet demonstrate warm hearts towards God. I had not been used to seeing such intelligent people so committed to the Word and to church ministry.

In more objective terms, what is right? The quality of their fine arts. Their music and speech programs and amazing art gallery. They are famous for this emphasis, so I won't elaborate.

The talent and diversity within the student body. Because of its size and geographic draw, BJU has a wonderful mix of personalities in the student body. You probably learn as much from your roommates and classmates as you do from lectures, so being around other college students who can sharpen you is important. I was always impressed by what the students could could produce in short amounts of time--audio spoofs, videos, cartoons about campus life, etc.

There is a vibrant student life. Many of the partnerships that form as students translate into life ministries and careers:
http://www.portlandstudios.com/ (just a few years out of school)
http://www.srnonline.com/
http://www.jdsouth.com/

Other miscellaneous strengths: good library, technological integration (WiFi, fast networks, extensive intranet/extranet, online scheduling, etc.), influence in evangelicalism, study abroad programs, good barbeque chicken sandwich in snack shop.

Although I support BJU, I wouldn't recommend it to most readers. It is a good place for a serious student with some discipline and fairly conservative outlook. If you read guys like Tozer, MacArthur, Kevin Bauder, Douglas Wilson, and Jerry Bridges you will do fine. BJU's outlook is fairly close to theirs. Bob Jones is very committed to the whole man. They are interested in discipleship as well as intellectual development. In your classes expect to have to take a rigorous liberal arts curriculum.

A lot of people can't forgive some of the errors of previous presidents, even though they have been corrected today. I would recommend visiting BJU to catch a glimpse of something fairly unique in evangelical higher education today.

 

They no longer allow students to fly the confederate flag from their dorm windows! I was, by the way, responsible for that decision. I prayed that the confederate flag would come down from the window in evening devotions. That caused no small stir!

Two days later in chapel, the ruling came down from BJIII. No more confederate flags are allowed to be flown from the windows! PTL! My part in changing BJU for the better! Boy, the Southern boys hated me for that!

 

I think Palmetto Boy is right on when he says

I would recommend visiting BJU to catch a glimpse of something fairly unique in evangelical higher education today.

If you are interested in BJ go visit. We were on campus to buy homeschool material three weeks ago. Some like Paul33 had a bad experience. Bob Jones is certainly not for everyone. Many students do not have the discipline or desire to make it there. But don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself.

I like what Palmetto Boy said about the diversity of the students and faculty as well. That is something hard to understand if you have not been there and talked with the faculty and students. There is a great deal of diversity at Bob Jones.

 

[Mike your post was deleted because this thread is for posting positive comments regarding BJU. Squire Robertson requested in the opening post that if you wish to make negative anti-BJU comments to please do so in the "What's wrong with BJU" thread.]

[ March 21, 2006, 04:25 AM: Message edited by: Bible-boy ]