On a Secular Campus

In all my years of schooling, I have never enrolled in a non-Christian school. I attended a Lutheran grade school for three years, and then was home schooled for five years. After grade school, I went to a Catholic high school for one year and ended up transferring to a Lutheran High School where I graduated.

This Sunday I will be moving to new state where I will be attending a Wesleyan University. It was originally a Methodist school, but can no longer honestly be called a “Christian school.” It is a very diverse school in many ways, and I will be a Christian in a non-Christian setting. There are several things that I am concerned about. The first of which is where to go to Church. I’ve been looking for an LCMS church near my school for a while now, but to no avail.

I was talking to a new friend who will also be a freshman at my college. I asked him if he was planning on going to church while at college. He said that he had seriously considered it, but that he probably would not go by himself.

For me, personally, I know that I need some sort of Christian community to build me up. I know that it will be important to find a Christian group who I can go to church with and talk to about my faith. The people from my home congregation support me and pray for me as I leave for college. One particular couple from my church just sent me a book called, “How to Stay Christian in College” by J. Budziszewski. I’m hoping that this book will give me some insight into staying close to God and relating to others of different faiths.

Another thing that I am slightly worried about is atheist professors. I am aware that my faith will not only be challenged outside the classroom, but inside as well. I am hoping that this won’t be something I have to deal with constantly.

Recently I found out that my roommate is Muslim. Right now, I can only hope and pray that I will have opportunities to talk to her and share my faith in a respectful way. Also, I hope that my Christian faith can be strengthened from learning about her very different religious background.

All in all, I’m very excited for this new experience, and I know that God will not put things in my path that He hasn’t already prepared me for.

by H.A.