I remember it like it was yesterday. I had just finished up my first year of college. Freshman year complete and in the books. Now it was time to head home. After one year of “living life on my own” I thought heading home would be nice and that I would enjoy my summer. Well, I did, but there was one thing I experienced that summer that I did not expect. What was it? I missed my church family.

This was a weird and unexpected reality for me, seeing that the church I was “coming home” to I had grown up in since birth. But the reality was for the first time in my life, while I was away at college, I built relationships with other adults who had never known me as a kid and treated me as a friend, adopted grandkid, and more. Thinking this was normal I asked a few of my buddies who had been away at college if they had the same experience. The results of those conversations revealed that I was the outlier. The abnormal one. The one who had a unique experience, but why.

As I dug into these conversations and interacted with my friends throughout the rest of the summer I realized one major theme. All of them believed one of the 4 Myths that Keep College Students from Joining a Church. Which is why I appreciate Jim Davis’ insight in his article.

If you are a college student and probably heading home right about this time of year I have two words of advice: 1) Enjoy your home church this summer (if you don’t have one get one), 2) Begin preparation for next semester – research a few churches close to campus, ask a few college friends where they go, and make a plan for which churches to visit upon your return including dates.

If you are a pastor of a church in a college town or area use this summer to think through and make a strategy on how to best welcome, include, disciple, and give opportunities for college students to serve in the church this next school year.

Enjoy the article and as always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!