Biola in the Marketplace

Nearly 60 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. observed that an education bereft of character—where students are taught to think critically but left without moral anchoring—leads to a spiritual poverty with stark consequences for society. Consonant with this idea is Biola’s mission to equip students in both mind and character, which is, according to Dr. King, the goal of true education. Our core institutional capacities enable us to fulfill this mission. Attracting and actively recruiting spiritually minded students has led us to a sustained interest in the dynamics surrounding intellectual growth, spiritual formation and character development. Such a “whole-person” approach, where nurturing student character is as important as advancing student learning, is seen by our constituents as a Biola distinctive.

Biola is committed to providing education that teaches Christians to think with a Christian, biblical worldview and to influence society with the Truth. As it enters its second century, Biola is poised to educate a new generation of believers who will become change agents for kingdom impact.

Influencing Culture

Whether a U.S. Senator (John Thune, ’83), a screen writer and director grossing over $70 million with his first major film (Scott Derrickson, ’90), a rising opera star capturing the stage with a leading role at Covent Garden London (Katie Van Kooten, ’01), the CEO of a major relief organization appointed as chair of the Advisory Committee for the U.S. Agency for International Development (Benjamin Homan, ’80), a successful college basketball coach who left his profession to work full time with homeless families and children (Matthew Biggs, ’87), or the nine Biola alumni who have served as college presidents, we believe that our graduates are the best evidence of Biola fulfilling its mission, vision and values.

The Marketplace Need:

A large share of the nation’s moral and spiritual challenges is directly attributed to the absence of a biblical worldview among Americans.
A national survey of 2033 adults showed only 4% having a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision making and only 9% among born again Christians. A biblical worldview was defined as believing that abolute moral truths exist and are defined by the Bible.
-Barna Research Group, December 2003

“It seems that Christians are more affected by society than society is affected by Christians.  More than nine out of every ten born-again Christians fail to think like Jesus; they think like the rest of the world, so they naturally behave like the citizens of this world too.  They are not the salt and light that Jesus commands us to be because they lack the personal commitment and depth of faith that makes them truly changed, God-driven beings.”
–George Barna, in his book Think Like Jesus

The Marketplace Solution:

To teach Christians to think with a Christian biblical worldview.
To influence society with the Truth, as taught from a biblical worldview.

Biola Dreams Big for Kingdom Impact

Biola’s Mission

Biblically centered education, scholarship and service to equip men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Biola’s Vision

To become a global center for Christian thought and spiritual renewal.

Biola’s Values

Truth, Transformation and Testimony
We are a global center for teaching biblical truth, transforming lives, living as a testimony to our communities and the world.

How does Biola live out our mission, our vision and our values? Meet the Biola Brand.

The Biola Brand

Who we are: Biola is a theologically conservative, Protestant, evangelical university.

What we do: Biola provides biblically centered education in a wide range of undergraduate programs and graduate education through the doctoral level, to evangelical students.

Why we do it: Biola desires to equip students in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ in any professional setting.

What makes Biola unique?

Because of our unique identity, Biola is quickly becoming a global center for Christian thought and spiritual renewal.

How? Biola Dreams Big for Kingdom Impact. It’s all about fulfilling the Great Commission.

Biola’s identity remains anchored in our mission to provide biblically centered education, scholarship and service. We aspire to be an exemplary Christian university, providing education and scholarship that are distinctly Christian and of the highest quality. At the heart of Biola, there exists a vibrant Christian academic institution where faculty and staff are deeply committed to the comprehensive integration of mind and character. Our passion for developing whole-persons sustains our efforts for continuous improvement and the pursuit of educational excellence.

Who is responsible for planning the vision for Biola University as a global center for Christian thought and spiritual renewal? Meet the University Planning Group.