“I just can’t bring myself to trust the Bible over facts science has proven,” said one of my Christian friends. The placement of science and reason over scripture plagues secular universities. Most professors have no problem with personal faith, Christianity or other faiths, but faith must always come second to scholarly thought. This mindset constantly challenges the college student’s faith, but it is rarely through overt attack. Subtle comments and critiques of Christianity can bring the less informed Christian student to despair.

In my experience, the main reason student’s abandon belief is a lack of individual faith. Many students arrive at college thinking they are Christians simply because their parents are, but when their faith is tested, it falls apart because it has no foundation. God has blessed me by providing me with the opportunity to grow up in a great church and to go to a school where I learned both the elementary concepts of the Gospel and more complex doctrines. Having an understanding of Christianity, both in my heart and in my mind, has been extremely valuable in staying strong in my faith as a student at a public university.

During my first semester at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, I took an Introduction to Philosophy class. In that class, I came to realize how important it is to not only know what you believe, but also to know why you believe it. God calls us to live by faith, but that does not mean we cannot see the consistency and integrity of Christianity.
Despite the tremendous number of students who lose their faith in college, I have experienced a great time of personal spiritual growth in college. As a student at UNC, I have been challenged, but God has constantly proven Himself faithful. One of my greatest concerns when I arrived at college was whether I’d be able to find good Christian friends, but I was quickly able to become involved in a Bible study and accountability group. I have found that having a core group of Christian friends is an important part of remaining strong in my faith.

Another major problem college student’s encounter in staying strong in their faith, while in college, is simply laziness. Whether that means sleeping through church, putting off devotions or skipping Bible study—over a prolonged period of time, lack of spiritual discipline leads to spiritual stagnation.  Being involved in a local church, staying in the Word and attending a Bible study are all integral parts of a vibrant faith. Perhaps most importantly, I have found that you must always be participating in the Gospel. One of the best ways to internalize faith is to share it with others.  Sharing your faith can be an amazing encouragement—to fully rely on God and see where trusting in Him leads.