Transition to College

So now, you are at a point in your life where there is transition — a transition that can be the defining moment of your life. You are finally going to college! Now, throw me some of the words that can describe how you feel about going to college. You see, no matter how you feel about this moment, nothing can stop the clock. You are essentially considered young adults like us and there’s no stopping it now.

Like I said, this transition that you’re about to go through can be the defining moment. Why? Well, I’m pretty sure that at this point, you’ve already thought about or enrolled at the college or university of your choice. It may not be your dream school but that’s okay. Choosing the college or university is important as there are a bunch of factors to take into consideration: financial, location, environment/culture, and of course availability of the classes you’re majoring in. These are important things to consider however, I don’t think that it’s more important than choosing the major that you want to spend the next 4 or 5 years of your life. This can really define the rest of your life, because right now you are to choose the career that you will commit yourself to in the next 30 to 40 years of your life. But hold on, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and think about your future. We are not there yet. But I do want you to spend some time and sit in with this thought — “I am now going to college. How in the world am I going to survive this?” Please bear with me, I promise you, this will be an encouraging message.

Now, let me tell you how I survived college.

I went to Napa Valley College for 3 years to get my associates degree in Accounting. As you might not be aware, Accounting is a very difficult major and this was the career that I chose. So I exerted a lot of effort to pass all my classes, I devoted my time into studying in libraries, I focused myself into the work, and I committed myself in school. This was working just fine but as you all know, school can get very exhausting to a point that you may question whether or not this is all worth it or if there’s a real purpose to all of it. Around the 3rd and last year of my time in NVC, when I was so burnout from taking 5 to 7 classes because I only had 2 semesters left before I transfer to SFSU, I found something really important and life-changing. Something that I wished I had right at the beginning.

I found the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Some of you might have already heard about it, Intervarsity is a College Ministry led by volunteers and college students. Now, I am not going to sell you Intervarsity or ask you to join that specific club at your designated schools. But I’m here to let you know about the significance of College Ministries and how it has helped me survive through college. And if there is one person in the bible that I could think we can all relate to in terms of transitions as such this, it would be Joshua.

Let’s read Joshua 1:1-9.

Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1) Verse 1: God calls you to be leaders. From the title itself, Joshua was the personally appointed successor to Moses and he became the leader after Moses’ death. What we can learn about transition is that often there is some kind of progression or a change in position. And sometimes, it comes at us when we least expect it, ready or not. As for you, graduating from high school might seem like a trivial milestone in your life. But it’s actually very important as you are now considered young adults who should be able to make sound decisions and take more responsibilities. It’s not like you haven’t been doing that all along. But like Joshua who have been Moses’ apprentice for over 40 years, you have learned a lot from your mentor throughout these years as part of the youth. But now, you can be the next generation of leaders who will be used by God to take His work into completion — God’s good work that your mentor has started. More importantly, you can definitely be the change that you want to see in your school. I remember the time back in 2013 when me, Luis, Steve, Shayne, and Drew were sitting outside In-n-Out in between classes and wishing that we had a college ministry at NVC. We were so hungry for God’s presence and for His Word to be proclaimed on campus. Two years after, I met the Intervarsity crew during my last year in 2015. That was two years after I finally had a chance to be a part of a college ministry that I so longed for. And talking about leadership, I was not only a part of the club, I actually became the president of the first Intervarsity Chapter in NVC. So if there is no college ministry at your school, you have no excuse. God has called you and brought you up to be a leader to make things happen for His glory!

2) Verse 2 to 4: God calls you to extend your territory. It is clear in this verse that God has placed a responsibility upon your shoulder to look over the people within your influence. This time, it’s no longer limited to the people you grew up with or hang out with. I believe that God is calling you into deeper waters and asking you to expand your influence outside of your home and church. He calls you to extend your influence to your own schools, as for some of you, you might be living within campuses. And this is where college ministry comes in, because believe it or not, you will see a lot of lost souls walking around campuses and waiting for divine intervention. Honestly, you may be the only the Community that they never thought they needed. I can’t tell you enough how community is so important at this point of your life and their life. Crossing the Jordan River also has a deep significance. For the Israelites, you’ve got to remember that they were stuck for 40 years in the wilderness. For your classmates, schoolmates, and even teachers, only God knows what these people are stuck with. But you can’t afford to pass up the opportunity to be the only listening ears that these people may ever have. More so, you can’t afford to pass up the opportunity to introduce them with the Gospel and Promise Land that God has for them individually. But don’t think that college ministry is only for other people. It is also for you as much as it for them.

15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition. - 1st Corinthians 16:15-18

There are many great things that could result from being a part of a ministry on campus: you can build lifelong and meaningful friendships beyond college; you can grow together in a healthy and mutualistic relationship where they supply what is lacking from you and vice versa; and you can stay refreshed and connected with God even while you’re away from church.

3) Verse 5: God calls you to a Forevermore relationship with Him:  “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is the promise of God for you. Wherever you are and whatever you do, God will always be with you. Being in college may be the Jordan River that you need to cross at this stage of your life, but you need to understand that it is part of the “all the days of your life.” All the days of your college life, God will be with you as He was with me and Luis and all the other people who went before you. He will be there for you every step of the way — through the long boring classes, difficult exams, frequent all-nighters, seasonal breakdowns, writer’s block, mental block to the awkward Bible studies with classmates, audacious prayer walks on campus, and shameless “Jesus Loves You” placard holding during Club meets. God will see you through all of this. The only catch is that you stay connected to the vine.

JOHN 15: 5 ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We are nothing apart from Him and none of this matters without Him.

4) Verse 5: God calls you to be strong in Him and live courageously": Like I said, college is hard and it might feel the longest 4 or 5 years of your life. But it doesn’t have to feel like a drag. College could be the most unforgettable, most fulfilling, and most life-changing moment of your life! It depends on how you make it. For me, I can always look back during my college days with a smile on my face. In retrospect, I would never wanted it any other way. Those moments when I led Bible studies with 20 to 30 diverse people in a classroom and those scary moments when we courageously walked up to random students for prayer — those were the moments that I felt most alive and most fearless! It was so fulfilling because I know I was taking part of God’s will for my campus — that is to proclaim God’s Word over all His children. Seriously, nothing is more satisfying in this life than to see your friends getting to know the Lord through you. And even if you don’t get to keep a close relationship with some of them, your heart will still leap for joy when you see them go to church by their own choice and decision. And this could be the most defining moment of your life too! It is solely up to you!

SO WHY SHOULD YOU BE INVOLVED IN A COLLEGE MINISTRY?

5) Verse 7 to 9: God calls you to keep His Word close to your heart Forevermore: College Ministry will help you stay centered in God even when you’re busy at school. You will learn discipline in setting aside time to read the Bible, but most importantly, it will teach you to desire God and His Word in a way you never know is possible. And when you find that balance and truly understand the importance of remaining in Christ, you will only set yourself up for success and victory. Obedience begets the fulfillment of God’s promises for your life. As you go through your college life and making the most out of it through ministry, time becomes relative. One day you will wake up to your graduation day, and all you can wish for is to relive these moments that changed your life forever.