Mission and Vision
A community of faith
We are Christian in the broad, historically orthodox sense—described by C.S. Lewis as “mere Christianity”—based in the Bible and summarized in the Apostle’s Creed. We do not advance any particular political or cultural agenda; rather, we seek to exercise a faithful and thoughtful Christian presence in U.S. public higher education.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission: To enrich the University of Michigan by providing a place of authentic community that connects Christian faith and academic life.
Vision: Cultivating Christian thinking that transforms lives, equips tomorrow’s leaders, and impacts the University of Michigan and the world.
Core Values:
Pray first
Think Christianly
Work collaboratively
Practice hospitality
The Christian Study Center Movement
A Christian Study Center is a new form of Christian academic community, embedded in a flagship university, drawing energy from and in turn invigorating that university. In recent decades, Christian Study Centers have emerged at many top universities in America. They sponsor a variety of activities such as social gatherings, academic courses, faculty forums, scholarly projects, internships, mentorships, and public lectures. At its heart, however, a Christian Study Center is not a set of programs but rather a physical space near the heart of a university campus where relationships can flourish among those who take the life of faith and the life of the mind seriously.
Specifically, a Christian Study Center is:
A Christian academic community dedicated to integrating faith, learning, and living
A gathering place for meaningful conversations about the big questions of life
A uniter of other campus ministries in their work at the university
A friend and partner of the university in achieving its high calling
The University of Michigan Christian Study Center is a member of the Consortium of Christian Study Centers. More information on the Consortium and the study center movement can be found here.
Our Strategic Vision
Early in our founding, our Executive Director, Rick Ostrander, and board member, Josh Welch, detailed the need for and strategic vision of the Michigan Christian Study Center.