Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
MORE COLLEGE STUDENTS WALKING AWAY FROM CHRISTIANITY
"Allison Lynn grew up attending an Assemblies of God church with her family. But when she moved from home to go to Texas State University in San Marcos, she walked away from her faith.
"I wanted to experience college life and all that went with it," Lynn says. "I knew in my heart I couldn't do some of the things [other college students] were doing and still call myself a Christian. So I just decided I didn't want anything to do with God."
The binge drinking, drugs and relationships Lynn pursued didn't bring her the freedom she craved. Instead, she spent much of her college career feeling as though something was missing.
At the urging of her younger sister, Lynn started attending Chi Alpha her junior year and eventually rededicated her life to Christ. Now a senior at TSU, Lynn hopes to become a youth pastor and help other young people avoid the mistakes she made.
"I see a lot of students doing the same things," she says. "They have a void in their lives that they're trying to fill with the wrong things. I drank alcohol until I threw up. What I really needed was God in my life."
Lynn's story is not unusual. An alarming number of college students are severing ties with the church. Some, such as Lynn, later return to the faith. Others walk away permanently.
More than two-thirds of Protestant young adults exit the church between the ages of 18 and 22, according to a recent report by LifeWay Research, a branch of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Among the chief reasons young adults gave for quitting church - one in four mentioned the transition to college, while 22 percent said they moved too far from church to keep attending and 27 percent said they just wanted a break. Another 23 percent named work responsibilities as the primary factor.
"The years immediately following high school graduation often determine the course of a person's life as decisions are made about careers, lifestyles and spouses," says George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. "It's a tragic loss when a young person walks away from the body of believers during this crucial time. We must pray and do our best to not let that happen."
Wood says approximately 60,000 AG youth are expected to graduate from high school next spring. National statistics indicate 50 to 70 percent will leave the faith within four years. Among those who attend evangelical colleges, however, the percentage is only about 5 percent.
"The temptations [on a secular campus] can be so strong during the college years," says Dennis Gaylor, national director of Chi Alpha campus ministries. "It's easy to fall away if you don't connect with other Christians early."
Gaylor says the relationships that first-year college students form during the initial weeks of school are often the ones that continue to influence them during their entire four-year stay. Those who are part of Chi Alpha try to make connections quickly, even offering to carry students' luggage as soon as they arrive on campus."
This is why it is so important to plug into a group like CCNSMSU early on in your college career. You can discover more about your faith, get deeply rooted in it, really making it your own. In addition, you can be trained to help others discover how they also can be born-again.
Join us on the first floor student center coffee shop, 7:00 PM each Monday night for prayer, Bible Study, and outreach.
"I wanted to experience college life and all that went with it," Lynn says. "I knew in my heart I couldn't do some of the things [other college students] were doing and still call myself a Christian. So I just decided I didn't want anything to do with God."
The binge drinking, drugs and relationships Lynn pursued didn't bring her the freedom she craved. Instead, she spent much of her college career feeling as though something was missing.
At the urging of her younger sister, Lynn started attending Chi Alpha her junior year and eventually rededicated her life to Christ. Now a senior at TSU, Lynn hopes to become a youth pastor and help other young people avoid the mistakes she made.
"I see a lot of students doing the same things," she says. "They have a void in their lives that they're trying to fill with the wrong things. I drank alcohol until I threw up. What I really needed was God in my life."
Lynn's story is not unusual. An alarming number of college students are severing ties with the church. Some, such as Lynn, later return to the faith. Others walk away permanently.
More than two-thirds of Protestant young adults exit the church between the ages of 18 and 22, according to a recent report by LifeWay Research, a branch of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Among the chief reasons young adults gave for quitting church - one in four mentioned the transition to college, while 22 percent said they moved too far from church to keep attending and 27 percent said they just wanted a break. Another 23 percent named work responsibilities as the primary factor.
"The years immediately following high school graduation often determine the course of a person's life as decisions are made about careers, lifestyles and spouses," says George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. "It's a tragic loss when a young person walks away from the body of believers during this crucial time. We must pray and do our best to not let that happen."
Wood says approximately 60,000 AG youth are expected to graduate from high school next spring. National statistics indicate 50 to 70 percent will leave the faith within four years. Among those who attend evangelical colleges, however, the percentage is only about 5 percent.
"The temptations [on a secular campus] can be so strong during the college years," says Dennis Gaylor, national director of Chi Alpha campus ministries. "It's easy to fall away if you don't connect with other Christians early."
Gaylor says the relationships that first-year college students form during the initial weeks of school are often the ones that continue to influence them during their entire four-year stay. Those who are part of Chi Alpha try to make connections quickly, even offering to carry students' luggage as soon as they arrive on campus."
This is why it is so important to plug into a group like CCNSMSU early on in your college career. You can discover more about your faith, get deeply rooted in it, really making it your own. In addition, you can be trained to help others discover how they also can be born-again.
Join us on the first floor student center coffee shop, 7:00 PM each Monday night for prayer, Bible Study, and outreach.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What is CCNSMSU?
Check out this video, and come to our next CCNSMSU Meeting @ the coffee shop, 1st floor, student center, 7:00 Monday Jan. 21st. Be there!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
President Proclaims January 16 “Religious Freedom Day”
January 15, 2008
SAUDI ARABIA – President George W. Bush has proclaimed January 16, 2008, Religious Freedom Day.
In a proclamation released by the White House during President Bush’s visit to Saudi Arabia, he called on all Americans, “to reflect on the great blessing of religious liberty, endeavor to preserve this freedom for future generations, and commemorate this day with appropriate events and activities.”
President Bush added, “In an era during which an unprecedented number of nations have embraced individual freedom, we have also witnessed the stubborn endurance of religious repression. Religious freedom belongs not to any one nation, but to the world, and my Administration continues to support freedom of worship at home and abroad. On Religious Freedom Day and throughout the year, we recognize the importance of religious freedom and the vital role it plays in spreading liberty and ensuring human dignity.”
On Religious Freedom Day Americans celebrate the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which greatly influenced the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, promising religious freedom to all Americans.
“How interesting that President Bush would announce this proclamation from Saudi Arabia, which is consistently one of the worst persecutors of Christians in the world,” said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. “This is an important day to thank God for the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. It’s also an opportunity to remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in restricted nations, like Saudi Arabia, where they are persecuted, arrested and sometimes even killed simply for being a follower of Christ.”
Pray for Christians in restricted nations who risk their all because of their relationship with Christ. Ask God to protect them and give them grace to remain faithful in spite of persecution. You can encourage persecuted Christians in a practical way by writing letters to Christian prisoners in restricted nations at www.prisoneralert.com.
Take advantage of your freedoms today, SMSU students! You have the right to pray, to read the Bible, and to share your faith with others! Pastor John will be on campus today passing out Bibles and tracts, so look for me and join me!
SAUDI ARABIA – President George W. Bush has proclaimed January 16, 2008, Religious Freedom Day.
In a proclamation released by the White House during President Bush’s visit to Saudi Arabia, he called on all Americans, “to reflect on the great blessing of religious liberty, endeavor to preserve this freedom for future generations, and commemorate this day with appropriate events and activities.”
President Bush added, “In an era during which an unprecedented number of nations have embraced individual freedom, we have also witnessed the stubborn endurance of religious repression. Religious freedom belongs not to any one nation, but to the world, and my Administration continues to support freedom of worship at home and abroad. On Religious Freedom Day and throughout the year, we recognize the importance of religious freedom and the vital role it plays in spreading liberty and ensuring human dignity.”
On Religious Freedom Day Americans celebrate the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which greatly influenced the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, promising religious freedom to all Americans.
“How interesting that President Bush would announce this proclamation from Saudi Arabia, which is consistently one of the worst persecutors of Christians in the world,” said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs. “This is an important day to thank God for the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. It’s also an opportunity to remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in restricted nations, like Saudi Arabia, where they are persecuted, arrested and sometimes even killed simply for being a follower of Christ.”
Pray for Christians in restricted nations who risk their all because of their relationship with Christ. Ask God to protect them and give them grace to remain faithful in spite of persecution. You can encourage persecuted Christians in a practical way by writing letters to Christian prisoners in restricted nations at www.prisoneralert.com.
Take advantage of your freedoms today, SMSU students! You have the right to pray, to read the Bible, and to share your faith with others! Pastor John will be on campus today passing out Bibles and tracts, so look for me and join me!
Friday, January 11, 2008
1st Meeting
The 1st Meeting of CCNSMSU will be very informal, as we are in the process of gaining approval from Student Activities.
It will be held on the 2nd floor of the student center, on the couches, by the fireplace. Come and meet us there at 7:00 PM Monday, January 14th. We will have prayer for the campus, Bible study, and a run-thru of what CCNSMSU is all about.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Introduction
Allow myself to introduce....me
My name is John Chisham, and I am a Pastor in Marshall, MN
I am also the CCN Campus leader for SMSU!
What is CCN you ask?
CCN is a campus ministry whose main goal it is to train Christian students how to be biblical Christians. So many students leave their homes and go to college, and when they leave home, they leave the 'faith of their fathers'...because it really was not theirs to begin with. Many students cannot even articulate why they believe!
It is our goal, through careful Bible training, discussion, and practical experiences to help build up a new generation of Biblical Christians at SMSU!
What is a Biblical Christian?
I am glad you asked. A Biblical Christian is one who has repented of their sins, trusted Jesus alone for their salvation, and has evidence of being Born Again by the way that they live their lives!
A Biblical Christian......
-continually communicates with God in prayer
-can't get enough of the Bible
-relies on the power of the Holy Spirit
-loves to be in fellowship with other believers
-produces fruit in keeping with repentance
-shares their faith (Evangelism)
How do you build a biblical Christian? Its simple. You practice, together, weekly. Its called equipping, and it is the job of the local church. We come alongside the local church on college campuses to equip you to be all that you can be through the Lord Jesus Christ while you are at college.
If you are a born again believer, CCNSMSU is for you.
If you want to grow in your faith, CCNSMSU is for you.
If you want to learn how to share your faith effectively and biblically, CCNSMSU is for you.
If you want to fellowship with other Christians CCNSMSU is for you!
If you want solid apologetics to help defend your faith, CCNSMSU is for you.
We hope you will come check us out! watch this blog for more information.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The Four Letter Word That Keeps People From Coming to Christ
If you could sum up in one word what it is that is stopping most of this world from coming to Christ, what would that word be? Perhaps you would say “unbelief,” or “rebellion” or “sin.” True, but I believe that it is “lust” that is at the forefront of sin. The Bible says that the corruption we see in the world has its roots in lust (see 2 Peter 1:14). It is the burning and shining light for Hollywood, Soap Operas, the Internet, magazine covers, TV programs, car advertising, the sale of clothes and popular music and contemporary culture. In 2 Peter 3:3 we are told that the reason men mock God is because they love their lust. So, what would make any sane man turn from lust’s powerful pleasure? Two things: One is that we can never separate lust from death. If we embrace lust, we embrace death.
A realization of that eternal truth should cause common sense to kick in, in the human brain. No sane man wants to embrace death and on top of that, eternal damnation. The second reason a man walks away from the pleasures of lust is the knowledge of what it cost the Savior for our forgiveness. If my father sold everything he had to raise money to pay a fine for me to get out of prison, what sort of wretch would I be to go straight back into crime, because I enjoyed it?
The Prodigal son made a sensible choice. The Bible says that he “came to himself.” When is comes down to it, that’s the point to which we are trying to bring the lost. We want them to exercise common sense (now there’s an oxymoron). All we are saying, is, “Come to your senses and call on the Name of the Lord. He will not only change your unclean desires, but He will also save you from death and Hell.” When the power of the Gospel changes a sinful and lust-loving heart, no amount of atheistic whining or evolutionary silliness comes close to making a Christian even slightly doubt the reality of God.
Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
By Ray Comfort
Monday, January 7, 2008
Welcome to CHANGE Collegian Network (CCN) Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU)!
Did you know that according to the late Dr. Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, "Only 2% of believers in America regularly share their faith in Christ with others." Newlife (pg 65)
Are you part of that 2%?
If not, you can be! Get equipped to share your faith with everyone from atheists to devout Hindus, and learn how you can be obedient to our most sobering task. Plus, join us for worship and get rooted and grounded in your faith by studying the Word of God!
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." - Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15)
Check back for more information about CCN SMSU!
For more information, contact jbcrev@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
