College Info For Christians

by Mike Vogt

It’s nearing  time to head off to college.But, you’ve decided NOT to attend a Christian college. Perhaps circumstances prevented you – like price, distance or opportunity – or maybe it just wasn’t your thing. It certainly doesn’t mean you’re any less of a Christian. Secular colleges are filled with Christian students and there are plenty of opportunities for them to strengthen their faith.

Here are eight tips for Christian college students who are attending secular colleges, courtesy of Christian Colleges Online:

1. Set aside time for prayer
   College is a busy time. You have to balance your studies, work and social life, so finding time to pray each day can be a challenge. But if prayer remains a high priority, you shouldn’t have trouble sacrificing some of your less important activities. Consider spending less time on Facebook or watching TV, and make use of your downtime – like the time in between classes, for example.
2. Attend church regularly
   Many college students haven’t woken up on a Sunday morning since high school. For them, Sunday morning is a time to catch up on sleep after a weekend of partying. For Christian college students, it’s time best utilized for worship. Don’t break your old habit of attending church every Sunday. Churches of different denominations are often located near campus, making it easy for students swing by.
3. Join Christian organizations
   On-campus Christian organizations enable students to come together in a Christian-friendly environment. For example, Chi Alpha is a national ministry sponsored by The Assemblies of God Church – that’s located on 300 campuses across the country. Young Life also has a presence on many campuses. Most secular colleges support ministries of different denominations; there’s a concerted effort to reach out to Christian students.
4. Choose the right friends
   They don’t have to be Christian, but make sure your friends are positive to be around and respect your beliefs. They shouldn’t shun you for not partaking in activities that make you uncomfortable. Of course, you can expand your social circle by joining on-campus Christian organizations, which are composed of like-minded students.
5. Maintain consistent contact with your family
   The people who have most influenced your commitment to faith are your family, so it’s important that you keep them in mind after you’ve gone off to college. Call, text, email and message them as much as possible, and when you visit home, attend church with them.
6. Don’t become preachy
   Just because you’re living a certain way, it doesn’t mean all of your friends should live the same way. Don’t take the holier-than-thou approach to being a Christian. Your friends are imperfect and so are you. Accept them for who they are, and they’ll accept you for who you are.
7. Enjoy your science classes
   After all, college is supposed to broaden your horizons. Although you may disagree with what is being said in regard to evolution, you should sit back, relax and enjoy the lesson. You don’t have to accept it as fact, so unless your professor or classmates attack creationism, don’t attempt to make it into a religious discussion – it would disrupt the class.
8. Stand up for your faith
   If your faith is blatantly under attack by a fellow student or professor, don’t hesitate to stand up and speak your mind. In a civil manner, do your best to convey your point of view. If someone attempts to antagonize you, take the high road and ignore them. If you think that a professor is unjustly penalizing your grade as a result of you defending your beliefs, drop the class and inform the dean of their department.

For more helpful information, check out Christian Colleges Online.

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