A Call to Christian College Students
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” -John 14:6
I am a Christian (Lutheran) college student. I am starting my final year of college, and I want to share an important piece of advice to all incoming Christian college students: your Christian faith matters. It matters more than anything else. It matters more than getting a good job, going to a top-tier university, and enjoying “pleasure island”. Jesus matters more than anything else. Jesus Christ is your Savior, your Redeemer, and your King. Please remember that true statement during your college years.
You would think that series of statements wouldn’t be controversial, right? What Christian is against young Christians remaining Christians during college? That’s not the issue.
Unfortunately, Christian college students rarely hear the message that “their faith matters!”. Many Pastors and Christian families never echo this concept to Christians going into college. At this point in time, it’s almost like we’re all right with throwing our young adults into the lions’ den and hoping they come out okay. That situation doesn’t sound like an enticing proposition. If we want our Churches to exist in the future, then we need to have young Christians stop falling away from the one true faith.
What we say and do matters. I often hear Christian adults and parents echoing the same platitudes that secular Americans say about university: going to college is about “finding yourself”, “having fun”, and eventually “finding a good job”. Sounds familiar? Probably so. How can we expect our college students to care about Christ and his Church if we emphasize worldliness over godliness.
If you’re in college, ask yourself this question: how many people—who know you’re a college student—have asked you about what Church you go to? “Survey says!”: Very few, maybe a small handful people.
Now, how many people have asked you about your major, if you live on campus, or if you’re going to grad school? Answer: a lot of people. Don’t get me wrong. Many Christian adults mean well. They surely would rather see young Christians staying in the faith during college. However, we don’t seem to care too much that loads of Christians are falling away.
Honestly, should orthodox Christian Churches really be surprised that our college students stop going to Church? We—Christian adults—constantly show our youth how unimportant Church is. If it’s football season, then we have our kids watch the big NFL game instead of going to Church. When we let our children join a youth sports league, we willingly skip Church to make a Sunday morning soccer game. “We can always go to Church next Sunday, right?”. Honestly, I used to struggle with this issue growing up. I am no better than anyone else because there where times I was glad to miss Church growing up.
Regardless, I am calling all Christian college students to cling to Christ and His gifts. Christ’s Body and Blood, our Baptism, and the Holy Scriptures are enough. Christ is sufficient for you during your college years.
As St. Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, “it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” That’s my prayer for every single Christian college student in America! May God use us for his will and for sharing the Gospel with others.
It is my hope that God would equip our college students in fighting against the devil, our sinful flesh, and this hostile world. The fields are ripe for harvest on your college campus; give thanks to God that he uses us—Christian college students—to reach out a lost generation (i.e. Gen Z) who needs Jesus. May we heed God’s call for the Fall 2021 semester.
Soli Deo Gloria. To God Alone the Glory