Southwest Baptist University

Plan for the Integration of Discipline
with Faith and a Biblical Worldview

Faculty in the College are committed to the University mission statement and to the College mission statement which explicitly direct instruction of the College disciplines from the context of a biblical worldview. With a College-wide approach toward the integration of Christian themes, opportunities are increased for teaching character traits consistent with a biblical basis. By hearing, seeing and experiencing these themes during their courses of study at SBU, students will leave with a unified sense of Christ-centered ethics that were reinforced in their business classes.

University Mission Statement

Southwest Baptist University is a Christ-centered, caring academic community preparing students to be servant leaders in a global society.

College of Business and Computer Science Mission Statement

The College seeks to provide educational programs in business, computer science and professional fields that integrate current theories, concepts, and experiential applications with a Christian worldview.

Faith and Biblical Worldview Integration Plan

In addition to providing a strong and rigorous curriculum in each of our specialties, our duty as Christian scholars is to help frame both our discipline and the practice of that discipline within a biblical—and more specifically, a Christian—context. This commitment to integrate our discipline with Christian faith and practice begins with faculty prayer for our students and each other.

Faculty share their testimonies with advisees and with classes in an appropriate and balanced manner. In an effort to encourage dialogue and in hopes of ingraining Christian perspectives in business and computer science students, the College has adopted Psalm 15 as a guiding principle for our students. The College is specifically dedicated to producing “Psalm 15 Professionals” for servant leadership roles in business and computer science.

Psalm 15

The Character of Those Who May Dwell with the LORD
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Semester Themes

Using Psalm 15 as a basis, eight character traits that should be hallmarks of students and graduates of the College have been identified. These character traits are highlighted each semester. During a typical eight-semester college experience, students will be exposed to all eight of the themes. By including all eight on syllabi, brochures and on “posters” throughout the building, even transfer students will be exposed to all of them, though they may only experience the semester focus on four of the themes. It is of particular importance that College faculty model these character traits to our students. The eight themes adopted by the College include:

At the beginning of each semester, students enrolled in each of our College courses are reminded of the emphasis on Psalm 15 and on the eight character traits. On each syllabus, a banner across the bottom of the first or last page highlights the theme for that semester. The specific theme for the semester is also emphasized by hanging a framed “banner” of that theme in the lobby. Faculty will incorporate the theme for each semester into appropriate classroom discussions that provide teachable moments, and student organizations sponsored by the College are encouraged incorporate the themes into their club projects and activities.

This plan seeks to accomplish an open dialogue with our students relative to their own worldview, and to present them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. By exposing them to characteristics that should exemplify professionals who hold to a Christian worldview, the College better prepares our students for life, leadership and service.

Psalm 15 Lecture

Another important part of the plan involves mandatory Psalm 15 Lectures which are held once each semester. Every semester, a guest lecturer is invited to come and address students enrolled in business and computer science classes. The lecturer speaks on the specific theme for that semester and relates personal experiences which highlight integrity and a Christian worldview for business leaders. Students who are unable to attend the lecture must watch the video and prepare a written paper summarizing the lessons. Faculty will often incorporate the lecture into succeeding class periods.

Examples of individuals who have been Psalm 15 Lecturers include:

Psalm 15 Awards
To highlight the College’s efforts and the Psalm 15 plan, and to encourage faculty and students to strive for the ideals in the program, the College established the Psalm 15 Awards. Each year, one faculty member is selected by the students for the Psalm 15 Faculty Award. The College faculty, likewise select an outstanding male and outstanding female student to receive the Psalm 15 Student Award. Recipients are chosen based on their modeling of the eight characteristics of a Psalm 15 graduate.

Reading Across the Curriculum

In addition to standard textbooks, the College requires a prescribed set of supplemental texts as part of the curriculum. The “reading across the curriculum” approach focuses professionals on faith, ethics, principles and expectations of a Christian. Texts are incorporated into foundational or core College curriculum requirements. Graduates should be familiar with the principles set forth in these books and be able to relate the texts to their discipline and understand their premises in the larger context of their own professional and personal development. The following books are required reading for graduates of the College of Business and Computer Science.

Undergraduate
Title Class Requirement
*Opportunity: Introducing Free Enterprise and Business—A Faith-Based Novel Text, Whitlock BUS 1013 Introduction to Business
Mere Christianity, Lewis
 BUS 2013 Business Communications
Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics
Business by the Book, Burkett MGT 3013 Principles of Management
3:16, Knuth CIS 3303 Systems Management
The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer BUS 3073 Legal Environment of Business
Augustine’s Confessions, Augustine LDR 4043 Ethics and Professional Development
Jesus on Leadership: Discovering the secrets of Servant Leadership from the Life of Christ, Wilkes LDR 2023 Introduction to Leadership
Business Through the Eyes of Faith
Chewning, Eby, Roels 		MGT 4083 Management Strategy & Policy

MBA Reading Requirements
Title Class Requirement
*How Now Should We Live, Colson
 BUS 5773/HAD5553 Biblical Ethics in Business
Biblical Ethics in Health Administration
The Way of the Shepherd, Leman, Pentak MGT 5043 Organizational Behavior and Servant Leadership

*Primary text