Is college still worth it? A Christian perspective on higher education

In this episode of Faith & Clarity, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Dr. Cory Hines, president of Howard Payne University, to discuss how education intersects with Christian faith and cultural headlines. Dr. Hines shares his journey from ministry student at Howard Payne to university leadership, emphasizing multigenerational influence, mentoring, and Ephesians 2:10 as a guiding vision for helping students discover God’s calling. Together, they address higher education’s challenges, including cost, politicization, and skepticism toward the liberal arts, while arguing that education supports human flourishing and wisdom. Dr. Hines offers guidance for families weighing K–12 and college options by focusing on student needs, culture, and “soil,” not just delivery models, and encourages campus visits and counsel from trusted voices. The conversation also explores college as a key season for worldview and character formation, concerns about faith “deconstruction,” student loneliness, and how AI is shifting education from information toward discernment and wisdom. Topics (0:00) Introduction (2:11) Campus life and chapel (3:45) Dr. Cory Hines backstory (9:55) Ephesians 2 10 vision (11:32) Education value and idols (14:31) Higher ed under fire (25:01) School options and culture (31:03) Trust God with choices (34:32) College shapes worldview (36:46) Beyond the college degree (41:06) Wrestling with faith (48:40) Loneliness on campus (54:04) AI and wisdom (57:08) Choosing schools wisely (1:01:41) Conclusion Resources Dr. Cory Hines at Howard Payne University Ask Us Anything: [email protected] Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe About Dr. Cory Hines Dr. Cory Hines serves as the President of Howard Payne University. The Howard Payne University Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Hines as the twentieth President in the school’s 130-year history on March 18, 2019. Dr. Hines began serving as President just two weeks later on April 1, 2019.  A native of Gainesville, Texas, and a 1997 graduate of Howard Payne, Dr. Hines has a broad range of experience in higher education administration. Before returning home to HPU in April of 2019, Dr. Hines served as the Vice President for Enrollment at a sister Texas Baptist institution. In addition to serving as Vice President for Enrollment, he previously served that institution in other capacities as a Vice President in the areas of Advancement, Graduate Affairs, External Affairs, and Alumni and Community Relations.  Beyond his administrative responsibilities at his previous institution, he also taught courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level and provided leadership in the creation of several graduate programs. Active in Texas Baptist life, he also has experience in vocational ministry, having served as executive pastor and student pastor at Ferris Avenue Baptist Church (now The Avenue Church) in Waxahachie, Texas. Dr. Hines earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education from Howard Payne in 1997. He then went on to earn his Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2000 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies with a focus in Higher Education from Dallas Baptist University in 2012. Dr. Hines has been married to the lovely Mrs. Melinda Hines for over twenty-five years. Together they have two children, Mackenzie and Caleb, The Hines’ are members at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church in Brownwood. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries. Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco. Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org. All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.