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Dr. Del Tackett is the author, architect and teacher for Focus on the Family's The Truth Project, a nationwide initiative designed to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.
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Preparing for the College Battleground—Impact 360’s Gap-Year Program
Posted on April 4, 2008
Filed Under Personal, Worldview |
I am in the airplane—again. It seems I have been on the road more than at home this year (that actually may be true!) But, I’m not complaining because of the wonders that I have seen on the other end of the flight path.
This trip was no different.
I just finished a three-day series of “tours” with a wonderful group of gap-year students. If 
you don’t know what a “gap-year” student is, you are probably typical of most Americans. It is pretty much unheard of here.
So let’s first talk about the “gap”—what is it?
The “gap” is the gulf that exists between high-school and college. It is the wall over which we throw our kids after they get their diploma for completing 12 years of the basics—or they are supposed to have completed the basics. The statistics that assess how well they have mastered basic math, science, geography, reading, composition and just plain how to think, is not too good. I don’t have access to the data on the plane, but I’m sure you have seen the results.
But, it isn’t so much the academic weakness that poses the threat to our college-bound children. In fact, many would say that college academics has dumbed itself down to match the declining input level. The threat to our kids comes from the battle that rages on the campus—a worldview battle.
From the moment a student steps out of their parent’s car and alights onto the hallowed ground of higher education, the battle for their hearts and minds and souls…and bodies begins. And it is a fierce battle.
I recall a dialogue with one of my daughter’s college roommates. She had been harassed and belittled for her Christianity so mercilessly that she finally dropped the class. A recent survey [1] revealed that 53% of university professors openly admit to an “unfavorable” view of evangelical Christian students. That’s a formidable base of hostility. It gets expressed in classroom after classroom with some actively bent upon stripping away the “myths” of biblical thinking and instilling the mantra of secular thought.
But the classroom isn’t the only place where our young student can get derailed. When the parents drive away and Suzy is left standing alone on campus, the natural desire and hunger to fit in will be met with a never ending opportunity to join the party scene…and with it the increasing pressures of sex and alcohol—which flows freely on the college campus.
So, a Christian gap-year program is designed to help prepare a student to not only survive in this battleground—but to thrive.
Impact 360 is a nine-month, total immersion program designed to do just that. The campus is adjacent to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, where a small group of select students are knit into an intimate band of brothers and sisters, preparing for the battle. The academics are rigorous as they work their way through a rack of key textbooks, learning to think critically and biblically. All of this is shaped by an impressive line-up of guest professors: J.P Moreland, Norman Geisler, Os Guinness, Charles Thaxton, David Dockery, etc. I was somehow privileged to be included in that list. My role was to provide a worldview framework for their thinking about God’s design for social order.
Impact 360 is a ministry of Lifeshape, an organization founded by Chick-fil-A®. They are only in their second year, but they are doing it right. I have been privileged to speak to both classes and I have been impressed with what is happening to the students there.
But, it is not all work and no play. On Tuesday night we piled into the vans and headed to the 
park for an ultimate Frisbee tournament. (This is essentially playing football with a Frisbee). Since one student was unable to play, I became a player for the red team. The tournament ended just in time, for the sun had long since disappeared over the horizon and the Frisbee had become a dark shape whistling through the night. Despite the handicap that I represented, the red team won…and yes, my body is sore. I am hearing from muscles that haven’t talked to me in a long time. 
Here is our victory picture. It was my last ounce of energy for the day.
These are great kids. They are bright, energetic, hungry to learn, and represent a huge potential for the Kingdom. They are not unlike the Institute students and come with some baggage. There are divorce issues, parent-child issues, living life issues, but they want to figure it out; they want to find the solutions. They are not willing to just give up or drop out. But they need to be prepared for the battle, or they will become a casualty…or at least the odds will be against them. Surveys reveal that well over fifty percent of our Christian kids who zip into college from high school, will walk away from their faith while they are there and many will make decisions that will scar them for life. And for those who at least resist being driven from their faith, many will be cowered into silence.
These things should not be.
We should desire a whole lot more than this…and I think it is entirely possible to do. I really do believe that we can prepare our Christian kids to not only survive this battle, but thrive and be a transformational force on campus.
That is the purpose of Impact 360 and I am so thankful that it is now in operation. If you think you or your child could benefit from a Christian worldview “gap” year, check out their website for the details. (www.impact360.net)
And for the current students: Morgan, George, Kelsey, Billy, Kurtis, Robin, Colton, Maria, 
Haley, Brad, Timothy, Julie and Jon Jon…who may be reading this blog…I miss you already! It was great to get to know you and it was a privilege to spend some time with you. May the Lord make you all attractively winsome world-changers!
[1] Jewish and Community Research, NY Times, 5/2/07
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20 Responses to “Preparing for the College Battleground—Impact 360’s Gap-Year Program”
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Del,
You’re having way too much fun to be working!
Thanks for the introduction to a program for which there is a dire need all over the country! My daughter is a little more than three years from leaving for college and it terrifies me to think of her being subjected to such an un-Christian environment.
I’ll take a look at the website you referenced and look for their expansion/growth plan and strategy.
Safe travels Del…
In Christ,
Dan…
Del,
Thanks for posting this. I will check it out for my own daughter. She graduated early and is feeling out of sorts, alone and in limbo, waiting for college. It is great to see you back, even though it’s probably short lived!
Dr. Tackett,
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!! It is so very encouraging to hear there are still folks committed to presenting a biblical worldview and students willing to learn a biblical worldview! I did visit the website and was very impressed. I know you were a blessing to the students and I will be praying for the effort.
Thank you so much for the information about this program! As a senior in college, and a first generation Christian in my family, this type of program would have been so beneficial for me. I am forwarding the information on to my brother who is a senior in highschool. This is so needed!
That sounds like an awesome program. I can’t tell you how many of my Youth Group family friends went to college and even into the military and lost their faith. Some have returned to Christ through the years but they all carry the baggage of sin and loss that they could have avoided if they were better prepared. With so many opposing view points out there and the confusion and peer pressure; they just don’t know how to respond and become overwhelmed with doubt. I know of one girl whose science teacher (once he found out she was a Christian) would make her sit in front of the class, facing her peers, while he explained to everyone why believing in intelligent design was ignorant and weak minded with all the scientific evidence out there stating the contrary. She was humiliated to tears. Her only consolation was that one other student in the class cried with her while the teacher berated her. She dropped the class.
As a Sunday School Superintendent I would love to find some sort of teen ‘defending your faith’ Sunday school curriculum.
Del,
Once again I am impressed! I like the idea of a boot camp between High School(HS) and doing real battle in the college environment. I am blessed to have my daughter attend the honors program at Cedarville University. She is exposed to both sides of the battleground but with the goal of learning how to defend her faith. I would love to have my youngest attend an Impact 360. She’s still in HS and even there her Christianity is scoffed at. We’ve gone to battle there on both daughter’s behalf but even the principal who claims to be Christian, nearly laughted in our face when we suggested there may be some discrimination going on. If it were not for our convictions and mentioning ACLJ they would have continued their attack.
Thank you for helping these kids learn to “Put on the full armor of God” With our only weapon being the Sword of the Spirit, it is critical they are properly armed! Keep up the good work and know you are prayed for!
What a great idea! My hope is that this ministry will grow and spread. That children all over the US and into other countries! I will continue to follow The Truth Project and will get involved, maybe at the satellite conference. Thanks for the timely information.
Let me finish and correct my incomplete (and wrongly worded) thought…That older teens all over the US will have a place to learn how to defend the faith and that this ministry and others like it will go into other countries, training and equipping the young people!!!
How fun! I will have to remember about this to tell others about and for future references. What a neat program.
Del
What an amazing work, I am in awe! Loved the Truth Project and will view it many times more.
The wonders you have shown us.
Del,
Thanks for taking the time to visit our campus. Our students want you to come back next week! They benefited tremendously from your module on “God’s Design in the Social Order.” To all who have commented so graciously about IMPACT 360 after reading Del’s post, thank you. We welcome inquiries anytime…come for a campus visit! In additional to the biblical worldview and leadership education, they receive 15 semester hours of credit from Union University (TN), so they get a great head-start in their freshman year in college. Anyone interested can contact me personally at john.basie@impact360.net Also, let me say we will continue to have Del back year after year so long as he is able!
Praying for health, strength and wisdom in all your travels.
That sounds like an awesome idea! Hopefully this will spread to Jacksonville, Florida so I can send my high school graduates there for some intensive study before entering college.
Mike
Thank you for posting this information, Del. This is very much needed and I will be investigating further for my son who is graduating early!!
I love to read your blog- it has uplifted my day many a time and I thank you.
May God’s blessings continue to pour into and through you!!
Thank you for this information. I have 3 young nieces and the thought of sending them out in this world is frightening. I am checking out the website now.
I only wish this program had been around when I was that age!
In response to Hope’s desire for high school Sunday School curriculum, I have heard Chuck Colson recommend “Rewired” for teens and “Anchors Away” for preparing for college. I think both are available at breakpoint.org.
Impact 360 sounds incredible!
We certainly couldn’t have won that frisbee game without you. Thanks for filling in for me! We especially enjoyed your teaching, Dr. Tackett. You will always find a warm welcome at IMPACT 360.
I doubt you’ll post this, which will illustrate your fear of discussing truth.
But, truth is my big deal. if i have
to resort to faith, well, maybe that’s what i’ll have
to do.
but to me, faith is rather meaningless. I
mean, I can have faith in anything at all. I can
believe that humpty dumpty created the world and is
God and that when he fell off the wall, sin entered
the world, and that the purpose of man is to find
humpty dumpty and put him back together…
you get the idea. it’s pretty easy to put a whole
complex theology together about anything if faith is
all that matters.
so, my search is for truth first. of course, truth
can only be ascertained through facts and evidence.
and, actually, it is troubling to me that truth seems
difficult to ascertain with certainty. the facts and
evidence seem scant.
if the amazing story contained in the Bible is true –
why is the evidence so weak? It seems it should be
overwhelming.
Why is there virtually no evidence of the fantastic
miracles described in the bible — outside of the
bible?
if those things are true, the lack of corroborating
evidence is, well…troublesome.
seems much more likely that man (Constantine, later
the catholic church, etc) over centuries developed
Christianity to use for their own purposes. religious
texts were written, modified, some thrown out, some
kept. eventually, a bunch of MEN voted on which of
these manuscripts would be considered the divine word
of God.
I mean, come on, does anyone else see a problem with
this?
Christian’s never like to think or talk about the
elephant in the room. Actually there are many
elephants in the room seems to me.
It does seem logical that God created the world.
Indeed, every religion starts with that premise.
However, they each move in divergent directions after
that — none with much logical support
or so it seems to me.
But, believe me, I would love to find I’m wrong. I
would love to be able to believe everything in the
bible. It’s a nice philosophy. The philosophy is
that we have been given the magic secret to eternal
life. All we have to do is believe it. The vast
majority people who lived in the world in history, who
knew nothing of Jesus, well, too bad. they didn’t get
the secret. they are condemned for eternity. We,
however, will live in heaven for eternity.
quite an attractive theology if you think about it.
and a powerful motivator to get people to do what you
want them to do — i.e. fight and die to conquer
foreign lands; give all they have to build up the
money, power, prestige of the church, etc.
if you simply spend some time (well lots of time)
googling terms like “is the bible true” “is the bible
inerrant” “critique of evidence that
demands a verdict” “bible discrepencies” etc etc
you will read the things i have read. and you will be
troubled. question then is what to do about it?
simply to ignore the problems may be the best answer
by the way. that is if they can’t be answered
logically.
i think the information age has presented new
challenges for theology of all types. until now, no
one person could even have access to a broad enough
body of information to begin to challenge what they
were told by their leaders. (including church
leaders) for centuries, people have just accepted
what they were told and had neither the time nor
ability to evaluate or critique it.
that’s all changed now as the internet has made vast
amounts of information accessible to everyone. more
and more the credible information is rising to the top
(i know you probably are saying “yea right” — and yes
there’s lots of junk on the internet — but there’s
lots of good info too) — and in any event, if the
junk is junk, it should be easy for those with
evidence of the truth to easily present it.
believe me, millions of people are seeking the truth.
They will flock to it if presented. Again, though,
they are not looking to believe something without at
least a likelihood of it being true.
Christians commonly complain that their beliefs are
ridiculed in the media. i think the basis of that
ridicule is that Christians generally are unwilling to
engage on the underlying issues. It’s as if a
Presidential candidate said “I don’t want to talk
about problems in the economy” — yea, he (or she)
would be ridiculed. for good reason.
sorry for the rambling.
Mo
TheTruth Project is without a doubt a quantum leap from what we, lay Christians, have been used to getting from our church leaders and the christian media, in the way of sound biblical insights that would speak to life’s daily struggles, as well as to the systematic decay we are witnessing throughout our Culture. Dr. Tackett’s disposition is a welcome asset, as he has undertaken the task as the leader and architect of this movement. His knowledge and sensibility are a reasuring example that brings enthusiasm to everyone involved. May God continue to bless each and every one, directly or indirectly involved with The Truth project, and its ongoing service to God’s Kingdom.
I will pray for this ministry. I have a daughter who is a sophmore in a secular college and it has been so hard for her as a Christian. Thankfully,my daughter has an open communication with her father and I. She often feels alone and outnumbered. Her roommates and friends don’t beleive in the existence of God and even joke around about it in my daughter’s presence. The college life has been a huge eye opener for our family and is a daily struggle for my daughter. Thank you to all those who wotk so hard to prepare these children for the anti Christian environment that they will be living right in the middle of.