Our History
Lincoln Christian University (LCU) is a Christian higher education community supported by independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. This non-denominational fellowship of more than one million members has nearly six thousand congregations across the United States and nearly as many more worldwide. LCU was founded in 1944 as Lincoln Bible Institute, but its religious heritage extends back to the early 19th century, to a nation-wide revival among various Protestant churches often called “the Great Revival.” From that Great Revival came a grass-roots movement among many faith groups led by Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Barton Stone, and Walter Scott. It was known as the Restoration Movement. The plea of this movement, to which Lincoln subscribes, has three emphases: (1) the authority of the Bible, (2) the unity of God’s people, and (3) the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to “go into all the world to make disciples.”
The School of Undergraduate Studies identifies itself as a Christian college committed to helping students know God’s Word, engage God’s world, and pursue God’s will for their lives. All students take a common core of classes that build a solid foundation in Biblical studies, in the liberal arts, and in professional practice, for service inside and outside the church . Since its start i n 1944, the school has grown to offer 18 different majors and developed bachelor’s degree program partnerships with Illinois State University, Greenville College, OSF St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing, and University of Illinois at Springfield.
The Seminary is located on the LCU campus in Lincoln, Illinois. The Seminary has its own faculty, academic programs, and policies for its students, as well as its own building. The Seminary has been providing quality graduate education for leadership ministry for more than half a century. In 2001-02, the Seminary celebrated 50 years of service since its founding in 1951 under the leadership of its first dean, Enos Dowling, and its first president, Earl Hargrove. It is one of only three seminaries in the Stone-Campbell tradition associated with independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. More than 350 students are enrolled in our Seminary in a variety of master’s level programs and in our Doctor of Ministry degree.
The Hargrove School of Adult & Graduate Studies is a school for working adults that offers undergraduate and graduate programs through a variety of non-traditional methods taught from a Christian worldview. Established in 2001 under the name LincUp, the Adult & Graduate Studies programs have grown to enroll more than 300 students who are taking a variety of accelerated programs—onsite, offsite, and online—that are convenient for busy adults
Today, more than 1,200 students pursue their undergraduate, seminary and adult & graduate studies education at our main campus, offsite and online. Our alumni can be found across the U.S. and in more than 160 countries. LCU gives its students the knowledge, skills and Biblical worldview to live their mission in the church, the workplace and the world.