Mission - Shorter University

Motto/Vision: Transforming Lives Through Christ

Mission Statement: Advancing God’s Kingdom through a commitment to academic excellence, spiritual growth, Christian leadership, and global service within the context of a biblical worldview.

Core Values:

Christ-Centered: Jesus Christ should not only be the foundation of our faith (1 Corinthians 3:11), but the very heart of our existence both as an institution and as individuals (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21). Our desire is to build a thriving academic community where all can gain a greater appreciation of God’s grace, a more profound understanding of His principles and priorities, and a clearer vision of our place and purpose in the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 1:18-23;1 Peter 2:9). Apart from Christ we have “no hope” either in this world or the world to come (Ephesians 2:12); however, it is Christ in us which is the “hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). It can only be Christ in us that enables us to prepare the next generation to become agents of reconciliation in a world that so desperately needs Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-19).

Excellence-Focused: Believing that we have a higher calling as Christians, it is our responsibility and privilege to reflect the image of our Lord who is excellent in all his ways (Psalm 150:2). Our commitment to excellence in all facets of life should be carried forth with a grateful spirit, a humble heart, and with an aim to glorify God. Excellence is more than occasional achievements; it is an ongoing process and a way of life. Moreover, excellence must be coupled with integrity if it is to accomplish God’s purposes in the life of an individual (Psalm 15:1-2; Proverbs 11:3). Any less than our absolute best in any and every endeavor is an affront to our Creator and an impediment to Kingdom growth. Therefore, with a clear understanding that we are designed for excellence (Matthew 5:48; 25:21), we “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13). [Philippians 1:9-10; Colossians 3:17, 23; Romans 12:2]

Biblically-Based: Our ultimate source of authority is the Holy Bible, the written Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Since all truth emanates from God, we should indeed “examine everything carefully” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and measure all philosophies and perspectives (Colossians 2:8) from a biblical worldview. While truth in varying forms and degrees can be found in every academic discipline and every culture, all information and knowledge must be analyzed in the
light of the Truth (Jesus Christ- John 14:6) and His Word. Hence, we can fulfill the biblical mandate to make our “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Service-Oriented: Because Christ valued individuals and exemplified servant-leadership (Matthew 20:25-28), it is imperative that we should strive to serve others with compassion (Galatians 5:13-14), treat them with dignity (Romans 12:3, 11) and encourage them to reach their full potential (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Our willingness to serve people with a sacrificial spirit should nurture within them a sense of self-worth, inspire them to succeed, and most importantly, help them to discover God’s plan for their individual lives.

Strategic Themes: Shorter University’s Strategic Plan is built upon our Core Values and guided by our Mission for the definitive purpose of seeing our Motto (Transforming Lives Through Christ) become a reality. To that end, we have developed a Strategic Plan composed with the following Strategic Themes:

(1) Faith Integration;
(2) Student Achievement;
(3) Faculty/Staff Development;
(4) Distance and Adult Education;
(5) Institutional Identity;
(6) Responsible Steward