In order to achieve these goals, ACU introduced new academic programs, including film studies, communications and journalism, and popular political science and pre-law programs which have already yielded a Harvard Law School graduate who headed the school's chapter of the Federalist Society, as well as students clerking for federal appeals court judges. Such new and influential academic programs stand alongside traditional degrees in theology, literature, education, and music, as well as degrees taught from a uniquely Christian perspective, such as behavioral health and marriage and family therapy.

In fact, ACU's academics are steeped in Christian principles. Munsil explained, "Our view is kind of the ‘iron sharpens iron approach,' which is that we want young people that are serious about their faith in Christ, and we want to help them grow dramatically over four years and then send them out to where they can become leaders." At ACU, students are expected to attend chapel a certain number of times per semester. Chapel at ACU features student-lead worship and spiritual formation led pastors, missionaries, faculty members, and Christian leaders. ACU also requires service projects and evangelization of its students, preaching the Gospel by both word and deed.

This strong focus on living the spiritual life is supported academically by a core curriculum designed to deepen students' knowledge of Western civilization's Christian foundation. Munsil explained the program to TWS, saying, "Every student at ACU, whether they're studying business or pre-med or pre-law, they get 18 hours of Biblical studies and then they get a core curriculum. That's a general ed curriculum, that's classics, humanities-based, the great ideas of Western civilization." The dual focus on Scripture alongside the classics is what makes ACU's core curriculum unique, generating what Munsil described as a "Biblically-integrated study of the classics."

Throughout the core curriculum, students will learn liberal arts, mathematics, logical problem-solving, and study great works by the likes of Homer, Plato, America's founding fathers, and even Karl Marx. The program is based on the classical education model and is designed to equip students to seek, recognize, and pursue truth. ACU's website explains, "The CORE helps you discern God's desire for your life as you study the human narrative and identify the true nature of the world around you. The world tells us there is no objective truth. In the CORE, you learn to value and apply God's Truth."

The ACU culture is steeped in this Christian truth, promoting a Biblical understanding of human sexuality and marriage as between one man and one woman, and laying emphasis on the sanctity of life. Such staunch Christian principles have, of course, not made ACU or its graduates popular with leftist-dominated institutions. Earlier this year, the Washington Elementary School District in Arizona terminated its longstanding partnership with ACU, banning ACU education students from working in the school district's classrooms. ACU fought back, filing a lawsuit arguing the school board terminated its partnership with ACU "strictly because of their religious status and beliefs—namely their beliefs on Biblical marriage and sexuality—despite having zero evidence of any incident by an Arizona Christian student that violated any School District policy." The school district settled with ACU in May, with board members voting 4-1 to continue and even extend the partnership with ACU, and agreeing to pay ACU's legal fees. (Image: Flickr-Gage Skidmore /Creative Commons)

With such academic, spiritual, and cultural successes under its belt, it's perhaps little wonder that ACU is continuing to grow. But Munsil told TWS he wants to not only continue but boost that growth. He said, "We don't want to be a secret. We especially know there are a lot of people that are looking for a school like ours that may not even know that we're here, all the things that have happened to help the university grow." Munsil noted that while college enrollment nationally has declined 12%, enrollment at ACU is up almost 200% in the same time frame, adding, "We're seeing general enrollment growth as people become more and more aware of the excellence of what we're doing and really the spiritual commitment of it."

Munsil expressed that he hopes and plans to increase enrollment to 5,000 students within the coming years. Celebrating ACU's eighth consecutive year of record enrollment means the school is well on its way to achieving that goal. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

S.A. McCarthy serves as a news writer at The Washington Stand.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK: Singer-Songwriter Kaylin Roberson Honors Father and 250 Years of Brave Soldiers in Stirring Ballad 'So I Didn't Have To' (Video)

America of 1976 Would Not Recognize Herself in Our 250th Year

Baseball Players Refuse to Wear Pride Uniforms, Forced to Forfeit

Canada: Carney Liberals Move to 'Force' Radical Internet Surveillance Bill through House

Belfast Is Burning, and the Media Won't Say Why

Israel, Hezbollah Agree to New Ceasefire after Conflict Delayed US-Iran Talks

Report: Biden-Era FDA Spun Autopsy Results to Downplay COVID Vaccine Deaths in Kids, Letter Shows

Newly Exposed: Fauci Funded Wuhan Lab Research That Sparked COVID; Evidence Fauci Manipulated Intelligence and Lied to Congress

From Pulisic's 'Bible Time' to Team Prayer on the Field, US Gives 'Glory to God' at World Cup

Good News: Gasoline Drops Below $4 A Gallon

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro Abandoning 30,000 Children as Democrats Push to Strip School Choice

Canada's Parliament Officially Passes 'Bible Ban' Bill C-9

Occupied Britain: Muslim Rape Gang Report Warns against Dangers of Mass Immigration (Part 1)

Obama Center Contractors Say Millions Are Owed

VP Vance Defends Iran Deal, Says It Will Benefit Both America and Israel

President Trump Signs MOU with Iran During Dinner at Palace of Versailles (VIDEO)

[Watch] JD Vance Ventures Onto 'The View,' Serves Up an Unforgettable Schooling

School District Pays $95K to Settle Lawsuit After Painting Over Bible Verse Tribute to Charlie Kirk

Is MLB Treating Christians Differently? Senator Hawley Demands Answers

Hundreds of Thousands of Antidepressants Recalled Over Potential Cancer Risk