A Kingdom University

A Kingdom University:

• Is Jesus-centered, built on the Restoration heritage of Christian unity and scriptural authority, welcoming all who call on the Father through Jesus. Its core identity and mission revolve around being distinctly and unapologetically Christian.
• Cultivates a Kingdom Culture that imitates the life of Jesus, characterized by humility, trust, respect, kindness, and joy. This culture actively works for the good and welfare of others and goes above and beyond to show Christ's love.
• Provides a whole-person education that seamlessly integrates faith into every academic discipline and aspect of campus life. Graduates are prepared spiritually, academically, and socially to make a positive difference in the world as ambassadors of the Kingdom.
• Has a vision that is intentionally applied across all university operations, including academics, athletics, finances, enrollment, infrastructure, and student life, ensuring decisions are Jesus-centered and people and financial sustainability are highly valued.

Restoration Roots and Stone-Campbell

The Stone-Campbell movement, which deeply roots Oklahoma Christian University's identity, began with two foundational principles: the unity of believers and the authority of scripture. This 19th-century effort aimed to restore the Christian church to its original New Testament form, prioritizing unity and biblical authority above all else. Its proponents, including Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, and Walter Scott, sought to bridge denominational divides by focusing on core Christian teachings and emphasizing unity over divisive doctrinal debates. Their motto, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the scriptures are silent, we are silent," underscored their belief in the sufficiency of Scripture as the ultimate guide for Christian life and worship. Though both triumphs and challenges have marked the movement’s path over the past two centuries, the foundational principles of the unity of believers and the authority of scripture reflect the movement’s best instincts and lie at the heart of a Kingdom University.

The Kingdom University vision at OC is in alignment with this Restoration history. The Kingdom University vision extends and embodies the Stone-Campbell movement's core principle of unity by intentionally welcoming many different Christian backgrounds, focusing on shared fundamental beliefs in Jesus, and actively fostering relationships with various denominations, all while remaining steadfastly rooted in its Restoration heritage.

• Welcoming All Believers: A Kingdom University honors the Restoration heritage of Christian unity and the authority of scripture by declaring that all who call on the Father through Jesus are welcome. This reflects the Stone-Campbell movement's priority of unity, ensuring that believers would not be divided over less significant matters.
• Broadening Our Reach: OC recognizes that salvation is God’s gift and is not limited to one tradition or group. This perspective aligns with the movement's goal of transcending narrow denominational boundaries.
• Expanding Outreach: OC is committed to building relationships with and actively recruiting from many different Christian faith groups and communities. This proactive engagement demonstrates a practical application of the unity principle, reaching out across various Christian expressions.
• Focus on Unifying Truths: As a Kingdom University, OC aims to create a community where Jesus reigns supreme, emphasizing fundamental truths that unite believers across denominations while removing extraneous traditions and creeds. The desire is simply to be Jesus-centered, believing that closeness to Jesus leads to closer unity with all believers, embodying the spirit of the Restoration Movement. Barton Stone is known for saying that we are to “let Christian unity be our polar star.”
• Cultivating an Inviting Christian Culture: OC actively builds a distinctly Christian culture that is steeped in humility, trust, kindness, respect, and joy. This intentional cultivation of a "Kingdom culture" is a primary focus for the university, where Christian values are evident in daily life.
• Expanding Reach: The Kingdom University vision allows OC to "reach and stretch our borders farther than ever before," indicating an expansive approach consistent with the unity aspirations of its heritage.

In essence, the Kingdom University vision extends and embodies the Stone-Campbell movement's core principle of unity by intentionally welcoming diverse Christian backgrounds, focusing on shared fundamental beliefs in Jesus, and actively fostering relationships with various denominations, all while remaining steadfastly rooted in its Restoration heritage.

Biblical Foundations

Our roots come from the Restoration Movement as outlined above, but they go further back into the writings of the New Testament and the teaching of the early church fathers. Many of these go back into the Hebrew Bible too.

• Unity: OC focuses on the fundamental truths uniting believers across denominations. The following are some direct references to unity in the New Testament.
  • 1 Corinthians 1:10: "I urge you, brothers and sisters... to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose."
  • Ephesians 4:1-6: Urges believers to "live worthy of the calling" with "humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It specifies "one body and one Spirit... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all."
  • In John 10:14-16, Jesus speaks of "one flock and one shepherd," indicating a unified body of believers.
  • Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Again, the New Testament demonstrates the inclusive nature of unity.
  • And of course, Jesus pleads in prayer for us to remain one three times in John 17 in 11, 20, and 22, “... they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you.”
• Minimizing Disputes: In line with fostering unity, the Kingdom University vision also encourages minimizing disputes, especially over matters of "less significance." This reflects a commitment to focusing on core Christian truths rather than contentious theological differences:
  • Romans 14:1b: “…and do not have disputes over differing opinions.”
  • 2 Timothy 2:23-26: "But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting. And the Lord’s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness".
• Hospitality: The Kingdom University vision emphasizes creating an environment that is comfortable and inviting for all who call on the Father through Jesus. This aligns with biblical calls to hospitality, aiming to make all who choose to join OC a part of a Jesus-centered educational experience:
  • Romans 12:13b: "pursue hospitality."
  • Hebrews 13:1-3: "Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it."
  • 1 Peter 4:9: "Show hospitality to one another without complaining."
  • Revelation 3:20: Jesus's invitation, "Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me."
• Direct Kingdom References: The term "Kingdom University" itself is derived from biblical concepts of the Kingdom of God and the body of Christ. OC defines the Kingdom as the body of people who claim Jesus as King. As a Kingdom University, they proclaim Jesus as King, and view themselves as a small part - a subset - of his broad, vast, and diverse Kingdom.
  • Colossians 1:13-14 states that we are "delivered from the power of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins".
  • Romans 14:17: "For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
• The Kingdom University vision permeates all aspects of OC including its culture, academics, enrollment, finances, athletics, infrastructure, and student/spiritual life. This vision involves cultivating a Kingdom Culture that resembles the life of Jesus—one of humility, trust, respect, kindness, and joy. The aim is to infuse every aspect of campus life with the spirit of Christ, preparing students to be "ambassadors of the Kingdom" who make a positive difference in the world. This means equipping graduates to apply biblical principles and a Christian worldview in their chosen fields.

A Kingdom University is our aspiration, our direction, our goal. We will stumble and make mistakes, but we are striving towards this ideal, and by pursuing it, we believe God will do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.