Andrew Suk

Passage Cabin 19
Prof. Finney

Wheaton Colleges Influence on Spiritual Growth

Wheaton College is a Christian liberal arts school where the Christian standpoint of each subject
matter is highly valued. Some people argue that Wheaton College is a place that produces whole and
effective Christians because of the way the college is run. What does it mean to be a whole and effective
Christian? Whole implies that all aspects of life should be influenced by the values of Christianity.
Effective means that whatever is taught should be able to make a positive impact on the world.
Therefore, Wheaton is supposedly a place that produces mature Christians who choose to impact the world
and to further Christs kingdom. Wheaton Colleges liberal arts education, sense of community, and belief
in the same Jesus allows us to grow and mature in our faith in Jesus Christ.
Liberal Arts education is a whole education where different aspects of knowledge are introduced
to the students. Instead of focusing on one subject to become a expert in that field, liberal arts allows a
person to explore the various facets of the world, resulting in a more seasoned and open mind.
From a liberal arts perspective, then, especially one informed by biblical values, college
should prepare you to be a good neighbor, a loyal friend, a devoted spouse, a committed church
member, a loving parent, a responsible citizen, and of greatest importance, a faithful disciple of
Jesus Christ. (Davis, 40)
Jeffery C. Davis in The Countercultural Quest of Christian Liberal Arts clearly states the effects of
having such an education experience. However, it is very interesting that Davis does not mention effects
such as changing the world for Jesus or anything along the lines with radical Christian change. Instead, he
argues that Christian liberal arts develops a person to become a better person, husband/wife, friend, parent,
etc. Davis is saying that this type of education is more than learning to be a smarter person but to become
a mature person who can positively affect the people around him/her. How a person acts can influence
others so easily, whether it is positively or negatively. We must remember to love, just as Jesus loved; it is
our duty as Christians to live for Christ, no matter what our role is. Through the teachings of various
subjects in a Christian point of view, students of Wheaton College should be aware of how to act to honor

God. Whether running a business honestly or creating films that show Gods creation, Christian liberal arts
education allows a person to relate his/her studies to personal life to become a more whole and effective
Christian.
Other than how people are to act in their personal lives, Christian liberal arts education allows
people to become effective representatives of Jesus Christ. It is great to become a productive and morally
correct person; however, we are called to go to the ends of the earth to preach the good news of Jesus
Christ.
The value of a Christian mind cultivated through liberal arts education becomes acutely
important once we recognize that the vitality and effectiveness of the churchs mission in the
world depends upon the whole people of God becoming representatives of Christ in ever sphere of
society.(Greenman, 87).
This is a call for Christians to be equipped to spread Christs love. Liberal arts education prepares people to
become representatives of the good news. People tend not to listen to Christians who are not intellectual
and not know the reasoning and applications of their faith. With a Christian liberal arts education, people
will be ready to answer tough questions from non- believers about Jesus Christ and the Bible. Therefore,
there is a higher probability that people will value their opinions because of the extensive knowledge
gained through liberal arts education. If Jesus commands his followers to spread the word, they must do so
in a way that the story of Jesus Christ will be directly relatable to the person reached. In conclusion,
Apostle Paul writes that Whatever we do, we do it through Jesus and for Jesus; Anything that we do must
represent our relationship with God.
Community is the backbone of Wheaton College. Through communities, especially those in
Christ, people can grow both as a group and individually. However, the concept of depravity management
is a hindrance to this idea of communion. Depravity management is when individuals try to hide aspects of
their lives that are considered weird and strange for the sake of their reputation (Ortberg, 15). Everyone
has a characteristic or personality that makes him or her self conscious when revealed to others. To avoid
the pain, these things are kept hidden, resulting in the putting on of different personas and masks to please
people. The reason behind this secrecy is that people inherently do not want to get hurt. If people actually
find out the depravities that a person tried so hard to hide, then there will be judgment and condemnation

that brings guilt to the him/her. Although depravity management can keep you happy for most of your
life, there are those moments where you want to express your true self. Community is a place of trust;
therefore, it is a safe place to be who you are. God accepts us no matter what we have done; similarly, as a
community, we should completely accept our brothers and sisters because we are no different. Porcupines
learn that they and their fellow porcupines come as is (Ortberg, 25). Porcupines are very anti-social
because of their defensive mechanisms. The quills of a porcupine usually prohibit close relationships with
other porcupines. Similarly, the idea of depravity management is our quill that prevents us from building
a community. However, we must learn that our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ come as is. It is our
job to help each other set aside these differences and work together to further Gods kingdom. With this
accountability, everyone will be able to build each other up in unity, resulting in growth to become more
effective and whole Christians.
One of the most important aspects of a college like Wheaton is that no matter how different
everyone may be, there is one thing that unifies everyone together: Jesus. Even during the first few weeks
being at Wheaton College, I have been in many deep conversations that I would never have been in if it
werent for Jesus unifying us. These conversations allow me to open up, talking about my struggles and
how I have or am trying to overcome them. For example, my friend John Young and I have had multiple
conversations where it started as small talk but quickly escalated to personal struggles. I learned that he
struggled with lust and the correct way of treating a sister in Christ. Because of his vulnerability, I felt
comfortable sharing about my anger problems and how they affected my relationship with my parents.
Moments like these allow me to feel like I am really starting to grow in my faith. In Wheaton College there
are many people that you can open up to and trust that they will pray for you and try to keep you
accountable. Through the commonality of our faith in Jesus Christ, we, as individuals and as a community,
can come together and make a difference in this world for His name.
During Passage Camp Track, I learned one very valuable lesson that will definitely help me
mature as a Christian. During my solo time, where we are all isolated from human interaction for about six
hours, I reflected on my life and what I needed to change. God told me during that time that my biggest
problem I had was the lack of prayer. Prayer is what drives us and motivates us to work for Christ; prayer
allows us to connect with God and let God reveal His purpose for us. God asked me how do I expect to

Wheaton College is a place where spiritual growth is almost inevitable. I believe that this
particular Christian liberal arts education will give me a broad view of the world and teach me how to
become a better person. The sense of community will give me a support group where I can keep myself
accountable. The commonality of Jesus Christ throughout the campus makes this campus open to
conversations about Jesus and God without judgment or condemnation. Through all this, I hope that I,
along with the rest of the student body, will be able to make an impact on this world for Him and His glory.