Christian Universities Rooted in Churches of Christ Face Enrollment Crossroads

Faith Facts

• Thirteen universities maintain historic ties to Churches of Christ, reflecting deep Restoration Movement roots that emphasize Scripture and congregational autonomy.
• First-time freshmen identifying with Churches of Christ have declined 64 percent since 2000, prompting concern among university leaders about preserving the faith identity of these institutions.
• Presidents of these universities continue to gather annually to uphold the mission of helping students become disciples of Christ while navigating doctrinal and cultural differences.

Thirteen universities across the nation maintain historic connections to Churches of Christ. From Florida College in Temple Terrace, Florida, to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, these institutions share deep roots in the Restoration Movement.

Yet their identities and missions differ in important ways. Each reflects the diversity of autonomous congregations that founded and continue to support them.

“Generally, that association means that you’re part of an education community that was started to be part of Churches of Christ,” said Lipscomb University President Candice McQueen.

That founding vision dates back to the 19th century. Restoration Movement ministers David Lipscomb and James A. Harding established Lipscomb University in Nashville in 1891. Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, traces its origins to 1869. Abilene Christian University began in Texas in 1906, and Harding University opened in Searcy, Arkansas, in 1924.

Geography and culture shape each campus. Pepperdine University overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Cotton fields surround Lubbock Christian University in Texas. Enrollments range from a few hundred students to several thousand.

But a shared challenge now confronts all these institutions. The combined total of first-time freshmen fell from 6,643 in 2000 to 5,801 in 2025, a 13 percent decline. Among students identifying as members of Churches of Christ, the drop is even steeper, from 4,411 in 2000 to 1,576 in 2025, a 64 percent decrease.

“That’s a cliff,” Harding President Mike Williams said of the trend. “And if we don’t think that has deep implications for our tribe, we’re kidding ourselves.”

University leaders emphasize that historic ties to the Restoration Movement remain the common foundation. That movement, led by Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell in the early 1800s, called believers to be “Christians only, but not the only Christians.”

“What it means to be a Church of Christ university will vary among institutions,” Pepperdine President Jim Gash said. “But having an allegiance to foundational principles of Churches of Christ — what I would categorize as including allegiance to Scripture, congregational autonomy, the Bible as the sole authoritative document, a low church, no requirement of certification or ordination — those are some of the specific attributes.”

Abilene Christian President Phil Schubert echoed the same commitment. “All of us share some of those long-held, theological, denominational commonalities — whether you want to cite the old school ‘priesthood of all believers’ or the Bible as our only creed or baptism by immersion.”

Scott McDowell, president of Lubbock Christian University, described the best of these schools as Christ-centered places of discipleship. “The best of Churches of Christ is a unity movement: ‘Let’s just be Christians, and let’s follow Scripture, be disciples of Jesus Christ.'”

While most of these universities were founded by ministers, their purpose was never limited to preacher training. As Lipscomb’s McQueen explained, the vision was to prepare students for every career while grounding them in Scripture and the faith community that established the schools.

Today, these universities welcome students from many faith backgrounds. Oklahoma Christian University, for example, is about 40 percent Church of Christ, with the rest coming from diverse traditions. Leaders see this diversity as both a challenge and an opportunity to focus on the essentials of faith.

“At the highest level there is God. Second, there is Jesus Christ, his son. Third, there is everything else,” McDowell said, quoting Gerald Turner, a longtime university president and alumnus of Lubbock Christian and Abilene Christian.

Presidents from across these institutions meet annually to pray, encourage one another, and discuss the mission they share. Faulkner University President Mitch Henry described his colleagues as “wonderful, good salt-of-the-earth faculty and staff that care about Christ and Christianity.”

Despite differences in resources, worship practices, and campus culture, the presidents remain united in their commitment to help students form their identity in Jesus Christ. As Abilene Christian’s Schubert put it, “We will forever be working hard and diligently, regardless of students’ religious traditions, to help them form their full identity in Jesus and become a better follower of him.”

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