College Students and Church Membership

Should College Students Join a Local Church by Campus if they have a Church Membership "Back Home"?

This question is often asked of me in reference to Christian students who may be coming off to college and they have a church membership “back home”.  Here are some things to consider that may help to answer the question.

Church Membership should not be kept out of sentimental value-

At the church where I serve as an elder, we all sign a Church Covenant before joining the church.
One of the things we agree to when we join the church is,

“We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.”

Church membership is to be meaningful. A church gathers together, worships together, serves together, sits under God’s Word together…the local church follows Jesus together.  Our church would not be doing anyone a favor to keep their church membership in our local church if they move away.  How could they “do church” with us and carry out the commands of the Bible with us if they aren't regularly with us?  A college student shouldn't keep their church membership “back home” simply because it’s a nice reminder of where they came from.     

   

Where do you regularly gather?

At the very core of being a part of a church is regularly gathering together to worship God.  That’s what churches are-- assemblies that regularly meet together.  If you have a church membership “back home” and are now at a college campus, you need to consider where you are going to be on Sundays. If you moved from California to go to school in Washington, DC, it’s pretty clear that you won’t be flying back each Sunday for church. Hebrews 10:25 points to the necessity of regularly meeting together in the local church.  Have your membership at the church you will regularly gather at.    

Who is positioned to best keep watch over your soul?

It’s difficult for a Christian to keep the commands of Hebrews 13:17, to “obey your leaders and submit to them” if you move away. You need to find a new church and new leaders for you to live these principles out with. Furthermore, how can pastors “keep watch over your soul” and “give an account” if you are no longer there? Have your membership at the church that is positioned to shepherd you and keep watch over your soul.

College students shouldn't be thought of as a “special case”

Though the college years are a unique season of life, college students shouldn't think of themselves (or be encouraged to think of themselves) as some sort of special case.  Though a student’s time at college is limited, four years is more than long enough to plug into a local church.  Living somewhere temporarily doesn't negate the call to be in the fellowship of the local church.  Rather than being viewed as special, college students should be viewed as “normal” and should be encouraged to do what Christians “normally” do, join together with a local church.      

A word to Pastors:

You would do well to encourage your high school students and their parents to think through this before they move off to college. You certainly won’t be doing them or yourself any favor if you are attempting to keep watch over the soul of someone that isn't regularly gathering with you.  For their own spiritual good, encourage them to join a local church by their campus. If they move “back home” after graduating college, they can resign their membership at their local church by the campus and join your church again, if they choose. What you will have is a college student setting themselves up to live their 4 years in the fellowship of the local church. 

Mobilizing the Church to Evangelize on the Campus

In this series, I will give some perspective and some principles to help churches develop evangelistic ministries on college campuses. These notes are part of a breakout seminar given at the Together For The Gospel 2014 Conference.

 Recognize The Opportunity on Campus

I have spent the last 18 years of my life involved in ministry on a college campus (4 as an undergraduate and then 14 years on staff with Campus Outreach).   One of the reasons that I’ve given so much of my life to spreading the gospel on campus, is the amazing opportunity that I see to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I believe that college campuses may represent one of the most clear places for churches to encourage evangelistic ministry. Let’s think about some reasons it is such a great opportunity.

The Nations are on campus—

One of the campuses in my city has 10,000 students in it’s undergraduate programs on campus.  A population that size would be enough of a reason for a church to consider starting evangelistic ministry there. When the demographics are broken down, all 50 states are represented as well as about 144 different countries.  By going to this one campus, you can meet students from New England and the Pacific Northwest living in the same dorm.  From California to Texas, to the Southeast and the Midwest, they are all there on campus. I’ve met and had the opportunity to share the gospel with students from China, Pakistan, Morocco, Iran, and India.  You can have the opportunity to share the gospel with people from all over the world by traveling to your local college campus.

A Concentrated Community --

Not only do college campuses contain the nations, but it’s all in one concentrated place.  If you compare the average college campus to your average suburban neighborhood in America, there is a stark contrast.  In the suburbs, people live in neighborhoods and scatter over a larger area to live their lives.  They may commute 30 minutes or more to work, they commute  to the gym, to eat out, for recreation and leisure time. 

 

College Campuses are typically set up where everything someone needs is there. They are almost like “a city within a city”.  Students study, work, eat all their meals, and sleep on campus.  Their social life, their recreation (gym and intramurals), even most of their entertainment (college sports, etc) are all there in the few square miles that make up a college campus.  Any neighborhood that would present such a concentrated opportunity would be a tremendous sort of mission field for a church.  It really is an amazing opportunity for churches to do evangelistic ministry.

               

  

Consider The Time of Life -- 

Though college students may sometimes seem like “know it alls” they are still trying to figure things out.  For most it is their first time away from their homes and families.  They are in a time in their lives where they are trying to figure out what they believe and what their lives will be about.  They are training for the future (or at least they’re supposed to be) and many are ambitious to be leaders and to have an impact.  No one goes to college to stay the same. The campus culture typically promotes dialogue, open debate, and gaining exposure to new things.  From my experience, the college campus is a place where many students are willing to listen and talk about the gospel.