Beliefs, Mission, and Purpose

Beliefs

Welch College exists primarily to meet the educational needs of Free Will Baptist churches. Yet the college welcomes students who share its commitment to the Christian faith in its historic, evangelical Protestant expression. The college subscribes to the doctrines of the denomination as described in its Treatise and its Articles of Faith.

Mission

To educate leaders to serve Christ, His Church, and His world through biblical thought and life.

Purpose

Welch College’s original purpose, as indicated in the Charter of Incorporation registered in 1945, was to be “devoted to the promotion and impartation of higher Biblical education,” for the purpose of “the equipment of Christian workers, teachers, ministers, and missionaries of both sexes for Christian service.” The mission statement above is intended to express the same fundamental concept.

Welch College emphasizes a distinctly Christian education with a strong core of biblical and theological studies at the heart of all educational programs, a Christian worldview integrating the entire curriculum, Christian morals and ethics, and Christian leadership and service.

The college seeks Christian students who are serious about pursuing academic excellence and doing the will of God. It offers associate and baccalaureate degree programs with various majors, preparing men and women for church-related ministries and for other vocations appropriate for Christians who live to serve Christ. In both cases, the college is fulfilling the traditional Protestant vision of the sacredness of divine vocation. The college intends that graduates of baccalaureate degree programs be prepared either for immediate employment or for graduate study in their respective fields.

The college serves the Free Will Baptist denomination in particular and the Christian Church in general. Consequently, the college is committed to upholding the cardinal doctrines of the traditional Christian faith and the distinctive of its sponsoring denomination. Its mission requires that it prepare leaders for the Church, both ministers and laity, who will actively serve the Church in accomplishing its greater mission.

All functions of the college relate directly to the objectives of the educational program conceived to carry out the mission. Thus the role of all divisions that are not directly educational is that of a means to an end—as in the following examples:

• The Administrative division provides leadership that enables the educational program to be effective in fulfilling the college’s mission.
• The Enrollment Services office strives to admit students whose interests are appropriate to the college’s mission and who are capable of benefiting from the college’s educational program.
• The Student Services staff works to foster the overall development of students toward the maturity required for Christian life and service.
• The Christian Service Department oversees required service opportunities that complement and strengthen classroom learning.
• The Library provides access to information necessary to support the educational program.
• Institutional Advancement informs the constituency about the college’s educational program and seeks necessary financial resources.
• Plant Operations maintains buildings, grounds, and technological resources that facilitate the educational program.

The following general objectives indicate the knowledge, attitudes, and abilities that the college regards as generally essential for effective Christian service. The college intends that these be developed in good measure in all graduates:

• A broad comprehension of biblical teaching.
• Christian character and spiritual maturity, manifested in living according to biblical principles and meaningful devotional life.
• A Christian worldview, manifested in an awareness of its implications for thought and life.
• An informed mind, manifested in critical thinking and intellectual honesty.
• A concern for global missions and evangelism, manifested through consistent giving, praying, and witnessing toward the accomplishment of the Great Commission.
• A knowledgeable commitment to physical and emotional health.
• A commitment to Christian leadership and service in career, church, family, and private life.
• Social adjustment, manifested in healthy interpersonal relationships.
• The knowledge and skills needed to function effectively in one’s chosen vocation.
• Compassion, manifested in an active desire to help the poor and hurting.
• Communication skills, manifested in effective reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• Cultural refinement, manifested both in lifestyle and in appreciation for that which is noble and uplifting.

These objectives are detailed in each program of study.