Why Should Students Join a Church While at College?

By Tim Richardson

Church membership for college students can be tricky.  Many college students wonder, “What’s the point?” or see it as an outdated tradition. Others are worried that their parents, pastor, or family friends back home will have a troubling response to their thought of “moving their membership.”  We don’t hard sell our students on a formal, walking down the isle, moving your letter type of membership, but we do sell them on the fact that they need a church home in the community where their college is located.  We do encourage them to officially join the church if it won’t be a problem with parents. Regardless, we primarily promote the fact that church membership is a life lived out not a signed piece of paper.  You are a member of this church by virtue of your dedication and commitment to this place.  Every college student should find a place like this, a place they can attach themselves to while away at college.  Here are two compelling reasons why they should make “attaching” a priority.

1.       The church needs them.  The church needs the vitality, energy, passion, time, creativity, talents and spiritual gifts that college students bring to the table.  They too were given a spiritual gift at conversion with the expectation of using that in the local body.  We need them to be the hands, feet, noses or ears they were created to be.

2.       They need the church. Though they may not know it, college students need the wisdom, protection, teaching and relationships that are found in the church. They need spiritual leaders who will feed them the Truth of God’s Word and watch out for their spiritual well being. They need older people who will pour their lives out and disciple them. They need younger kids in whom they can pour their lives out into as well.

College students are notorious for being fickle church hoppers.  We need to help them understand and embrace the importance of local church attaching.

The intent of the team blog website and format is to aid collegiate/young adult leaders in their ministry to college age students in Texas.  The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention does not necessarily agree with or condone all of the thoughts in every blog written by ministers, they simply are providing a platform for resources and thoughts to be shared through this blogging opportunity. If you have any questions contact our offices.