Here is the answer for those who would be truly educated! It is the enthralling story of a unique university blazing new trails―recapturing true values―from the Chancellor and the President of Living University!
While the world is hurling itself into a “civilized” form of nuclear suicide, Living University stands out as an oasis in a desert of human misery and confusion.
It especially represents an amazing and wonderful opportunity for young men and women of college age! If you want to be a part of a growing learning community where our collective quest is to recapture permanent values in an ever-changing world, and apply them in laying the foundation for a better life, then we encourage you to become part of Living University.
The University seeks those who aspire to make a difference in tomorrow’s world and who are willing to commit to that effort today. The University’s motto of “Recapture True Values” demonstrates its dedication to its core values of leadership, service, commitment, integrity, excellence, culture and creativity.
When we take an objective look at this world, its “civilization” and its education, we can more intelligently appreciate the great need for such a motto and its attainment.
Misdirected Education
Over the last century, the colleges and universities of the Western world have become incredibly secular. With few exceptions, they have not retained God in their knowledge. Their focus is on expanding students’ knowledge of the material world through application of the scientific method, and on preparing them to live and work in the pluralism of a global society. Teachers in these institutions infuse young men and women with in-depth secular understanding, goals and ideals. Students in these institutions may learn how to earn a living and to navigate the political realities of the world, but do not learn how to live in a godly sense.
This brings us to the root cause of crime, violence and confusion among so many young people today. It is misdirected education.
As the Apostle Paul said, the intellectuals of the ancient world “did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” Neither do their counterparts today. They are quite intent on learning how to make a living, or how to build weapons to destroy human life, or, at best, how to green the planet, save trees and animals, and stop global warming. They are far too busy with these “important” matters to take time to learn: (1) how the earth and all life came into being, (2) what mankind is, (3) the great purpose of human existence, (4) the immutable laws of life which—if understood and obeyed—produce health, happiness and continuing peace with other people, and (5) the spiritual truths which bring people into an intimate relationship with the Creator and open the way to eternal life as children of the Almighty God.
To the world, these are “inconsequential!” They are not worthy of the “educated” man’s attention and study! Or are they?
What do you think?
The Western world’s formal system of education has completely missed the mark! It has rejected the very beginning —the starting point of all true knowledge. It is built on a foundation of sand—the God-denying synthetic theory of biological evolution. Both it and its product, our “civilization,” are coming apart at the seams. They are on their way down and out, even though most of the world is not yet awake to this fact.
But there is one institution of higher learning that is awake to the evils underlying this world’s approach. This is Living University. And the spirit and vision of its educational policy is unique.
How the University Began
Living University is a coeducational institution committed to the development of the whole person by educating men and women in the skills, concepts and values that lead to success in life, while helping them prepare for leadership and worthwhile service to God and humanity.
The University seeks to provide an educational setting that furthers personality and character development by directing all aspects of student life toward a student’s intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and emotional development. Believing that the most effective development of character, personality, poise and true culture is achieved by social contact of both sexes, Living University is co-educational.
The Living Church of God founded Living University on February 27, 2007, in response to the church’s growing need for university-educated personnel and to further edify its membership and their families all around the world. From the beginning, it has operated with a competent faculty and has maintained a very high ratio of instructors per student. Over the course of the last five years, Living University has provided educational opportunities through online coursework to more than 400 students worldwide.
During this time, about 20 students have also had the opportunity to study and experience a wealth of other opportunities, while studying online and working at the Church’s regional office in Clarendon, South Australia, or on-site here in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Realizing the dangerous drift toward materialism and collectivism in higher education, the University’s Board of Regents, administration and faculty determined that Living University would be uniquely different. From the beginning, we have encouraged students to deepen and sharpen their critical thinking skills by thinking deeply on any and every subject while looking for real facts and truth.
At LU we continually challenge students, whether on-site or online, to prove to themselves the existence of God and the inspiration of the Bible as His direct revelation to mankind. And without being hindered by human traditions, LU students are able to learn previously hidden truths on many subjects.
Our College Atmosphere
Perhaps the most important educational advantage at Living University is that students are taught the real purpose of human life. This enables them to properly orient themselves in any other subject they may ever study—and to properly evaluate its true merits as related to the great purpose being worked out here below. LU students gain amazing insight as our faculty members encourage a vigorous intellectual curiosity in all our students.
At LU students gain many advantages, whether on-site or online, as our student enrollment is relatively small and our student/faculty ratio low. This permits a personalized type of instruction, which is almost non-existent in the typical university or college.
This atmosphere of learning to live, this spirit of true intellectual freedom unshackled from tradition—these things distinguish Living University from all others. Living University has a dedicated faculty of professors and instructors with strong academic credentials and advanced degrees, including senior evangelists who have committed to the LU program and seek to inspire in the students the desire to recapture true values and to obtain a broad and well-rounded education.
Location and Facilities
Living University’s location in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina, is a most desirable one. Charlotte is one of the capitals of the New South. From here, the University is within one day’s drive of 55 percent of the U.S. population. On-site students will find recreational areas lie in every direction. By automobile, Charlotte is just a few hours from the beach to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west.
Charlotte is the largest city within the nation’s sixth-largest urban region, offering convenient access to major national and international markets, and is the center of the nation’s fourth largest manufacturing region. Because it services a regional population of more than 7.1 million within a 100-mile radius, Charlotte has emerged as a financial, manufacturing, distribution, transportation and cultural hub of the southeast.
Charlotte is known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit, and it is home to some of the largest corporations in North America. It is the second-largest banking center in the nation, with over $940 billion in financial assets and serves as headquarters for Bank of America. Eight Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Mecklenburg County. This ranks Charlotte eighth nationally in number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered within the county. Of the top 20 industrialized states, North Carolina ranks as the fourth most productive.
The U.S.A. National Whitewater Center, the official U.S. Olympic Training Site and the training center for the U.S.A. Canoe and Kayak teams, is 10 minutes west of the city. Charlotte is home of the new zMAX Dragway and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Professional sports in Charlotte include NFL Football (the Carolina Panthers), NBA Basketball (the Charlotte Bobcats), minor league baseball (the Charlotte Knights), WNBA Basketball (the Charlotte Sting) and Stock Car Racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg cultural community is alive and thriving with arts, science and history. Cultural resources include the Afro-American Cultural Center, Billy Graham Library, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Charlotte Museum of History and Hezekiah Alexander Homesite, Charlotte Trolley Museum, Historic Latta Plantation, Historic Rosedale Plantation, Levine Museum of the New South, Mint Museum of Art and Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation.
A Priceless Opportunity
The chance to study on-site at Living University should take on new meaning to any young person of college age. When you understand it, the opportunity is simply priceless!
Here you will study and learn those things that really count in life. In no other place on earth can you so fully learn the real purpose of life—and with God’s guidance develop your whole being to fulfill that purpose. You will learn how to really live the full, vigorous, productive, and abundant life that God intended.
The realization of Living University’s goals and standards fills its on-site students with zeal, with drive, with purpose! This makes their assignments more than just assigned study, their work more than just a means to room and board, their recreation more than just a passing good time. All these activities take on new meaning and purpose. They become vital steps toward the development of the whole personality—the whole being—as a sharp and effective instrument in the hands of Almighty God the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.
This realization, this goal, this great purpose makes Living University truly different. It is God’s own university—and there is no other like it!
A Challenge
Here is a challenge to any young person.
If you have successfully completed high school or plan to do so in the near future, if you appreciate the opportunity to acquire a college education and to achieve it the sound way, and if you are not afraid of “bucking the crowd”—of blazing new trails—then by all means write immediately for the Living University catalog, go online to the university website at www.livinguniv.com and receive full particulars about entering the university this fall, or as soon as you are able.
If you take up our challenge to become an on-site student at LU there are several things you need to understand about life at the University. First of all, an underlying spiritual purpose permeates every activity. Every student who comes should have a genuine desire to find spiritual truth and to live it—and is encouraged to study with an open mind to find God’s will and then to obey it.
Secondly, Living University maintains high scholastic standards, and any prospective on-site student should be fully prepared to do college-level work before he or she enrolls. Sadly, we have found that some incoming students have not had adequate preparation in English, spelling, history, geography and other basic subjects to prepare for high-level college and university work. Such students would do well to take developmental courses and drill themselves on these subjects before trying to enroll,whether for on-site or online study.
And any of you younger high school students who read this should take heed in time and really apply yourselves in mastering these subjects if you plan to attend LU someday. Put forth real effort in preparing yourself to attend. It will be worth it!
It Requires Effort
A third factor every prospective student should consider is his financial situation. Before entering, you should try to save at least a few hundred dollars, if at all possible, to aid in paying your college bills. Nearly every on-site student works his or her own way through Living University—at least in part. And, in most cases, students should be able to find part-time employment right here at Headquarters. Yet there is no certainty that all the students may be employed by the University in its student work program, so a number may have to find work off-site.
If you are employed in the University student work program—and this principle also applies to your studies—you will be expected to work and work diligently. So be prepared to put your whole heart into whatever you plan to do here.
You may have academic, financial, or even family problems in coming to Living University. If so, you may need to “take the bull by the horns” and overcome opposition of every kind to attend Living University, because it truly is different.
But if you have the kind of determination we want to see in Living University students, you will find a way to come! And you will always be glad you did, for Living University will not only fit you to a happy, useful life with real purpose now—perhaps including an opportunity to serve in the most important Work on earth, but it will prepare you as no other college or university can for a joyful, abundant and eternal life in tomorrow’s world.
And you who are of college age and realize the meaning of this Work and of the times in which you are living, think carefully and pray earnestly as to whether you should attend Living University.
All of you in the United States who wish to see the college catalog, with full particulars about the University and enrollment, go online to the university website at www.livinguniv.com or write immediately to Admissions Office, 2301 Crown Centre Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina 28227-7705. You may speak to an admissions counselor at (704) 708-2294.
Attending Living University, whether as an on-site or an online student, will require extra effort on your part. But good things do not come easily. Truly, this may be your opportunity of a lifetime.