I have been blessed to spend good time with leaders of Christian schools and outstanding youth pastors. Having the chance to talk about their ministries and the impact that their ministry has on the youth is exciting. However, there always seems to be a sad note when I ask about their youth who go to college. Do they continue in their faith? Time and time again, the leaders share stories about how many of their top students and spiritual leaders in their youth group or school end up turning their backs on their faith within the first semester of college.
As a result, I have been thinking out loud with others about the best ways to prepare youth in your church or school for what they will face when they attend college. Preparing teenagers for the transition to college while helping them maintain their faith can be a significant challenge, but with intentional strategies, youth pastors and churches can provide robust support. Here are some practical ways to prepare teens for college and support their spiritual journey:
- Spiritual Foundation Building:
- Deepen Biblical Knowledge: Offer Bible study classes that go deeper into Scripture, address complex questions and doubts that might arise in a college setting.
- Teach Apologetics: Equip teens with apologetics training to help them understand, defend, and articulate their faith in a context that may challenge their beliefs.
- Foster a Strong Prayer Life:
- Prayer Workshops: Conduct workshops or retreats focused on developing a personal prayer life, emphasizing the importance of continual communication with God.
- Prayer Partners: Pair teens with prayer partners from the church community who will commit to praying for them regularly and maintaining contact.
- Develop Critical Thinking:
- Discussion Groups: Facilitate discussion groups that tackle tough philosophical and ethical questions, encouraging open dialogue about faith and doubts.
- Encourage Questions: Create a safe space where teens can express their doubts and questions without judgment, helping them work through uncertainties rather than suppressing them.
- Cultivate Community Connections:
- Connect with Campus Ministries: Provide information and encourage involvement with Christian groups on college campuses, such as InterVarsity, Cru, or local church college ministries.
- Build a Support Network: Help teens build a network of Christian friends and mentors who can provide support and guidance during their college years.
- Offer Practical Life Skills Training:
- Life Skills Workshops: Organize workshops on practical life skills like budget management, healthy eating, and time management to help teens feel more prepared for the independence of college life.
- Stress Management: Teach techniques for managing stress and anxiety, which are common in college settings.
- Parental Involvement:
- Parent Seminars: Educate parents on how they can support their teens’ faith through college, discussing the importance of communication, encouragement, and providing a spiritual home base.
- Family Faith Talks: Encourage families to have regular discussions about faith, life challenges, and how to maintain spiritual health.
- Service and Mission Focus:
- Service Projects: Engage teens in service projects that demonstrate the practical application of their faith in helping others, reinforcing the relevance and impact of their beliefs.
- Mission Trips: Offer mission trips or service opportunities that challenge teens and expose them to new cultural and spiritual experiences.
- Continual Engagement:
- Follow-Up Contacts: Plan for regular check-ins by youth leaders with college students through calls, messages, or visits.
- Home Church Visits: Encourage college students to visit and engage with their home church when they are on breaks. Possibly offer roles in services or projects that allow them to reconnect and share their experiences.
- Encourage Journaling and Reflection:
- Spiritual Journals: Encourage teens to keep a spiritual journal to document their journey, struggles, and reflections, which can help them process their experiences and see God’s work in their lives.
By implementing these strategies, youth pastors and churches can equip teens not just to survive but to thrive spiritually in college, maintaining and even deepening their faith through the challenges and opportunities of higher education.
Does your church intentionally work with high school students to prepare them for college? If so, what do you do? What have you found that is effective? Do you keep in contact with your youth after they start attending college?
Any comments or ideas would be well appreciated by your colleagues nationwide. [email protected]
Eyes on Him,
Dr. Bill Brown
Scholar in Residence