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IMPACT 360 plans biblical studies, inspirational speakers for inaugural year
Apologetics. Ethics. Critical thinking. Philosophy. And in the middle of it all, the source of truth: Jesus Christ.
IMPACT 360, the nine-month gap-year adventure developed by Lifeshape for students ages 18-20, is gearing up for its inaugural year with a curriculum based on biblical studies and a speaker lineup that promises to be influential and inspirational to the program’s first group of students.
The fall curriculum will include studies that are essential for a solid biblical worldview, including biblical studies, systems of Bible study, introduction to Christian theology and church history, Christian apologetics, principles of critical thinking and the important role that philosophy plays in building a biblical worldview, says John Basie, IMPACT 360’s Academic Team Leader and Associate Director for Academics. The Spring curriculum will include a four-part series in ethics, involving studies on sanctity of life issues, sexual ethics, Christianity and the public square and cultural transformation. Students also will cover issues in faith and science, since they will encounter similar issues in their university studies.
“Also essential to the curriculum will be a focus – for the entire 9 months – on spiritual formation, community-building and assisting students in gaining a biblical understanding of God’s call on their lives,” Basie says.
As part of the IMPACT 360 curriculum, students will take the entire month of January 2007 to serve on a mission trip to an eastern European country.
“In all of the coursework, we will be asking the students to give us their very best in terms of critical thinking and communicating, both in written and verbal form,” Basie says. “Living in the world of ideas requires clear thinking and communicating, and we intend to train our students to be leaders with respect to those abilities.
“This is an academically rigorous program, and it will stretch the students in ways that will make their transition to their respective colleges and universities much easier.”
Throughout the coursework, Christian leaders such as Avery Willis, David Noebel, Norman Geisler, Charles Thaxton, David Dockery and David Gushee will compel IMPACT 360 participants forward to a life of success in Christ with their words of wisdom and guidance.
“We already have feedback from our applicants that they are excited to see a program that can help them prepare for their university studies – and for life – in a way that helps them to hold more firmly to their faith as disciples of Jesus Christ and can help them to understand how he is sovereign over all spheres of life,” Basie says.
“Jesus Christ is sovereign over all, including our study of the universe that He created. That means that our faith has bearing on the study of science, history, literature and ethics. That understanding will help them in sharing their faith with others in the university context more effectively.”
Basie personally is most excited to see what God plans to do with the first class of IMPACT 360 students.
“We on staff at IMPACT 360 believe that God has given a bold and exciting vision to prepare young believers for His calling in their lives, and we believe the students will catch that vision with enthusiasm,” he says.
IMPACT 360 is designed to be an interactive and experiential living/learning community focused on Biblical Christian Worldview, vocational understanding, spiritual and life formation, and a month-long international experience. The goal of IMPACT 360 is to revolutionize leaders of the emerging generation to prepare them for the lives they were created to live.
“Spiritual formation and discipleship will be an integral part of the curriculum and co-curriculum,” Basie says. “The student-life staff will be focusing on helping the students to gain a biblical understanding of community, and the spiritual disciplines will be essential to this goal.”
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