Same Song, Different Verse

In our High School class, we have been talking about the future, primarily regarding college choices and career decisions.  We have focused our discussion on preparing for college as most of our students will make that the next step after high school graduation.

In preparing, I found a good article about why many students seem to lose their faith in college.  As you read this particular quote, think about how relevant you think it is to students today.

Think about what happens to many young people who are raised with all the benefits of prosperous parents who are cultural Christians themselves. As children, they are taken to church, where they hear the parts of the Christian message that their particular church embraces. Although it is rare in our times, maybe they even receive some measure of religious instruction at home. Eventually, they leave home, and launch out into the world. Some go to work; some go to college. They face temptations that they have not faced before and give in to them. Their lives might get out of control with the use of alcohol, and they might give in to sexual indulgence. At the least, they never read the Bible or make any attempt to develop a spiritual life. Most don’t even attempt to take what knowledge is at their disposal and form their own beliefs and convictions. They don’t learn to think.

In reading that most of us would agree that it applies to students today.  While it is not true of all students, the statistics seem to show that many Christian students stumble in their faith at college.  This quote is actually attributed to William Wilberforce in 1797.  While it applies in 2010, he made the observation over 200 ago.

Same song, different verse.

While colleges and college students look different in 2010 than they did in 1797, they both struggle with the same thing – making my faith real as I move out of the confines of home and the church and venture out on my own.

Our continual challenge is engaging our own minds and the minds of students to think like a Christian, whether in high school, on the college campus or in the work force.  Wilberforce uses the phrase “cultural Christians” in his observation.  Does that describe us today?