Bethany Global University — Attraction in Bloomington

I apologize if this is long but please understand that if something I write is this long, I believe it needs to be said. I requested a brochure from BGU and I got a phone call from them. I thought to myself, "Okay, they are probably just going to ask some questions and figure out what I'm involved in and why I want to request information for this college." I happily talked to the woman on the phone, I talked about my past in Christian schools and my grades, interests outside of high school, etc. Things were going great! She then asked my belief system, to which I responded by saying that ultimately I believe that there is a higher power, but it doesn't matter what you call it. As long as there is love in your heart and you are doing good things, it doesn't matter what practice you preach. God's work is God's work even if you don't do it under that name. Not only did she refuse to accept my answer, her obscene unprofessional attitude towards me was disgusting and revolting. I don't think that I have ever been degraded in such a way. She responded to my beliefs by trying to convince herself that I was indeed Christian, then when I refused to call myself by a belief system I am not a part of (even though I do have a very positive history with my christian religious experiences in the past), she told me that I shouldn't apply because I don't follow the work of God. I helped start up an organization at my old Christian school to help children in war torn areas get the materials they need to have an education and she is telling me I am against God? Not only does she insult my morality, she also goes on to ask about what I do believe in and questions things that should not be brought up in a college interview. She asks "What is your philosophy of life?" in a very aggressive tone, like she is accusing me of having no moral compass. I tell her that joy and peace are the fundamental basis of what I believe in. "Well where do you think that joy comes from?" I personally believe that joy comes from inside yourself, but even if you do believe in God, he has still gifted you the opportunity to feel inner joy and peace, which is part of Jesus' teachings. After calmly explaining to her my beliefs after her very unprofessional questions accused at me in a very offensive way, she asks one last question that has me ready to file a formal complaint. "Well, what about murderers? They experience joy from killing people. Do you support that?" Shame on you. How dare you ask a question like that to a prospective student. Are you so blind to not understand that your bigotry and hatred is part of the reason why the faith you are so vehemently protecting is being criticized for their discriminatory actions and practices in modern day society? I have no issue with any religion, but your actions under the name of the Lord is tainting what Christianity means, as well as violating the true meaning of the Third Commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain", which means to not commit evil in the name of the Lord. After I was shell shocked by her answer, I told her that tainted souls and hearts cannot experience true joy. Since it wasn't the Satan worshiping answer she expected me to say, she begrudgingly moved on as I had wiped out any chance of her challenging my beliefs anymore. I have never, in all of my years of religious and non-religious practices, have been treated like this in my entire life. Earlier in the interview, she explained that BGU mission is to help convert people to Christianity, which I have my reservations about, but If this is the typical way you treat people of another religion or faith, Bethany Global, I wonder how many people have actually been "saved" by your practices. This may be a Christian university, but I doubt many of the people working here will be seeing heaven one they pass into...

It has been almost 10 years since I attended BCOM (Bethany College of Missions - what it was called when I attended).... I hesitate to even post this review, but I believe it needs to be put out there. Bethany has a good idea, I moved over 1,000 miles to attend Bethany because I liked the fact that you would get to actually practice missions and outreach hands-on, and get the overseas experience as well....

When I became a student and was on campus it was a different story than what they advertise, favoritism with students is extremely obvious, if you aren't a favorite, your time here will not be enjoyable, I came as a student a few years out of high school with some job and world experience, yet I was placed in the dishwashing room as my on campus job, I appealed and was switched to the admissions office as their data entry tech, where there was little to zero grace given ever.... you were a minute late, you were written up or publicly reprimanded and getting any of the given 10 hours off was next to impossible.... I was also one of the few that met the "requirements" in my class to drive campus cars, so I had to drive every single week to downtown Minneapolis for outreach with a group in a car that barely had working breaks, but if we didn't go we'd get in trouble.... Also if you missed any classes you were looked down upon, sometimes people need to rest and catch up.... better not do it here.....

I came in January so I went from January to September nonstop for the freshman year, I had 2 weeks combined time off that entire time, exhaustion and keeping up was very real and very much condemned, you were to be super human here.... it eventually caused me to become so ill I could not get out of bed and ended up in urgent care, then to be greeted back on campus by the dean of women telling me I had 24 hours to withdraw and be off campus and that I was permanently banned from campus, which I have been back a few times, because I broke zero rules, I just got deathly ill, which isn't a sin... I literally knew noone locally except Bethany people, so I had to drop over $700 on last minute plane tickets, pack up my dorm room, go through all the withdraw paperwork all while feeling like actual death... the place almost killed me with their extreme requirements for months on end....

I was in a class of over 20, by the end of the year I was only 1 of 2 to qualify for the one-year certificate, and the class had dropped to under 12 people, yet it still wasn't enough for them...... also if you withdraw you won't receive a dime of money back for time you weren't even enrolled, I know many students who were "unable" to go on their trips and internships, and instead of refunding the money they stated they would "credit" it for future use, which is a lie, once you are determined to be not a "choice student" there won't be any future trips for that credit to apply .....

Another issue is how isolating, bubble-like, even cult like the campus is, it took me well over 6 months after being asked to withdraw and coming back to the real world to even feel human again, let alone be okay with making a different decision than they would have, bring a car so you can get off campus some is my best recommendation....

Also don't even get me started on the spiritual warfare and lack of help the staff/faculty provide when it happens, you and your dorm mates are on your own, unless you are a favorite and can be magically whisked off campus to the safety of a staff members private home.... if you like rigorous rules, academics, workhorse style lifestyle this might be a really good fit for you.... but if you believe in rest, grace, and real accountability you might want to look elsewhere.

I am grateful I came, because Minnesota is pretty amazing, and I now live here full time, but I would really use caution in choosing to...

This school is actually the worst. For many reasons. Mostly because of the disciplinary staff and the way they handle the discipleship. They do not disciple. They have very little grace with messing up. And then when they do kick you out they ask you to pay the entire semester worth of money even if you were there only a couple months. So they're out for the money.. please do not send your kids here. many of my friends have attended the school and eventually drop out. This is not a safe place to question your faith or study theology. This school is very legalistic at times. They want you to swallow what they have to say and if you question it or bring up different ideas they consider you leading people away. And that's not a university that's not how it should be. It's a place to learn right it's a place to question. For example I was interested in what universalism had to say. I didn't believe it and I wasn't fully convinced I just was wondering about it and asking for more information and they wrote me up for it. there's also 200 girls to about 60 guys as a ratio. Which is incredibly dangerous for most people coming out of high school. And most of these girls are afraid of men for some reason and then the boys get accused of sexual harassment. Instead of really being biblical and and going up to the the accused and working it out. Cuz most things are usually just a misunderstanding. The grace of Jesus is not at the school. And the saddest part is most of these students are really great kids and I'm afraid that at the end of their time here they will be brainwashed and will lose their real hope in humanity and hope in missions. Cuz being a missionary is a calling and it's important and it's supposed to have this purity have this this discipleship in this the striving to bring the gospel. Not a place of legalism you can't save souls and legalism. They're also thieves. A sad representation of Christ indeed.a sad representation of...