fresher pressure

As youth group members become student freshers overnight, they are often making the biggest step of their life to date. But are they likely to graduate with their faith intact? Krish Kandiah believes they can, but says relationships will make the different.

The exodus has already begun. It divides families, leaving parents bereft, friendships broken and another generation of young people hungry and penniless. There are spaces in our church car parks, empty seats in our services and gaps in our youth groups. Yet often within the space of just a few weeks the exodus is all but forgotten while the exiles stranded on the desert islands we know as universities adapt to a whole new way of life.

Somewhere between the summer and the Christmas holidays some 15,000 Christian students will be making the most momentous transition of their lives so far: from dependents to independents, from children to adults, from Christian kids in our youth groups to a rising generation of active Christian church-builders. But this test of faith is often no smooth ride. In fact it is better understood as a leap of faith similar to Evil Kneivel jumping the Grand Canyon in his rocket bike. Kneivel needs to build up enough momentum and stability while still on home territory to enable him to launch himself successfully over the chasm and land on terra firma. Unfortunately many students drop through the gap and never make it to Christian life beyond 21. In fact they might not even make it to Christmas.

By familiarising ourselves with the pressures our student exiles are going through, we will better be able to track their progress from a distance, and encourage them from the sidelines. We will also learn lessons that can be passed on to next year's exiles before they rev up their engines too. Perhaps the best way to assess things during these first few weeks is in terms of four groups of relationships...

 

 

This article can be found in its entirety in the September issue of Youthwork magazine. Check out our great subscription offers now!