Giving God My Best in College: A 7-Day Devotional by Cantice GreeneExemplo

Are You Waiting to Join a Church?

When I was a chapel assistant in college, I got to sit on the stage during chapel on Sundays. Before the service, I prepared water for the speaker. The other chapel assistants and I met once a month to prepare for our duties—which really weren’t more than preparing water for the speaker. I also sang in the chapel choir.

The reverend did her best to make our chapel a house of God. Sadly, at least while I was there, it never felt like one. In my hometown, I had joined a church, given my life to Christ, and been baptized when I was 13 years old. I loved being at church. I sang in the choir and was even president of the youth group for a couple of years. The people in my church helped me grow in my relationship with God.

My service in the campus chapel felt nothing like my church home. The distance between myself and my chapel-mates wasn’t based on our being from different cities. We were missing the practical application of growing in Christ together. Outside of chapel assistant meetings or choir rehearsals, I never hung out with, ate with, or talked to the people I served with in chapel.

When I finally joined another church during my junior year of college, everything changed. I started developing friendships with other Christians who wanted to grow in Christ, and I started hanging out with them outside of church. We formed a small group, so I not only studied the bible alone, but I could also study with others. I could serve the church by working with younger children or helping to clean the bathrooms. The give-and-take of church membership was very fulfilling to me. I got to use my gifts to serve others, and my life was enriched through the gifts and talents others used to minister to me.

Campus ministry is a wonderful way to connect with other Christians on campus, but campus ministry isn’t meant to take the place of church. The scope of campus ministry is laser-focused on college students, which is good but also limited. By participating in church, you get wisdom from interacting with believers in every stage and season of life. Don’t miss the nurturing of a true church home. Find a home away from home in a local church.

Day 7 Question: In what ways could your life be enriched by joining a local church?

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