Christians in college
A surprisingly interesting take from Time magazine:
College is traditionally a time of transition and new freedoms, the years when young people have to figure out for the first time who they are. The task is even more complex for the growing number of devout young Christians on secular college campuses who feel called to approach this time in a way that sets them apart. They draw inspiration from Paul's letter to the Romans:"Do not be conformed to this world." But the Bible gives few details on how to navigate the collegiate world in 2005, leaving Christians to grapple with tough questions as they try to integrate their beliefs--and themselves--into college life..more>>
4 Comments:
aw nuts...not a Time subscriber so I don't get to see the article :^(
~Po
I'm not a subscriber and it let's me through...dunno.
Yup, subscription required to see the rest of the article.
Looks like I'll have to go sit in a Doctor's office and read the rest... (I'm Kidding... i'll go to Wal-Mart and stand in the magazine aisle).
Seriously though, It's tough at a tiny little Christian college. I couldn't imagine the pressures at a big state school. I found out some things that just made me sad yesterday. Apparently the apartment that a couple of our younger (sophomores) ministry majors live in around campus has been the "Hot Spot" for parties all year/semester long. One guy is just living with his girlfriend (both ministry majors), as if it's not a big deal.
This goes on a lot at Warner (and i'm sure other places). It's not just ministry majors either, it's "Christians" in general. It's to the point where the basketball team and baseball team (always notorious for partying), parties with the so called "Christian Crowd" on a weekly basis. Setting a real good example huh?
I had this very discussion last night with 3 friends of mine as we sat in 4 hours of traffic on I-4 in Tampa. We concluded that there was (outside of the 4 of us in the car), maybe only 5 others in our ministry department that we could feel okay about giving a positive reference if someone inquired about them for a ministry position.
I'm just not sure at what point it became (or so they think) okay for Christians, future ministers, to not "set themselves apart" from the world. I understand everyone makes bad decisions, and there are plenty of things that people look back on and realize they made a grave mistake. But for it to be an ongoing decision that is so radically against the grain of everything you are learning in your classes to prepare you for ministry, I just don't understand that.
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