What Does Christian College Campus Life Look Like?

Are you looking for a community where you will be loved, supported, and even kept accountable? That’s the goal of a healthy Christian community: authentical relationship with God and with other people. At Grace College, our heart beats to live, learn, and worship in settings that foster community and serve our King.

What Does Biblical Community Look Like?

Fellowship

No matter what type of college you attend, a college campus offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in the same area with your friends and interact on a daily basis. But when you live on a Christian college campus, the student bond is even tighter because of the campus-wide commitment to serve Christ. At Grace, your conversations can turn into theological discussions, and your get-togethers can become Bible studies.  

What does Christian college campus life look like at Grace?  

• Chapel three times a week
• Classes with relational professors
• Student Involvement events and clubs
• Sports games and intramurals, including Lancer basketball in the MOCC

The list goes on: slushie runs with friends, midnight chapel, the Joust, along with so many other activities that happen on campus. At Grace, our strong Christian college campus life offers plenty of opportunities to connect with others and grow in your faith. If you’re struggling to make connections, then check out our blog, How to Make Friends in College for more advice. 

Brandon Rader, a recent graphic design graduate, was blown away by Grace’s Christian community when he became a freshman. As he grew closer to his friends throughout his time at college, he realized how powerful God’s plan for community can be through the purposeful interactions that deepened his faith. 

“It’s cool to see how a good majority of Grace hangouts are Christ-centered and are full of people just wanting to build each other up,” said Rader. “It demonstrates how Christians should be intentional towards each other and show others how God planned relationships and communities to be.”

Accountability

At Grace, we understand the reality that no one and no place is perfect. That’s where accountability comes into play. Accountability provides space to be honest about sin, engage in times of prayer, and study the Bible with others.

God put accountability in place for King David in 2 Samuel 12, when Nathan the prophet confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. When confronted with the truth of his actions, David immediately went to a posture of surrender to God. He wanted God to change his heart so that he could walk in a way that honors the Lord.

In the same way, accountability in Christian community is meant to help people see areas of sin in their life and point them back to God. Do you want and need accountability in your life? Then Christian college campus life at Grace College is for you. 

Mary Kate Peterson, a junior at Grace College, reflects on her freshman community and how a fellow student helped her find accountability. When Peterson was looking for colleges to attend after high school, she primarily looked for academics and scholarly opportunities. She remembers thanking God for giving her the Christian college campus life she needed, even though she had not initially sought it. 

 “Experiencing homesickness and worry, I needed someone to walk alongside and lift the burden with me,” Peterson said. “In growth groups, my prayer partner and I lightened each other’s loads through prayer and accountability. She not only heard what I said, but truly listened. Today, as a junior, my prayer partner and I continue holding each other accountable, strengthening our friendship.” 

Discipleship

The word for “disciple” is a learner who follows a master teacher. Christian discipleship points to a relationship with a master teacher, as defined in our article, What Does Christian Discipleship Look Like at a Theological Seminary?. As a student, you follow the master and adhere to their way of life because their teaching shapes your own worldview. 

Christ also instructs Christians about discipleship in the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he gathered his disciples and told them to continue discipleship relationships to further the Gospel. He provided a clear model for discipleship: intentional fellowship, daily life together, and individualized teaching. The disciples knew Jesus because they actually lived with him, watched him teach, asked him questions, and were privy to every part of his life.

You might be asking, “As a student, how can I fulfill the great commission?” The answer is simple: engage in discipleship with other people. 

Rader experienced discipleship firsthand through weekly devotionals. 

“There’s a lot of one-on-one hangouts at Grace where people not only encourage others in hard times, but just see where they’re at in life,” said Rader. “I would have devotionals with a friend and his dad once a week, which was a huge blessing because it not only gave me a mentor figure, but it gave me someone to walk side-by-side with. Being able to sit down for two hours having coffee, diving into topics that people don’t usually talk about, I got to see a whole new side of my best friend.”

These relationships are vital to keeping your life focused on God. You could invite a few friends over for a Bible study and use that time to discuss spiritual difficulties. You could ask the Lord for someone to disciple you. You could join a mentorship program at your church. The most important thing to remember is to keep Christ and the Bible at the center of any and all discipleship endeavors.

Experience Christian Community for Yourself

Are you interested in joining a community that cares about you? Come and visit Grace College and see our Christian college campus life for yourself! Or better yet, apply today and become a part of our community right away.