Treating Jerusalem As Uttermost: The Teaching of Indigenous Cultural Values in Bible Colleges

The following case study will offer specific insights from research done among Bible colleges located in the Appalachian area, but the greater good desired is that the faculty, staff and students of all biblical higher education institutions would consider the examples cited here as an admonition to rethink ministry training. The purpose of this work is to provide just one example of the need to employ the tools and techniques of cultural analysis at home as well as abroad. Even when graduates minister in near proximity to the college, the methods and principles of analyzing and addressing local cultural values must be employed. The research presented here will show that Appalachian Bible colleges are missing that point. The driving force behind this work is the strong probability that other Bible colleges are missing it as well.