Responsibilities of Membership

At North Central we strive to combine rigorous academic training with a strong spiritual environment. Students, administration, faculty, and staff cooperate to achieve a Christ-centered community where biblical standards are upheld. A personal relationship with Christ and active involvement in a local church are required for membership in the North Central community. We also require daily chapel attendance and regular ministry involvement as a part of the spiritual development of our students.

The basis of our community expectations is the Lordship of Jesus Christ; therefore, we set a very high standard for our life together. While the Scriptures do not provide specific teaching regarding all social practices, they do uphold principles that establish essential guidelines for life. The following standards are in fact rules, but we approach them in such a way as to draw attention to the underlying principles rather than the rules themselves. We expect everyone at North Central to go beyond the "rules" and have a sincere desire for God's holiness in their life, and to have love for people by showing respect and concern for one another.

In any community of believers it is reasonable to expect an adherence to certain principles in a common belief system. The North Central University community bases its belief system in the scriptural principles set down in the Bible, and it also supports the beliefs of the Assemblies of God, its supporting denomination. All students at the University are required to respect these beliefs and may not publicly disparage these beliefs while they are members of the University community. North Central reserves the right to dismiss a student who, in its judgment, does not abide by the stated policies governing students.

Certain practices that are forbidden in Scripture are not permitted in the lives of the members of the North Central Community. Sexual relationships outside of marriage, homosexual relationships, pornography, theft, drunkenness, dishonesty (including cheating and plagiarism), and disobedience to the government (except in those rare instances where obedience to civil authority would violate a biblically informed conscience) are examples of practices that are unacceptable. Members of the North Central community are expected to exercise discernment in choosing entertainment, recreational and social activities and abstain from anything that may be morally degrading. Sins of the spirit such as covetousness, jealousy, pride, gossip, slander, profanity and vulgarity are also to be avoided. (See Galatians 5:16-26.)

North Central is concerned for the physical, social, and personal well-being of the community and its members. We recognize that certain practices and products are dangerous to physical and psychological well-being. As a result, we require North Central Community members to abstain from gambling and from the possession and use of alcoholic beverages, nonprescription narcotics, hallucinogenic drugs and substances, as well as tobacco in any form. (See I Corinthians 6:19, 20.)

In order to facilitate orderly community life, students are also expected to abide by other procedural rules and regulations, as listed in the Student Guide.