'50s into the late '70s, the total number of Regular Baptist churches has leveled off at approximately 1,600, and the membership for the past several years has been approximately 240,000. 3 In light of the gloomy predictions, it would have been easy for the leadership and faculty of Cedarville College to enter into a period of retrenchment. Many private schools, both Christian and secular, were or would soon be doing just that. At Cedarville, however, the overriding concept of mission demanded a different response. As the faculty and administration reviewed the purposes and objectives of the institution, they carne to the inescapable conclusion that the college had a mission that was dynamic in the contemporary world. The purpose of offering its students an education consistent with biblical truth had no less value in the 1980s than in the 1950s. They were convinced the United States needed what Cedarville offered - a quality, accredited education within the framework of historic fundamentalism. Dixon's response to the challenge was predictable. He had corne to the office of president convinced that Cedarville College was a special place. Having spoken at most of the best known fundamentalist colleges throughout the United States, he was convinced that Cedarville had a balance among the spiritual, academic, and social spheres that was rare in Christian higher education. He had tremendous respect for the Cedarville faculty and the quality of education they provided. Therefore, rather than recommending retrenchment, Dixon launched an aggressive expansion program that encompassed every area. At his urging the trustees made dramatic improvement in faculty and staff salaries. New staff positions were added in the areas of student recruitment, student services, and development. Consultants jn key areas supplemented institutional' planning. The president became vigorously involved in fund raising, placing an emphasis on new constituencies. As a result, Cedarville College entered a period of remarkable growth. While most Christian colleges battled declining enrollments, Cedarville grew 53 percent, from 1,185 in 1978 to 1,821 in 1986. This remarkable success was the result of careful planning and the dynamic leadership of Paul Dixon. The decision was made to level enrollment temporarily in order to guarantee the quality of both programs and facilities. This decision 156/Chapter XIX grew out of Dixon's conviction that at times it was essential to move slowly enough to provide stability for the organization. A study of the college's historic constituenC'! revealed that though Cedarville was an approved college of the G.A.R.B.C. and has stood without apology for its fundamental Baptistic position, it had never limited enrollment to Baptists only. This fact was pointed out to the delegates at the G.A.R.B.C. annual meeting in Philadelphia in 1953. It was stated again in Cedarville President Leonard Webster's report for the Ohio Independent Baptist in June 1953: Enrollment in the student body is not limited to those of the Bapist faith. All young people interested in college training of the highest scholastic standard offered in an environment of true Christian fellowship are encouraged to write to the registrar for full information. 4 In fact, in those early days the trustees did not limit enrollment to Christian young people. They were convinced that if an unsaved student chose to attend Cedarville, he would either be born again or not want to stay! In June 1955, the senior class prepared a list of reasons "why we believe unsaved students should not be allowed to enroll in our college."s This three-page letter listed nine detailed reasons why the students preferred a student body composed exclusively of believers. Though there is no record of Board response to the student letter, the 1957-58 College Catalog listed for the first time the fact that "spiritual qualifications including personal testimony, reasons for desiring to come to the college, and recommendation of spiritual qualification from his pastor or another qualified person" would be required. 6 Since that time Cedarville College has always required a statement of faith from a prospective student as a part of the application for admission. In the 1980s Cedarville College has made no apology for being a Baptist institution. The historic tie with Regular Baptists was manifested in the requirement that all trustees, faculty, and administrators be members of separatist Baptist churches. College literature described Cedarville as a Baptist college of arts and sciences. This was a part of the institutional mission and purpose. However, from 1953 to the present, the college has enrolled people of other denominations. Thus, believers from no fewer than 34 different church groups have attended the college over the last 20 years. In light of the unique quality of Christian education available, Dixon has