Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies goal is to prepare undergraduate students as lay leaders or vocational ministers for educational leadership in local churches, linked to the GCU’s vision to glory God by equipping them with biblical principles and a Christian worldview. The BATS program concentrates on Biblical competency, personal integrity, and integration of theoretical and practical learning. The Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education (BACE) program equips students with personal integrity and integrates theoretical and practical learning specially designed for educators. Graduates of the program will be ready for competent leadership in the educational ministries of church and school. This degree is designed to explore faith, understand human lives, and help students choose from a variety of ministry career choices. The courses are designed to give students the academic preparation and skills necessary for more profound and more informed service and ministry to the Church and to the world.

Vision

The vision of GCU is to glorify God by equipping students who will proclaim God's Word, build up the body of Christ through education, and advance God's kingdom by reaching out to the globe. GCU seeks to maintain an appropriate balance between training for academics and professionalism.

Our Mission

The mission of GCU is to educate qualified students to become global leaders with Biblical principles, and to equip them with competent knowledge, skills, and Christian Worldview to serve the church, communities, societies, the nation, and the world through excellent Christian higher education. GCU serves its commitment to meeting the educational needs of the multiethnic student body coming from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Biblical Foundation Statement

Georgia Central University (GCU) is a Christ-centered institution of higher learning that is unwavering in its belief that the following doctrinal statements are foundational to the educational and spiritual growth of each GCU trustee, faculty, student, and staff member:

• We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
• We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious atonement through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal and visible return in power and glory.
• We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he was tempted by Satan and fell, and that, because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary for salvation.
• We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life, and by Whom the Church is empowered to carry out Christ’s great commission.
• We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved unto the resurrection of life and those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

Objectives

• To nurture everyone's gift for Christian ministry, leadership in society, and service to the world;
• To promote and encourage academic excellence, critical reflection, and involvement in the community service; and
• To Integrate cultural differences in effective academic development.

Core Values

• God First, as the owner, creator, and sustainer;
• Excellence in Teaching, Research, Scholarship, and Management;
• Respect for Diverse Societies and to Fight for Justice;
• Commitment to Life-Long Learning and Teaching; and
• Effective Career Development Opportunities.

Institutional Philosophy

Georgia Central University emphasizes and believes in the Triune God: eternal, transcendent, omnipotent, and personal. God the Father, the first person of the Divine Trinity, is infinite, sovereign, and unchangeable in all His attributes. GCU believes in the sinless humanity and the absolute, full deity of Christ Jesus, indissolubly united in one divine-human person since His unique incarnation by miraculous conception and virgin birth. Holy Spirit, the Third person of the trinity resides among us always.

GCU believes that the Bible is the Word of God, and as such, it is our only infallible rule of faith and practice. We believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit; thus, we affirm the inerrancy of the original manuscripts whose objective truth is our responsibility to interpret in accordance with the principles of the Scriptures and to proclaim in accordance with the imperatives of the Gospel.

GCU emphasizes and believes that the universe is God's creation and his handiwork. We believe that God created human beings in His own image.

The Philosophy of Education Statement

Georgia Central University believes that God calls each individual to prepare intellectually and spiritually to share Christ throughout the world. Specifically, the University believes it has been called to offer academic programs where the curriculum as a whole and each course within that curriculum is:

Christ-centered; Based on the Bible; Academically relevant to degree programs that are meeting the needs of the world; Pursuing academic excellence; Taught by faculty who are Christians and comply with the institution's doctrinal beliefs; Taught by faculty who are dedicated to quality higher education; Taught by faculty who are academically credentialed; Taught in an environment conducive to academic and spiritual growth; Designed to integrate the academic training with Christian commitment; and Based on Christian belief in God's mission for the world.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Georgia Central University does not discriminate against race and national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Georgia Central University does not discriminate against age according to the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. Also, GCU does not discriminate against sex in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Furthermore, GCU will not discriminate against disability or religion. However, as a Christian education institute, all students are required to study and attend chapel regardless of their religion