{"id":5384,"date":"2026-04-28T10:36:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T14:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/studentlife\/?p=5384"},"modified":"2026-04-28T10:36:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T14:36:28","slug":"importance-of-community-in-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/studentlife\/2026\/04\/28\/importance-of-community-in-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Each Other Up: Why Christian Community Matters in College (and How To Find It at Cedarville)"},"content":{"rendered":"

When asked\u00a0what\u00a0their favorite thing about Cedarville\u00a0is, students often respond \u201cthe community!\u201d What makes the community\u00a0at\u00a0Cedarville special? And how can you make the most of it during your time here?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Builds a Strong Community?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cedarville students\u00a0share\u00a0our most important\u00a0characteristic: our faith. The depth of community here finds its roots in this common identity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the Bible speaks about life in community, it typically refers to the local church (see Acts\u00a0<\/span>2:42\u201347<\/span><\/a>;\u00a0<\/span>4:32\u201335<\/span><\/a>). Christ\u2019s reconciling work on the cross saves people primarily to a relationship with God and secondarily to\u00a0<\/span>one another<\/span><\/i>. This reconciliation of people creates the body of Christ, the\u00a0Church.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our\u00a0shared life in the\u00a0Church points to a truth about how God designed humans:\u00a0We have an ingrained need for human relationships. While no other social group should ever replace the local church, college is\u00a0a great place\u00a0to live out this God-given capacity for community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cedarville\u2019s unique environment offers students an incredible place to build faith-driven friendships with other believers of a similar age.\u00a0No other time in your life will compare. Not only that, but you are sure to find other students with the same passions and hobbies. What are some ways to connect with others who share your interests on campus?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Connecting on Campus<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Just coming to Cedarville automatically incorporates you into the wider campus community. It may take more intentional effort to find\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span><\/i>group of people.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0okay! The best thing to do is to get involved right off the bat\u00a0\u2014\u00a0meet\u00a0your\u00a0Sting\u00a0Group, introduce yourself to dormmates,\u00a0participate\u00a0in hall events, and take advantage of on-campus events like the ice cream social and ALT\u00a0Nights. Here are some\u00a0campus\u00a0<\/span>traditions<\/span><\/a>\u00a0you\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0miss.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0University holds an involvement fair at the start of every school year for students. The fair hosts dozens of\u00a0<\/span>campus organizations<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0providing\u00a0opportunities for involvement in student organizations with different focuses, like\u00a0sports, academic, and professional\u00a0orgs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The involvement fair also puts a variety of\u00a0<\/span>local ministries<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on display, including mentorship, elderly, special needs, jail, sports, medical, college evangelism, and youth-related ministries. These provide chances\u00a0for\u00a0you\u00a0to serve and share the\u00a0Gospel using your own unique passions and interests.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And just in case\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0looking for more ways to involve yourself, here is a list of different\u00a0<\/span>opportunities<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for student life on campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

A group of guys who I serve with in a Cedarville local ministry (the Springfield Soccer Outreach). These guys have become some of my best friends.<\/p><\/div>\n

Cedarville offers a plethora of great opportunities for students to get involved and meet others on campus.\u00a0But what about finding a local church?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Connecting\u00a0With a Local Church<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Why is finding a church body during your time here so important? Jesus loved the\u00a0Church and gave\u00a0Himself up for her (Ephesians\u00a05:25\u201326). He redeemed all Christians through\u00a0His blood (Ephesians\u00a01:7) and reconciled all of them to another in\u00a0His body, the\u00a0Church (Ephesians\u00a02:13-22). All Christians become part of this body\u00a0on the basis of\u00a0their faith in Christ.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Church is a diverse, worldwide body<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>which also\u00a0expresses itself in local congregations. Every local church\u00a0represents\u00a0a unique sliver of a global family coming together to worship the same God.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, it is essential to find a\u00a0Gospel-preaching, Bible-believing church where you might grow to\u00a0maturity\u00a0in your faith and\u00a0serve\u00a0others for the sake of Christ\u00a0(Ephesians 4:11\u201314, 2 Corinthians 4:5).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you guess where you might find information on churches? You guessed it:\u00a0the involvement fair! The fair hosts dozens of churches every year. Explore the tables at the fair, ask questions, then take some time in the next few weeks to visit different congregations. The earlier you land\u00a0on a\u00a0church, the better!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0looked at how to plug into the community here at Cedarville and in a local church. Now,\u00a0what kind of relationships should you pursue during your time here?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Relationships<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

From my four years here, I have learned the importance of incorporating\u00a0different types\u00a0of relationships into my life. Here are some examples!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n