Mid-Atlantic Christian University (MACU) is a private

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

university in

Elizabeth City, North Carolina Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629. Elizabeth City is the county seat and largest city of Pasquotank County. It is the cultural, economic and educa ...

. It is supported by

Christian churches and churches of Christ The group of churches known as the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ is a fellowship of congregations within the Restoration Movement (also known as the Stone-Campbell Movement and the Reformation of the 19th Century) that have no form ...

, which is part of the

Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement, and pejoratively as Campbellite, Campbellism) is a Christianity, Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the S ...

. MACU awards

bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

degrees, associate degrees, and certificates. MACU started as Roanoke Bible College with the primary goal of preacher training to serve the Church of Christ/Christian Churches of eastern North Carolina and Virginia.

History

Mid-Atlantic Christian University was founded as Roanoke Bible College in 1948 by George and Sarah BonDurant to train preachers for churches in eastern

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...

and the Tidewater region of Virginia. The BonDurants had previously founded

Atlanta Christian College Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

in 1937, and George BonDurant served as its first President until 1947, when he left over a dispute with the trustees. He then found employment as an evangelist of the Roanoke District Churches of Christ in eastern

in 1947. Less than a year later, the BonDurants founded MACU due to the extreme lack of preachers in the area at the time. Classes began in 1948 with 12 full-time students. The first group of transfer students graduated in 1950 and the first class to complete all four years at MACU graduated in 1952. MACU has graduated a class every year since. MACU has been

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the

Association for Biblical Higher Education The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), formerly The Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC) is an evangelical Christian organization of bible colleges in the United States and Canada. It is a member of the International Co ...

since 1979. It has been accredited by the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

since 1999. MACU absorbed the remaining funds, library holdings, and equipment of

Eastern Christian College Eastern Christian College or ECC was a co-educational, private Christian college that was located in Bel Air, Maryland, United States. It was supported by Christian churches and churches of Christ, which is part of the Restoration Movement. Hist ...

when it closed in 2005 after nearly 60 years of operation. Eastern's academic records are now archived at MACU. MACU officially changed its name to Mid-Atlantic Christian University in the summer of 2009. Enrollment at MACU reached 178 students in the fall semester of 2010. On October 3, 2010, sophomore Jonathan Schipper was shot to death in his room in the Pearl A. Presley Hall, bringing MACU national news attention. The school's official policy does not allow guns on campus. This is the only violent crime ever reported on MACU's campus during its history. Fellow student Christopher Amyx, a part-time police officer, was later convicted of first-degree murder in 2013.Hampton, Jeff
Elizabeth City university identifies student slain on campus
October 4, 2010, ''The Virginian Pilot''.

Presidents

George W. BonDurant George William BonDurant (9 August 1915 – 11 July 2017) was an American preacher influential in the Restoration Movement of Christianity during the 20th century. He was the founder and first President of both Atlanta Christian College and Mid ...

(1948–1986) * William A. Griffin (1986–2006) *

D. Clay Perkins D. or d. may refer to, usually as an abbreviation: * Don (honorific), a form of address in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and their former overseas empires, usually given to nobles or other individuals of high social rank. * Date of death, as an abbreviati ...

(2006–2017) * John Maurice (2017 - current)

Academics

The university offers Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Science degrees. All students major in biblical studies, and can double major in Applied Linguistics, Cross-Cultural Ministry, General Ministry, Leadership & Administration, Preaching, or Youth and Family Ministry. MACU added a military science minor through Army ROTC in 2010. MACU has agreements with Elizabeth City State University and College of the Albemarle allowing dual enrollment.

Athletics

Mid-Atlantic Christian (MACU) athletic teams are known as the Mustangs. The university is a member of the

United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) is a national organization for the intercollegiate athletic programs of 72 mostly small colleges, including community/ junior colleges, across the United States. The USCAA holds 15 nationa ...

(USCAA; which they joined since December 2012) primarily competing as a founding member of the Eastern Metro Athletic Conference (EMAC) since the 2018–19 academic year. MACU currently fields six varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, golf and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, soccer and volleyball. MACU also has intramural sports that vary by semester. These have included flag football, basketball, volleyball, kickball, wiffle ball, and many more. There are also tournaments played among the students in the lobbies utilizing the pool table, ping pong table and foosball table.

Campus

The MACU campus is located on the Pasquotank River, less than a mile from downtown Elizabeth City, North Carolina. East and West campuses are divided by North Poindexter Street.

West Campus

*Wilkinson Hall, original building: administration *Faith Hall, 1951: faculty offices *Heritage Hall, 1965: classrooms and cafeteria

East Campus

*Pearl A. Presley Hall, 1976: women's dormitory *Harold C. Turner Hall, 1985: men's dormitory, student center and coffee shop *Albert C. Blanton III Campus Life Center, 1998: Watson-Griffin Library, Chesson Gymnasium, and Davenport Chapel

North Campus

*Park, recreational, and picnic area

Traditions

Sneak Day

Every year during the fall semester, the seniors organize a "Sneak Day". They wake up the rest of the students shortly after 5:00 AM and take them to a secret location off campus for a day of fun and relaxation. Faculty and staff are unaware of the exact date of Sneak Day until they find no one attending morning classes. Sneak day is now officially recognized in the student handbook.

Alumni Rally & Homecoming

MACU's annual Alumni Rally & Homecoming has been held in Elizabeth City every year since 1949. It takes place in March and has been on MACU's campus since 1999. Typical rallies include an alumni basketball game, praise and worship sessions, and a variety of speaking sessions.

Notable alumni

As of 2010, over 3,000 students have attended MACU and 1,140 have graduated. The school's notable alumni include: * William A. Griffin BA 1962, former president of MACU *

Ajai Lall Ajai Lall is a Christian preacher and missionary in India. He is the founder and first Executive Director of Central India Christian Mission. Lall is associated with the Christian churches and churches of Christ, which is part of the Restora ...

BA 1982, Christian missionary to India; founder of

Central India Christian Mission Central India Christian Mission or CICM is a Christian missionary organization in India. It is supported by Christian churches and churches of Christ, which is part of the Restoration Movement. Its United States office is located in Indianapolis ...

Barry McCarty C. Barry McCarty (born 1953 ) is an American preacher and educator who has been associated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Christian churches and churches of Christ. McCarty is a former president of Cincinnati Christian University and ...

BA 1975, national radio host; former president of Cincinnati Christian University

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
{{authority control Education in Pasquotank County, North Carolina Seminaries and theological colleges in North Carolina Association for Biblical Higher Education Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian churches and churches of Christ Bible colleges Educational institutions established in 1948 Buildings and structures in Pasquotank County, North Carolina Evangelicalism in North Carolina 1948 establishments in North Carolina USCAA member institutions