In late 2022, behavioral therapist and father of 10 Clarence Boykin had just undergone a series of painful back surgeries. His doctors advised him to take off from work for the foreseeable future. Boykin took that advice, but as a generally active person, the change turned his life upside down.
Instead of stewing, though, Boykin prayed, asking God what he should do. He quickly got an answer.
“The Lord said, ‘You know what? Go to school for what you love,’” Boykin says.
Initially, Boykin considered earning a degree in technology, but the Lord had another plan. By listening to God closely, Boykin found his educational home at Mid-America Christian University and his calling at the intersection of Christian leadership and mental health. And his story is just beginning.
A Nudge in the Right Direction
The same year Boykin had to leave his job, he and his family relocated from California to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. One day, while Boykin was still considering earning a technology degree, he decided to take his family on an excursion around their new hometown.
This is when he first felt the Lord nudging him in a new direction.
“My family and I were venturing around Bricktown,” Boykin says, referring to a downtown entertainment district in the city. “And I saw not only young adults but middle-aged people in these interesting sweatsuits and sweatshirts.”
Boykin liked the designs and messages this apparel bore so much, he asked some passersby what brand they were wearing. They responded that it wasn’t a brand, it was merchandise from the nearby Mid-America Christian University.
“Wow, a Christian university,” Boykin remembers thinking. “I had never heard of one.”
Once Boykin got home, he started researching MACU and found out that he could earn a degree in Christian ministry and leadership at the University. This, he quickly realized, was what God was calling him to do, so he started the application process.
“I absolutely loved not only the drive for academic excellence but the intertwining of the faith, the intertwining of the Christian fundamental beliefs within all the academic curriculums,” he says. “That is what drew me to MACU.”
Prayer, Transfer Credits, and a New Beginning
As excited as Boykin was to start his new journey, he began the enrollment process with one major concern. Before his back surgeries and moving to Oklahoma, he had been studying to become a trauma nurse in California. He assumed most of his credit hours wouldn’t transfer to MACU. He’d basically be starting college all over again.
“Lord, it would be amazing if they took every credit that I had from California,” Boykin remembers saying in prayer. “And lo and behold, God said, ‘Hey, you said that with a little bit of doubt. So let me surprise you. Let me remind you who I am.’”
Soon after, Boykin heard from a MACU representative. “I got a call from a gentleman named Nathan, and he said, ‘Hey, we have some very good news. We will allocate every credit to your academic career here at MACU,’” Boykin says.
Not long after he started the program, he was informed that he was already classified as a junior.
Getting the Full MACU Experience Online
Boykin enrolled in MACU’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Christian Ministries program as an online student. Once classes got underway, he was immediately impressed with the curriculum and how MACU keeps online students steeped in the school’s Christian-based and academically rigorous culture.
“One class in particular that I absolutely loved was Critical Thinking,” Boykin says, noting he enjoyed having open and honest conversations with both his professors and his classmates. “If you think that you can think a certain way, there’s always another way, another perspective you can go into. And that just opened up doors for me.”
Boykin was similarly taken by MACU’s ministry-specific classes. In his Principles of Theology class, for example, he took a deep dive into the historical, cultural, and philosophical aspects of faith, adding a new depth to his love for God and the Word of God.
And no matter what classes he was taking, Boykin knew he always had the full support of everyone he encountered at MACU.
“You have so much help outside of the classroom,” he says. “The professors are like moms and dads. Your goals become their goals. Yes, they do put a standard to academic excellence, but the family atmosphere that has been built at MACU, it’s like no other university I’ve ever experienced.”
Bridging the Gap Between Spiritual and Mental Health
With his fervent faith and strong academic background, Boykin plans to one day get into ministry himself. Inspired by his instructors at MACU, he also wants to pursue his PhD and teach the Word of God in an academic setting.
But before that, Boykin has another goal in mind. He wants to combine his MACU education with his behavioral therapy experience and become a board certified behavioral analyst (BCBA).
BCBAs are mental health professionals who help people overcome unhealthy behaviors and replace them with more productive ones. In addition to offering clinical services, Boykin wants to offer his clients spiritual support. Faith in the Lord has helped him so much throughout his life that Boykin wants to instill that hope in his clients as well.
Fortunately, Boykin didn’t have to go far to find a program to help him reach this next goal. He’s currently enrolled in MACU’s online Master of Science in Counseling program and is slated to graduate by the end of 2027. While his journey has taken a few twists and turns, Boykin is confident he has the support he needs to stay on track.
“Even the student body, they want to see you succeed,” Boykin says of the atmosphere at MACU. “They want to be at the end of the finish line and celebrate with you when you graduate. That’s how it is with every class, with every year, with every semester. With MACU, you are going to get faculty and staff and a student body who are going to make your goals their goals.”
Discern Your Calling at MACU
While Clarence Boykin used his Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministries to pivot into the Master of Science in Counseling program, that’s not the only path graduates take. Helping students discern their own calling is a central part of the program’s mission.
With classes on leadership, discipleship, and theological principles, the online or in-person BS in Christian Ministries program helps students develop the skills they need to become impactful leaders in a wide range of religious and nonprofit organizations. Meanwhile, the online MS in Counseling program offers concentrations in applied behavioral science, addiction and substance abuse counseling, clinical counseling, and family therapy, allowing students to develop the advanced skills to serve a specific population group.
With small class sizes and passionate faculty members, MACU students are empowered to not just go through the motions but also think, reflect, and find meaningful mentorship — whether they attend school online or on campus.To find out more about the MACU’s programs in ministry and counseling, its transfer credit policies, and more, request more information today.
Recommended Readings
The Value of a Christian Education in Today’s World
Types of Counselors: Clinical and Nonclinical Roles
Youth Minister Job Description