Church and College

It's that time of year again, and many of my friends are either heading back to college or attending for the first time. College can be a very fruitful time spiritually, or it can be very challenging, depending on how you approach it and what your priorities are. As I indicated in my last post, this often can have very little to do with whether you attend a "Christian" college or a secular school.

There are perhaps many things you can do to help ensure that your college years see growth rather than stagnation in your walk with God. Regular personal devotions and study of God's Word, for example. Or deep, Christ-centered relationships that provide mutual discipleship, accountability, and encouragement. One of the most essential, however, is membership in a healthy local church.

The church is, more than any other earthly institution, God's chosen arena for displaying His glory and working out His plan of redeeming a people for the praise of His name. God identifies Himself with the church to such a degree that when the risen Christ appears to Saul on the road to Damascus, he asks him, "Why are you persecuting me?" In a very real sense, to follow Jesus means to love His Body, the church.

For more on this, pick up a copy of Joshua Harris's book Stop Dating The Church!. For information on what to look for in a church, see Mark Dever's book 9 Marks of a Healthy Church or visit the website of 9Marks Ministries. Though 9Marks is primarily aimed at pastors and church leaders, it is also an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to know what a healthy church looks like. If you've just moved to a new place--such as for college--and are visiting different churches, these resources can give you ways to evaluate them.