Our culture is becoming more and more indifferent to biblical standards and values. An increasing proportion of education is in the public sector where a biblical, theistic philosophy of education is not possible.

Evangelical Christian higher education provides an option for those who desire a God-centered education and furnishes the Christian community with biblical perspectives on contemporary issues and dedicated leadership for the cause of Christ.

A new financial depression in higher education threatens the educational – quality and, possibly, the existence of evangelical Christian colleges. The rising cost of quality education has required tuition increases in evangelical Christian colleges which prohibit many youth from attending the college of their choice. The proposed program for national student aid legislation seems to discriminate against middle-income students who make up the majority of the enrollment in evangelical Christian colleges.

The movement toward public policies in higher education at both the federal and state levels could blur the distinction between public and private higher education, thereby forcing the evangelical Christian college to diffuse its identity or abdicate its role in American higher education.

Evangelical Christian higher education has not always been clearly recognized as a priority in the mission of the church. Neither have evangelical Christian colleges always maintained strong and sensitive ties with their constituencies.

THEREFORE the National Association of Evangelicals urges its constituency to respond immediately to the financial and student needs of evangelical Christian colleges. We also call on the evangelical colleges of America to maintain strong and sensitive ties with their constituencies as representatives of the mission of the church in higher education.

We affirm to the leadership of evangelical Christian colleges our full support of their ministry during this time of testing.

The National Association of Evangelicals expresses its concern for the maintenance of the identity of the Christian College as a viable option in American Higher Education. We urge the President of the United States and other national and state leaders to consider this concern whenever public policies in such areas as tax exemption, religious requirements and church influence or control are considered.

Further we request the Commission on Christian Higher Education to formulate plans for a CONGRESS ON CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION at the earliest possible time to reinforce the strategic role of the evangelical Christian college in the mission of the church, to guarantee its continued existence, and to ensure its integrity.