Frosh Orientation on Keeping the Faith
by
Motte Brown
on Sep 14, 2007 at 12:19 PM
While scanning my usual blog haunts to find topics, events or news items which I believe may be of interest for our Boundless Line readers, I happened across this one from Mere Comments. It's about an article from an old acquaintance of mine, Kevin Offner, on making the most out of college.
As Mere Comments describes, Kevin is "a veteran of the college campus, and a veteran working with InterVarsity." And though this is more for college freshmen, I believe the advice is worth consideration from all classes.
He begins with the obvious but needed admonition to love Jesus. He writes that your greatest priority is to put yourself in a position where you can hear and respond to the Lord.
Here's how:
- Develop the habit of setting aside time to be alone with the Lord in prayer and Bible study. Of course we can commune with God throughout the day, and we mustn't compartmentalize our lives between the "spiritual" and "secular," but every important relationship needs a regular time of concentrated focus.
- Take the idea of the Sabbath seriously. ... The point here is not legalism, but rather that a habit of intentionally refraining from work is a continual reminder to us of our need for God. Why not keep a day a week (Sunday is a good choice) to worship with others, rest, write snail-mail letters, take long walks, drop in on friends, read fiction or play with children? Spend concentrated time in prayer, reflecting on your last week and preparing for the upcoming week. Keeping a day a week to rest is giving God the first fruits of your time, showing him that you trust him to help you accomplish all he is calling you to do.
Offner also advises to practice instant obedience, to value people, to tell people about Jesus, and to study hard. And on this last point, study hard, he says Christians have to do more than the usual course work because they have the responsibility to filter everything they've heard through a biblical worldview.
A Christian student has to work extra hard. Not only must you do all the mandatory reading and writing required of all your colleagues, but you must further reflect, with a Christian mind, about the various truth claims which are being made. How is what you’re learning compatible with a Christian world view? What bearing does your loyalty to Jesus play in the way you think about issues or moral dilemmas presented in class?
For more help examining various truth claims in the college environment from a Christian worldview, check out TrueU.org. Here's their "welcome."
You've heard it before: Students enter college Christian, but graduate atheist, Buddhist, Jedi, whatever.
TrueU.org is a community for college students who want to know and confidently discuss the Christian worldview. Our hope is that you'll graduate with your faith not only intact, but stronger than it was before.
1. KJ had the following to say on Sep 14 at 8:33 PM:
I find it ironic that this post, which suggests having a restful Sabbath each week, comes on the heels of "From Consumers to Initiators," which encourages people to get MORE involved in their church and invest more time and effort into ministry.
I often struggle with the fact that I am so busy with ministries that take up most of the day on Sunday (after spending Saturday doing the regular work that needs to be done around the house) that I start the next week tired and frustrated. It seems that for the Christian who is truly invested in ministry, there is no "day of rest."
Is going to church supposed to be "restful"? Because there are times I feel cheated because I spend all week working at my job, Saturday working around the house, and Sunday working at church, whereas an unsaved individual who doesn't attend church can do house/yard work on Saturday and just loaf all day Sunday. Even if I weren't involved in ministries, I would still feel obligated to attend all the services - which takes up most of the day.
2. Katie had the following to say on Sep 15 at 12:22 PM:
KJ - just a question - why do you feel obligated to attend all of the services?
With the whole "burned out" thing - I totally understand where you are coming from. I spent a large part of my freshman and part of my sophomore year feeling frenzied with the "activities" of ministries. One day, I realized that I was so busy attending meetings and leading Bible studies and going door-to-door that I didn't have much time just to spend building relationships and having fun with the girls in my dorm, who were the whole reason I had even decided to return to the dorms at my secular university. Then I came across a passage in 1 Cor. that really helped me to recenter my priorities and remember who I really am in Christ. Long story short, Paul refers to the people as his "work" given to him by God in ch. 9. The people were his ministry, not programs. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think that programs are a bad thing. But they can easily overwhelm and distract us from the very thing we are trying to accomplish through them, without our even knowing it. They should be a tool, but not an end in and of themselves. I would encourage you not to feel obligated to do everything if you are feeling too overwhelmed. Thinking of ministry as bringing people closer to Christ and building relationships with them instead of primarily as programs the church offers might help. Just something that helped me :)
3. Katie had the following to say on Sep 15 at 10:42 PM:
As a student, I made it a priority to NOT do homework or work (I was teaching full-time and working on my MA part-time) on Sunday. Instead I concentrated on fellowship and worship. This was a *huge* blessing to me through those two years. I wouldn't change that part of it one bit.
I'm now in a job where working Sundays is unavoidable (health & human service jobs are like that) and Scripturally justifiable (outside of legalism). I am working to carve out that "day of rest" 'cause I absolutely need it. Emotionally. Spiritually. Mentally. Physically.
4. Kyle had the following to say on Sep 16 at 2:00 PM:
I'm a campus minister, and something I stress to the students under my charge is the difference between being the church and just attending church. I encourage them to approach the Sunday time of worship as a launching pad for their weeks, and I also place great emphasis on time management and teaching them how to structure their activities. If we are not being fully human and enjoying the sights, sounds and experiences which God has given us, in the collegiate life and beyond, we are shortchanging ourselves, as well as others who can benefit from real relationships with God-chasing people. No one can be a light if he or she is constantly burnt out.