Cedarville seems to be the PERFECT place to grow in your spiritual walk. With chapel every day, Bible minor classes, and intentional community, surely your faith will grow, right? And did I mention one-on-ones with your RA, weekly meetings with your discipleship group, and verses on the bathroom mirror in your unit?
While all of these things and many more at Cedarville provide great opportunities to get involved on campus and learn more about your faith, they are not what builds a person’s spiritual foundation. Many Cedarville students grew up learning a lot about Jesus, and then easily transition to Cedarville where they find biblical integration in every single course.
So why is it that some people walk away from the faith after their time at Christian schools?
College is a stage in everyone’s life where their faith is put to the test, even at Cedarville. They may ask questions such as:
Why do I believe what I believe?
What is my source of truth?
Is believing in Jesus worth all I will have to give up?
Those that grow up in a Christian home will all come to the point in their life where they realize that the faith that their parents instilled in them as a child is no longer enough to sustain them. You may ask yourself, “I know that whole faith thing works for Mom and Dad, but what do I believe?”
Cedarville offers an abundance of opportunities for community, biblical education, and accountability, but everyone must come to the point in their journey where they take ownership of their faith. The community at Cedarville supports students’ faith, but a tree without roots is unable to stand on its own. Each student at Cedarville must decide that the Bible is not only the source of all truth, but that it is the place where they will filter their view of the world.
This all sounds great, but you may wonder, how do I do this? How can I make my faith my own? Aren’t we supposed to live in community?
Here are some ways to make your faith your own at Cedarville:
Time in the Word
The Lord has given us His Word as a guide to know Him, interact with the world, and live as Christians. It allows us to learn who He is, recognize our own sinfulness, and properly respond to Him. How can Scripture be our foundation if we don’t read it for ourselves?
Prayer
Prayer is the way we communicate with God as we praise Him for who He is, thank Him for how He has blessed us, and ask Him to provide us with what we need. I have found that when my prayer life is consistent, I am more patient, more grateful, and more loving. Prayer is a constant reminder to me that I need the Lord in every activity of every day.
Accountability
Cedarville makes it easy to get connected with others through d-groups, mentoring programs, and frequent one-on-ones. But without intentionality on our part in the form of vulnerability about sin and being open to correction, these friendships will not help us to establish a stronger foundation in the Lord. Accountability can help us grow in our faith when we choose to be intentional.
Serving
One of the places where my faith has truly come alive at Cedarville has been in my ministry with global outreach. Within my first semester as a freshman at Cedarville, I got involved with a jail ministry. This has had a significant impact on me as it has helped me to solidify why I believe what I believe. When I am serving others with the love of Christ, the depravity of humanity and their need for the Lord becomes much more real to me. When I see the gospel transform the broken, I am not only reminded of its power to change others, but I am reminded of my constant need for grace.
Cedarville is an incredible place where people are transformed by the power of the Gospel. But far too many students graduate having never taken ownership of their faith. As our President, Dr. White, often says, “God has no spiritual grandchildren.” May we take advantage of the opportunities we have at Cedarville to grow in our faith as we are pursuing the Lord on our own each day.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life: whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 3:36
Majoring in Social Work, Class of 2022
Where I’m From: Reynoldsburg, OH
Favorite Class: Biblical Care and Counseling
Go-To Rinnova Order: Frozen Hot Chocolate
Tags: #experience, #faith, #personal
Posted in: Religion