The news that Cincinnati Christian University will close its doors is not terribly surprising but is still saddening. No doubt others will join me in this lament, and we should cry; most of all, our hearts should break for current students, staff, and faculty who must wrestle with more than nostalgia. They have a challenging path before them, and we should pray for their futures.
But, as with most situations, grieving will likely soon be replaced by anger. The search for scapegoats upon whom we can thrust blame for the demise of this storied university, will soon commence if it hasn’t already started. As a result, I offer this pastoral counsel to those seeking wrath during this time:
Don’t rush to the internet to project your theories about why CCU failed. Chances are, you’ll say something in rage that you’ll later regret.
And you’re likely wrong.
The influences that led to the demise of CCU goes further back than just the past few years. In fact, I hold that there was a fatal flaw in its DNA that led to this moment. Before revealing this, let me first illustrate why CCU was an amazing place.
I find it ironic that this news was released just days after the passing of Ron Henderson, a beloved CCU faculty member. I cared very deeply for this man. He was not only a good professor but a wonderful minister. He loved his students. He was generous to my wife and me. He and his wife, Gerri, would host students in their house and would often take them out to lunch. Perhaps he’s best known for memorizing the name of every student in the incoming freshman class. His dedication to his alma mater didn’t end in retirement—when I oversaw the advancement department, the Hendersons would come in once a week to volunteer their time archiving library records.
Ron Henderson’s passing reminds me how blessed I was to study under individuals like him who completely immersed themselves in this ministry. They served not for wealth, nor for acclaim, but in submission to the calling from their Lord. There are so many other women and men like Ron who gave their lives in service to CCU. Without doubt, they were there to give of their best to the Master.
If the school had been able to harness this spirit of sacrifice in every aspect of its existence, this day would never have come. But there was something that countered this goodness.
CCU’s history was filled with not only giving but with taking.
As one of the most influential forces in the Restoration Movement, the institution held a power that could be harnessed for the good of the kingdom. There were countless servants like Ron Henderson who funneled that power back into the lives of students—hopeful that the next generation would go on to change the world for Christ. This was CCU at its best: when humble servants gave endlessly.
But there were always individuals seeking to take this power and use it for their own gain. They believed that the accolades they accumulated were the result of their own intelligence, when it was actually the collective brilliance of the community. They repurposed CCU’s influence to promote their own agendas, to build personal kingdoms, and to assert that they were right.
This “need to be right” was the flaw in our DNA which would always be our demise. It wasn’t something that magically appeared during these final years; it was there all along. We used biblical influence to win arguments and take personal ground when we should have kept giving it away.
I developed this give/take theory in the years since I left my job at CCU. Doing so forced me to reflect on my own actions. Where did I land in this give/take dichotomy? I hope that I gave far more than I took. I want to make a list of accomplishments validating this, but does it matter? Maybe I was a serial taker and not a giver. Maybe it’s all my fault. But I hope not.
At the very least, my goal was to be like Ron Henderson.
I’m not sure what the future holds now that CCU will be no more. But if it meant something to you—if it strengthened your faith, forged your family, or changed your life’s trajectory—I urge you to be a giver. The kingdom of God is a reflection of the selflessness of our Savior. Anyone can take, but to give of yourself is truly how we walk in the way of Christ.
Weep with me, and when the sadness subsides, don’t let anger win. Instead determine where and how the Lord is moving so that you can take part in the next movement to be birthed. You will be called to give. Will you answer the call?
There’s more to come. It will just have a different name.
Institutions come and go, but the kingdom of God will last forever.