It’s often hard for churches to consider reaching their communities in new ways; the fear of compromise looms large.
The same challenge exists for Christian schools; new methods of delivery and novel programming set a college on a new course—one that some are bound to find uncomfortable.
Crossroads Bible College was facing just such a barrier: The idea of adding an adult degree completion program and online coursework originally met with mixed reviews. But now, the Indianapolis-based college has 140 students in its School of Accelerated Studies, has increased the number of degrees it offers, and has expanded into three new geographic areas.

With the help and guidance of Knowledge Elements, said Dr. John Crabtree, VP of Academics, Crossroads has seen a change in culture—and the benefits have gone beyond the additional enrollment.
“What we’ve been able to do is…help everyone understand that methodology is not tied to theology, so to speak,” he said. “You can do things differently without compromising your faith, or truth, or anything like that.”

Since the fall of 2004, hundreds of students have made use of Crossroads’ online program; they’ve chosen a majority of the online courses that the Knowledge Elements Education Network (KEEN) offers. The school experienced a 59% increase in online students during a two-year period.

“We’re a firm partner with Knowledge Elements,” he said. “We see our partnership as key to not only our growth in terms of total students, but also in our understanding of what the different educational opportunities are.”
Knowledge Elements also helped Crossroads with the accreditation process for the adult degree completion program. Experiential learning may well be “an important aspect of education in the 21st century,” as Crabtree puts it, but it still can take some convincing for those steeped in traditional educational methods. The insight gained helped the program receive accreditation on its first pass.

“If a school really wants to provide the type of education that will make a difference in the lives of people today, experiential learning philosophy is part of that,” he said. “Knowledge Elements, I believe, can help not only in training and providing those types of opportunities, but also in being a great partner…. We’re into partnerships, and the key partnerships we have are the ones based on personal touch, trust, and integrity. That’s what we have in our relationship with Knowledge Elements.”