For Your Own Soul, Plan to Join a Church in College

A LifeWay Research study showed that 66% young adults who regularly attended church in high school stopped regularly attending church for at least 1 year between the ages of 18-22.1 Many factors might contribute to that trend.  For my purpose, I want to address the issue of those who are genuine believers and heading off to college who are a bit neutral on the importance of being regularly with the church.  There are two main things I want to say to those in that category.

First, joining a church body is healthy for your soul.  

One reason is that it is how the Lord will work to keep you trusting in him.  Hebrews 3:12-14 states, 

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

What is the way we avoid being hardened by the lies of sin?  How do we recognize that the allure of the flesh and world are dead-ends when they look so promising?  By exhorting one another every day.  In other words, the means by which God sovereignly preserves us from spiritual destruction is by giving us a desire to regularly be with the family of God.  Don't resist that desire, instead cultivate it.

Another reason it is healthy for your soul is that you were made to function in the family and body of Jesus.  Think of how often the New Testament speaks of Christians as "brothers and sisters."  This is not just a verbal tick.  It is a reminder that we have a bond with fellow believers that requires family loyalty and love towards one another.  It is in this social context that we do the work of Christian love and community.  We meet needs. We encourage one another.  We correct one another. We rejoice with one another.  We weep with one another.  This all happens as we are around one another and in the body with Jesus as our head. 

All of this entails membership in the family or body of Christ.  Just as no family member or body part is only loosely connected, so, too, no believer is to remain loosely connected to the church (i.e., anonymous, uninvolved, or uncommitted).  What if your liver suddenly decided it didn't want to be connected to the rest of the body or that it was too busy to do its part?  Each member is made to function together.

Second, make a plan to attend and join a church.

This is the second main thing I want to say.  Many genuine Christians come to college with ideas of joining a church, but then life happens.  They get busy, and they establish new habits which don't include regularly gathering with the church family.  It is not unusual for me to meet a college student who is a senior, and who tells me that he had planned to join a church.  Here it is 3 years later, and he is just now following through.  He regrets the wasted time.  How many corrections, encouragements, and family meals (communion) he missed?  How many opportunities to do good to the household of faith were announced that he never heard?  I am glad these students desire to reunite with their spiritual family, even it is a bit late in the game.  So, if you are in this category, it's not too late, even if it is later than you planned. As they say, "better late than never."

A quick word on habits.  Habits are intentional and regular practices used to direct our lives to the things we value most.  They are more than good intentions.  When you move for school or find that you can set up new habits, be thoughtful.  List what God wants your life directed towards.  Then add other things that you desire.  After that, plan practices which will lead your life towards these goals.  This takes mental effort and self-discipline.  You won't coast into good habits.  If you want to be an excellent musician, you must plan and discipline yourself.  You must develop practices to direct your life towards that end.  As a Christian, you will want to be like Christ and to love and serve his church - the ones he loves.  So, make gathering with the church a regular habit!


1. The question was asked, "Did you stop attending church regularly (twice a month or more) for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22?"  (This was asked to young adults age 23-30 who attend protest church consistently for at least 1 year in high school).