On Campus: My First Weeks

On a Christian Campus

I’ve only been at college for a few weeks, but I’m already amazed at the community here at Concordia. There are daily worship opportunities, including morning chapel and evening prayer and praise. Even though I’m just a freshman still learning where everything is, the fact that I’m surrounded by fellow believers makes me feel comfortable wherever I go (and whenever I get lost). The girls that I live with are wonderful; they’re talented, unique, and a lot of fun to be around.

One Friday, we watched a movie and played games until midnight, and while the rest of the dorm was quiet, we sat on the floor, talking, laughing and eating junk food. The topics ranged from deep issues like 9/11 to silly ones like celebrity boyfriends and required traits for future husbands. Eventually, we started sharing our favorite Bible verses. Before everyone went to bed, we held hands and prayed for one another. We all felt so moved by the Spirit and closer to the girls around us. What started with M&Ms and a card game ended with an extraordinary experience of fellowship.

Scripture talks about this kind of fellowship a number of times. Depending on the translation, fellowship is mentioned as few as eight times or as many as ninety-six times. The first instance of fellowship in the New Testament occurs in Acts, shortly after Pentecost, when Luke says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). A majority of the verses mentioning fellowship, however, talk about the fellowship that we have with God. Those two ideas of fellowship (with God and with one another) both exist because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross. Jesus death and resurrection repaired our broken relationship with God, allowing us to fellowship with the Creator of the universe. Jesus is also the reason for our genuine fellowship with one another. “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

By K.M.