About California Christian College

Mission Statement

The mission of California Christian College is to offer academic programs that develop Christian leaders to serve Christ both in the Church and in society.

Purpose Statement

The constituency and ownership of California Christian College, the California State Association of Free Will Baptists, and CCC alumni have clearly articulated their desire for CCC to establish Christian ministry programs for the purpose of developing capable Christian leaders to serve Christ both in the Church and in society. The college seeks Christian students who are serious about Christian education, doing the will of God, and preparing for church-related ministries, either on the lay or professional level.

The college is committed to upholding the cardinal doctrines of the traditional Christian faith, the distinctives of the sponsoring denomination, and the belief that Christian education must deal with the moral, social, spiritual, and academic dimensions of the student. The AA and BA programs emphasize the following:

1. A major in Bible and Christian ministry as the heart of each educational program,
2. A Biblical-Christian worldview as the integrating factor for the entire curriculum,
3. Biblical standards of morals and ethics, and
4. The concept that all students are preparing for Christian living and service.

The general objectives expressed below indicate qualities California Christian College regards as generally essential for effective Christian service. Therefore, it is the objective of the College to provide the necessary educational environment, instructional resources, and practical experiences so that graduates, within the framework of individual God-given personality, potential and abilities, may be reasonably expected to demonstrate the following:

1. A broad comprehension of the Bible.
2. A Christian worldview based on the doctrines of orthodox Christian belief.
3. An informed mind demonstrated through critical thinking.
4. Christian character demonstrated through academic integrity, responsible stewardship of time and resources, and support of the college community.
5. Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibility for Meeting Objectives:

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

The Admissions office strives to admit students whose interests are appropriate to the College’s mission and who are capable of benefiting from one of its programs.

The Administrative division functions to enable the educational program to be effective by hiring qualified personnel, promoting appropriate job training and continuing education, and ensuring the accomplishment of the College’s Mission and Objectives.

The Student Services staff works to foster the development of students toward the maturity required for Christian service.

The Practical Ministry Department promotes and helps to provide required practical experience that complements classroom learning.

The Library strives to provide access to the information necessary to support the educational program.

Those involved in fund-raising seek to provide the financial resources necessary for the educational program to achieve its objectives.

Those who oversee Physical Facilities have as their purpose to provide buildings and grounds that facilitate the educational program.

Every faculty member is required to develop each course syllabus to reflect the college’s Mission and Purpose Statements.

Students should support the objectives of the College and apply themselves to the various intellectual and practical opportunities made available to them by the college for the development of their academic and ministry skills.  Students must also faithfully and honestly participate in assessment programs to assist the College in measuring the accomplishment of its objectives.

Core Values

California Christian College exists to glorify God, to extend His Kingdom, to serve people, and to impact the world.  To those ends, the College community strives to exceed the expectations of its students, staff, and constituency in all endeavors.  These core values guide the College’s direction and decisions:

Lordship of Jesus Christ:  California Christian College is based on the belief in the Triune God and that Jesus Christ alone is the Revelation of God in human form, the sole Redeemer of lost humanity, the head of the church, and the Controller of all creation.

Centrality of Scripture:  The canon of historic Protestant Christianity is recognized as divinely inspired Scripture and provides the foundation for the College’s faith and practice. As the locus of ultimate truth in written form, the Bible is the center of all curricula at the College, providing an integration point for all disciplines.

Love for God and Others:  As a community, California Christian College is irrevocably committed to love God and to love others.  Loving God captures the very heart of the Christian faith.  Loving others means recognizing every person as created in God’s image and, therefore, of inestimable worth.  It means valuing individuals of all cultures and ethnicities, affirming their worth before God, recognizing their unique gifts, and engaging in mutual affirmation, edification, and growth.

Commitment to Excellence:  California Christian College promotes integrity and excellence in all endeavors, from academic pursuits to professional demeanor to spiritual passion.  This commitment includes discerning and fully developing the specific gifts God instills in each individual.  It also assumes that the Christian faith calls every believer to the pursuit of excellence in all areas of life.

Priority of Service:  California Christian College values service and sacrifice above self-promotion and self-advancement.  This priority mirrors the model of Jesus Himself and captures the overriding mandate of the Bible.

Evangelical Heritage:  California Christian College is a Free Will Baptist institution but seeks to avoid sectarianism by emphasizing the major tenets of historic Protestant Christianity.  The College is committed to its evangelical heritage, strives to serve everyone with a similar theological perspective, and stresses charity toward all.

Philosophical Statement

California Christian College affirms the Bible as the inspired word of God.  As the source of all truth, it serves as the integrating factor in the educational process.  All genuine truth is based upon and unified by the uniquely revealed word of God.  This allows California Christian College to maintain a holistic theology of education, which challenges us to approach all subjects in all disciplines in light of biblical truth.  It also holds us responsible to enhance the development of students spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, physically, and socially.  All College events and activities are undertaken with this goal in mind, including the courses we offer.  We strive to protect the integrity of our courses in two major ways: (1) through faculty training, and (2) through conscientious preparation and consistent evaluation of course syllabi.

Biblical Foundations Statement

As a Free Will Baptist institution, California Christian College subscribes to the statement of faith of the National Association of Free Will Baptists (available at https://nafwb.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-FWB-Treatise.pdf.  The bulk of this statement corresponds with the vast majority of Evangelical Christian denominations and churches.  A summary of its major tenets includes: 

1. We believe there is one living and true God, revealed in nature as Creator, Preserver, and Righteous Governor of the universe; revealed in Scripture as the Triune God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He is one God, all-wise, all-loving, and desires that we love Him as He loves us.

2. We believe Jesus Christ is God manifest in flesh, in His divine nature truly God and in His human nature truly man.  By His incarnation, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, He provided redemption from sin and restoration into fellowship with God.  His redeeming work is the exclusive means of our salvation.  Now glorified, He lives forever as our ever-present Savior and Lord, the sole Mediator between God and man.

3. We believe in the Holy Spirit, assigned by Scripture with all the attributes of God.  As the third person of the Godhead, He guides, moves, counsels, commands, forbids, reproves, convicts, regenerates, indwells, seals, fills, and empowers.  He can be sinned against but also graciously bestows spiritual gifts to all believers.

4. We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures were given by inspiration of God and function as our infallible rule for faith and practice.  They are without error and trustworthy in the matters of which they speak.     

5. We believe God created the universe by His spoken word for His pleasure, for His glory, and for the enjoyment of the creatures He brought into being.

6. We believe humanity was created innocent but by disobedience fell into a state of sin and condemnation.  All humans since have inherited a fallen nature that will eventually lead them into sin, leaving them accountable and guilty before God.

7. We believe God determined from the beginning to save all who respond by faith to the redeeming work of His Son.  While God desires the salvation of all, the human will is free and self-controlled.  Individuals may receive the truth and live or resist the truth and perish.  All believers who persevere by grace in faith and holiness to the end of life secure the promise of salvation.

8. We believe Jesus Christ will come again to close the Gospel era, glorify His saints, and judge the world.  His return will be personal, bodily, and visible.  At the last day, there will be a bodily resurrection of the dead.  The righteous will enter the blessing of eternal life in God’s presence; the wicked will be separated from God and condemned to punishment.   

Moral/Ethical Statement

The goal of California Christian College is to emphasize positive holy living and its value at all times.

As a faith-based institution, California Christian College calls members of its community to a way of life that avoids the negative influences of contemporary society and reflects the positive values of Scripture.  As Christians, we accept the Bible as our inspired and final authority on matters of faith and practice.  Because the Bible teaches godliness of life and holiness of character as the standard for every Christian, we affirm this principle for every member of the CCC community:  administration, staff, faculty, and students.  This standard involves separation from the world’s system and the pursuit of a way of life that reflects the character, goodness, grace, and love of God.  This way of life should be revealed through such New Testament principles as honesty, courtesy, kindness, service, and joy.

Some conduct contradicts the standards of Scripture and is often injurious to the physical, psychological, and spiritual health of the believer’s body, described in the Bible as the temple of the Holy Spirit. California Christian College understands the following conduct to be contrary to the standards of Scripture and therefore unacceptable for members of the College community:

• Use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and illegal drugs (including the use of legalized marijuana/cannabis).  Students dealing with addiction issues should seek help through the College Dean of Students, faculty, or administration.  CCC will provide information about counseling and rehabilitation services.  Individuals who voluntarily avail themselves of College services can be assured of professional standards of confidentiality. 
• Gambling and pornography.  While legal, these are disapproved behaviors for members of the CCC community.  Gambling equates to a breach of the stewardship trust God bestows on believers He blesses with material resources.  In addition, it conveys an attitude of discontent with the level of life God has provided.  Pornography devalues fellow human beings, the apex of God’s creation and His image-bearer, for perverse personal gratification.  Left unchecked, it leads to severe psychological, emotional, and social/relational problems.  Pornography is any material that displays the human body in sexually explicit and/or stimulating ways, whether clothed, partially clothed, or totally unclothed.  Such displays could include photographs, drawings, movies, videos, video games, or any similar medium.  Individuals struggling with gambling or pornography are encouraged to seek help through the College.
• Profanity and coarse joking.  These have no place among God’s people.  Scripture admonishes us not to use the Lord’s name in vain and not to be guilty of corrupt talk.
• Conduct that threatens the health or safety of another person.
• Dishonesty.  Giving false information, academic fraud, disrespect toward persons in authority – these are unacceptable behaviors for members of the CCC community.  Any breach of academic honesty, overt plagiarism, lying, stealing, or any other form of deception will result in disciplinary action.
• Sexual activity.  As Scripture affirms, sexual activity within the confines of marriage is good and beautiful, but pre-/extra-marital sex, homosexual activity, and other forms of deviant sexual behavior are incompatible with biblical standards.  Anyone in the CCC community found to be in violation of or promoting unbiblical sexual practices will be dismissed from the College.  Students engaging in sexual immorality between school sessions may not be readmitted.
• Legal violations.  Any transgression of local, state, or federal statutes may result in dismissal from the College and the filing of reports with appropriate authorities.

Some long-standing Christian beliefs, practices, and institutions have been eroded by recent societal changes.  In light of those changes, California Christian College reaffirms the following:

• Marriage.  We believe marriage is designed by God as the life-long, covenantal union of one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship.  It is the sole and beautiful context for the divine plan for the biblical marriage of man and woman as image-bearers of God, as well as the foundation for the family as the basic, divinely ordained unit of human society.  (For the complete Free Will Baptist Marriage Statement, go to:  https://nafwb.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-FWB-Treatise.pdf 
• Divorce and Remarriage.  We believe divorce breaks God’s heart.  He intends marriage to last until one spouse dies.
• Sexuality.  California Christian College recognizes only two genders:  male and female.  The Bible describes sexual differentiation as part of God’s gracious creative process, and it is exclusively the two genders together the Bible describes as being “in His image.”  Sexuality is determined in the womb and revealed anatomically at birth.
• Abortion.  We believe human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, inexcusable taking of human life and is tantamount to murder.  We reject any contention that abortion of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defect, gender selection, birth/population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable.
• Lawsuits between believers.  We believe Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes.  We believe the church possesses the resources to resolve disputes between members.  However, we also believe a Christian may seek compensation for injuries or damages from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice of slander.