A Report Related to our Fall 2020 Student Preview Event

In 2020--the year where colleges across the country have plummeting enrollment and many shutting their doors--the Institute for G.O.D. hosted its biggest Student Preview event yet. 

Heading into the 2020-2021 school year, schools faced what experts call a "day of reckoning," or even a "higher education apocalypse." Headlines like: "Dawn of the Dead: For Hundreds of the Nation's Private Colleges, It's Merge Or Perish" explain colleges making decisions like: 

• Bethel University let go of 36 faculty, 28 staff, two master's programs, and 11 majors

• Southwest Baptist University let go of 24 faculty and staff

• Calvin University let go of 12 faculty, 2 majors, and 4 minors

• Nebraska Christian College, Concordia University-Portland, Cincinnati Christian University shut their doors altogether.

Many small, evangelical colleges were already facing challenges of lower enrollment and shrinking endowments and donor bases. COVID-19 made it worse. [Full story here by Christianity Today.] 

Forbes assessed the strength and weaknesses of 933 American private colleges, grading them on a scale from A+ to D. It gave Cs and Ds to 675 of the schools who are "tuition-dependent," meaning they squeak by year after year. Dozens of Christian Schools received Ds, including Anderson University, Judson, Evangel University, Olivet Nazarene, Azusa Pacific, Trinity Christian College, and more. Experts agree that 2020 was a "day of reckoning" and "the higher education apocalypse" not just for Christian colleges but higher education in general. A Harvard Business school professor predicts that as many as half of all universities will close or go bankrupt in the next decade. Colleges have fared somewhat similar to COVID patients: survivable if no significant underlying conditions. 

Praise be to God at the Institute is experiencing just the opposite! Amid a day of reckoning in higher education, we are gearing up for growth.

To briefly recap how President Garner directed the Institute to prepare for the 2020-2021 school year before we even knew about COVID's presence in the U.S.:

• We formed a new hybrid model for students to spend half the time in the class and the other half online. This helps them get better control of their finances, have more flexibility, and work through the program faster. All while not sacrificing the quality of the content.

• This, at the same time, grew our online offerings and program for distance learners.

• Re-imagined the entire program, including adding 24 minors and cutting no staff.

• Working with a few top-notch companies (Genovations Consulting and Center Street Media) to produce quality digital content that can be used for years to come at more than 1/3rd the fair market price to produce the content.

• Losing no students. Adding 27.

• Filmed content for dozens of classes and prioritized delivery systems that international students could benefit from.

This context is necessary for you all to see what a miracle it was to host 24 prospective students in the fall of 2020 -- our biggest preview event to date. We printed more than 100 name tags for all of you who helped show these visitors what life is like at the Institute. As we have always said, the Institute is "more than a school." The Institute is one aspect of a larger body of Christ. Our body worked together to make Preview an incredible success. 

For those of you who may have either attended the Institute or visited in the past, you would note all the same elements that make the Institute unique. Outdoor worship set on the field with UnNamed Servant and Bible study with Institute President Garner. Institute alumni came together to facilitate one of the most epic game nights of all time. Still, other alumni took students and visitors on a prayer hike and worship time. Students learned about mission opportunities through a progressive lunch full of international fare and traditions. Students played soccer, volleyball, and dance with dozens of teams. Califarmia blessed students and their parents with a catered dinner served by Institute students. Institute faculty favorites participated in a Hot Ones late night (hot wings contest) challenge. Gregg Garner hosted all guests and a dozen students at his home for his famous handcrafted burgers.

Institute President Gregg Garner and his wife Tara hosted all of our visitors as well as faculty, staff, and current students to their home for a special dinner. Gregg created special handcrafted burgers for the event and led students in a time of worship and prayer.

Student guests also enjoyed all the predictable elements of a college visit: a tour, staying in student dorms, enjoying our campus coffee shop, and sitting in classes -- an experience that topped the charts for most visitors.

Students had a choice of attending Cross Cultural Communications or Psychology of Faith Development, taught by Academic Dean and faculty member Jeff Sherrod and Librarian and faculty member Benjamin Reese, respectively.

20 minutes after being on campus, a parent who has had no contact with the Institute told us: "you guys are actually genuine. You love each other. I go to things like this often, and you can just tell everything is fake. I don't smell a lick of that here." 

As I gave a tour to one group, two sets of parents stopped me, saying: “Thank you so much. It feels so good to know the story and hear the process of redemption that God has been doing through this school.” Steps later, another testified, “this is amazing -- what God has given you, 20 acres in the middle of Nashville! One of the fastest-growing cities in the country! It's just so beautiful and peaceful here.” They were crying at the tour, “amen”-ing Gregg's opening speech and interview, and telling us this school was an answer to prayer.

Students were moved, excited, and deeply touched by the freedom they had worshiping on the field with other students and a community who loved God without reservations. The first evening, Institute alumni Craig Duffy asked a visitor what expectations she had for the weekend. Dani answered, “Well, I had one, but it's already met! It's that I could find people who loved God this much!”

We welcomed several guests from central Africa (Rwanda, DR Congo). They felt at ease as Gregg spoke with them in Lingala, and incorporated Swahili songs in both of his worship sets. At the end of one, our guests took the mic to lead us in another piece. At the other, local refugee pastor stood in tears as he watched dozens of young people worship the Lord wholeheartedly in his language, in the middle of Tennessee.  

The event ended with a student Q&A with Institute President Gregg Garner and a staff panel discussion with parents. Gregg related humbly about the trust parents have to yield to the Lord, that they have done their part, and that Jesus will take care of them. For the first time in our Institutional history, Gregg was both the college president and a prospective student's parent. He helped parents know that the Institute is on their side. One benefit of being a small school is knowing each student and their parents and forging strong relationships with both groups. He reminded them of his belief that their kids were in attendance because of their prayers for them. As stewards of the students God sends us, he promised to never see them as a number. They are each a gift from God, someone we are entrusted to care for and help develop into a laborer for his kingdom. 

The theme for the weekend was #makehistory2020. In it, we were able to testify how exciting it is to be a part of history as it's being written. Our school started in Gregg's living room 16 years ago. Since that time, our students have already helped empty an IDP camp in Kenya and give people a sustainable income outside of it. They've become midwives who offer just and merciful care to immigrants and refugees. They've built homes and training centers for people to learn the Word of God. They've led after school initiatives that are getting the attention of Nashville's leaders. They've filmed top shows on Amazon Prime, podcasts for famous comedians, and documentaries about India's rural villages. They've facilitated K-12 education for hundreds of families around the world. And so much more. It is only the beginning, but we believe God is making history. What a special time to be a part of the Institute!