Herbert W Armstrong

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong has frequently written and spoken of what had happened to Ambassador College — just where it had drifted.

The following statements from the Founder and Chancellor of Ambassador College (Good News, July 3, 1978) reveal Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong's alarm at seeing the massive drift which A.C. had taken — before he began setting it "back on the track as God's College."

"The leaven of secularism and materialism was subtly injected into the college that had been built as God's College — as a college different from any other. It was a college UNIQUE in, but not part of, Satan's world."

"But," says Mr. Armstrong, "in the last 10 years the aggressive urge of some to obtain accreditation — to get this world of Satan's ENDORSEMENT, opened the door for this leaven of intellectualism, which pervades this world's higher education, to gain an entering wedge."

Mr. Armstrong continued, "It was not realized by those — and there were a number — who wanted accreditation, that Satan had gotten his foot in the door. But those who had known it, during its ·growing years as GOD'S COLLEGE, were aghast when they carne to the Pasadena campus after years of absence... They now found it as if it had turned from day into night, from the light of GOD'S WAY into the darkness of this world's higher education...

What had happened to cause Ambassador College to become so much like other colleges of this world? Mr. Armstrong carne to see that Ambassador's drive for accreditation by the world was one of the main things — if not the main factor — which caused so much secularism and outright worldliness to be implanted into the very midst of Ambassador College.

Some have wrongly implied — if not openly charged — that Mr. Armstrong had fully endorsed the idea that Ambassador College should actively seek accreditation. But those who really knew Mr. Armstrong always knew that he only reluctantly permitted Ambassador to seek accreditation. Mr. Armstrong has plainly stated, "I never wanted accreditation personally, but I did allow others to pursue it on their sincere but misled assurance that they could obtain accreditation and still retain it as God's college."

During those early discussions as to whether or not Ambassador should seek accreditation, I personally heard Mr. Armstrong say on more than one occasion that he would allow the officials of the college to apply for accreditation, but that he himself was not fully convinced that Ambassador could retain its high ideals and yet receive accreditation from this world. In other words, Mr. Armstrong was never himself really convinced that Ambassador College could receive accreditation, without letting the bars down and inviting into the College the ways of this world — which could prove the undoing of the College in the end.

More recently, Mr. Armstrong wrote, "Secularism and the leaven of modern 'intellectualism' and 'PhDism' had turned Ambassador College into just another of this world's colleges. To set it back on the track I have had to start all over again, as in 1947, with one single undergraduate freshman class. I have put back in charge those who were taught God's REVEALED KNOWLEDGE under me in the earlier years. I hope that my personal, very frequent taking of the forums will, within the year, set Ambassador College back on the track as GOD'S COLLEGE."

From the early years of the College,. when it was small, with. just a few hundred students, Ambassador College had grown until during the 1977-78 college year the total enrollment was over 1100; And the College budget for that year had mushroomed into many millions of dollars — thereby siphoning away finances which were needed in the publishing of the gospel.

Furthermore, the size of the faculty had grown from a mere handful during the early years of the college to over one hundred fulltime faculty members, plus about seventy part-time members.

And courses at Ambassador had proliferated from a few dozen or so during the early years of the college until the total numbered about 285 during the last semester of the college.

But things are now quite different at Ambassador — as a direct result of Mr. Armstrong's determination to put Ambassador College back on the track — back on God's way. During the present semester, there are only approximately two dozen classes being taught at A.C., and those classes are being taught by only thirteen dedicated, fulltime faculty members. Mr. Armstrong has insisted that the basic core Bible classes be taught by men whom he has known for years — men whom he has himself taught — men whom he can rely upon to make sure that God's way is taught and exemplified in the classes, forums, Ambassador Clubs — and in every other facet of College life at Ambassador.

Already there is a different spirit on the Ambassador College campus. With a greatly reduced student body (presently about 300), it is much easier to have a family-like atmosphere. Furthermore, it is also easier to make sure that God's way is taught and exemplified by the faculty and students of Ambassador. Many now notice that,. as during the earlier days of Ambassador College, students and faculty look happier. There is a high resolve by both faculty and students to see that God's way is really taught — and practiced — here at the College in Pasadena! And reports and letters from the field ministry reveal that already many parents — members of the Worldwide Church of God — are very happy to see that Ambassador is truly being put back on the right foundation as God's College.

There are forty new students taking the Diploma course at Ambassador right now, plus about ninety-nine returning students who are also taking the Diploma course. Thirty-seven students are taking the Certificate of the Ministry course, and nineteen are enrolled in the Master of Arts program. About thirty sabbatical ministers are now Enrolled at Ambassador.

In addition, about fifty-eight students are still completing their B.A. degrees, and there are forty-six special students — students such as ministers' wives — who are taking a few classes, but are not taking the twelve units required to qualify as full-time students.

The Chancellor of Ambassador College, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, has given clear directives concerning the future of the College. Ambassador — in order to survive and thrive — must be put back on the right course. God's way, His attitude, and His approach must permeate everything at Ambassador. We are no longer seeking accreditation by this world. And the college is no longer yoking itself in athletic competition with the world. Mr. Armstrong has clearly stated, "we have been called out from them (the world} — and yet one who was taking to himself authority never vested in him, was encouraging our ministers to go back into them — be like them -participate with them — become the ENEMY OF GOD! This-takeover of unauthorized authority had put intercollegiate competition in the basketball courts of God's College....

"Once again, Christ through me, has put that competition with the world out of Ambassador College....

"There has been a TURN-AROUND in God's College!"

Where do we go from here? Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong has indicated (in a faculty meeting at his home in Tucson and during the first College forum} that he is thinking seriously about again making Ambassador College into a four-year College — with strong emphasis on the Bible in every facet of College life. To put Ambassador College back on the right track as God's College (and we on the faculty and administration of the College believe this is being done right now}, Mr. Armstrong may decide that the College is to again become a four-year College — in order to give the students time for sufficient contact with the faculty so they can become rooted and grounded in a thorough understanding. of the Bible, and in God's way of life, as taught and exemplified by the faculty of Ambassador College.

We, the faculty and administration of the College, ask the prayers of the ministers and lay members so that God will continue to bless. guide, and direct the course of His College. It is our firm belief that if the administration, faculty, and student body of the College please God — if we really get things solidly back on the right foundation — He will grant that Ambassador College may continue to teach the young people of God's Church the right way.

There is simply no other college in the entire world where God's way is taught. There is no other institution of higher learning where the true Word of God is being faithfully communicated. The world surely needs Ambassador College.

God is already smiling upon the dedicated efforts of the faculty and administration of Ambassador. Already we see the same "Ambassador spirit" prevailing on the campus which once was the real hallmark of Ambassador. Students and faculty are again happy and are beginning to "recapture the true values." Once more the College is a light to the city of Pasadena, a light to the world, and a light to the people of God. Once again, God's way of law and order, of faith and courage, of give and service; His way of joy and happiness, of peace and unity is being taught and exemplified here at Ambassador. And we, the faculty and administrators of the College, are happy to stand by Mr. Armstrong's side in staunchly maintaining God's way against all the onslaughts of Satan.

We are greatly encouraged to know that the ministers and brethren of God's Church are also happy to see the way of God being taught and exemplified once again in the lives of the faculty and students of Ambassador College.

— Raymond F. McNair, Deputy Chancellor