Prepared to be surprised. Whatever you know about your faith, there is more to learn. You stop learning and you stop growing and you begin to wilt. College brings new and healthy questions. Questions that God wants you to confront in order to grow, but you don't grow alone. That's where campus ministries come in. If you seek out a healthy ministry from the start, you'll find your college life will be much more dynamic.
A college fellowship will blow out the walls of your faith. Your life is about to get a lot bigger. Classes will expose you to ideas, information, and concepts that you never considered before. Those new ideas, questions, and even the challenges will lead you to ask new questions about God, and, surprise, God has answers. I guarantee you that your picture of God is too small. You have been content with small answers because your questions have been small. That's all going to change, and if it doesn't your faith will not fare well.
Campus ministries are full of believers going through the same challenges and exploring the same issues as you are. They will be a great source of strength and encouragement. These groups are led by campus pastors who will help you navigate the Scriptures as you grow and help with practical guidance.
I often tell our students that you won't survive adult life with a Sunday school faith. I'm not putting down Sunday school, but it's goal was to help children begin to understand the faith. You are no longer a child and now you need stronger stuff. Campus ministries will supply that.
You also need spiritual friendships. People you can trust who will be there to listen, to pray, and to drop everything if you need help. You also need to be that kind of spiritual friend to others. It's how God created us to function together. So you should look for a group that encourages small group ministry and discipleship. It is not unusual for life-long friendships to emerge from these groups.
I am part of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, and we offer these things. So does Intervarsity, Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), and Navigators. We are four large national ministries, but you will find others that fit the bill if these are not on your campus.
You should seek out a church near your campus, but I don't believe that is enough. You should fellowship with Christians within the campus environment for several reasons. First, because time passes differently on campus. A lot of life is squeezed into every week. Growth happens quickly, and it is often hard for things off campus to keep up. Secondly, college life deals with a unique set of questions, pressures, and challenges. You should surround yourself with people who have successfully had to deal with them. Third, outreach is central to the Christian life. You should plant yourself in the middle of this rich mission field and minister to those around you. Campus ministry is strategically positioned for this.
You should make the decision before you arrive on campus as to whether you want your faith to thrive or wilt. Wilting is easy. You only have to neglect your faith. If you want to grow, then plant yourself in a healthy campus ministry. Check them out during your first weeks and then commit yourself to one. You will be surprised by the results.
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