The following article is a part of the “Letters to…” series written by the 2023-2024 SOLA Writing Cohort, composed of college students and recent grads receiving mentorship to grow in their ability to express their faith through writing. The cohort members were given various prompts with the challenge to write an open letter to a specific recipient but one that would encourage and challenge a broader Christian audience. The prompt of this article is “Writing a Letter to Youth Pastors: What I Wish I Knew Going Into College”.
My favorite location on my college campus offers a beautiful view overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Standing in front of UC Berkeley’s Campanile and facing west, you can see for miles ahead, and (if the weather is clear) the Golden Gate Bridge will be within your sight.
Whether or not you will catch a glimpse of the bridge depends on the weather. Some days, the fog will entirely cover the bridge, and you will be disappointed, perhaps even doubtful you can see it in the first place. But on other days, the sky will be clear, and even from afar, you will spot the bridge, unmistakable in its height and reddish hue. Regardless of the weather and San Francisco fog that sometimes hinders the view, the bridge stands in the same spot every day.
Coming into college, I hoped for clear, fogless days ahead. I had an unwavering hope that college would be the turning point: a fresh start to break out of my shell and bask in all the new opportunities and experiences. I would find my people, a solid friend group of fellow freshmen who would endeavor through the rest of college with me. Unlike in high school, I would finally choose and take classes I truly enjoyed, classes that would reestablish a genuine love for learning.
Beyond social and academic life, I also expected my spiritual life to flourish in college. I looked forward to meeting a new community of believers and convinced myself that the independence of college life would allow me more time to spend with God.
Yes, by the grace of God, some of these hopes came true, and I am thankful for the experiences that pushed me to grow. Still, adjusting to college presented challenges that I was frankly unprepared for.
Youth pastors, there is much you can do to prepare to send your high school students to college. I suggest helping them to achieve two A’s: assurance and accountability.
Assurance
My college experience has allowed me to reflect on the assurance of my salvation more deeply than ever before. I was able to get plugged into an on-campus fellowship fairly quickly in my first semester, and by the spring, I found myself already in a position of serving through event planning within the ministry. Taking on such a new role prompted me to closely examine my heart behind serving and my faith as a whole. Why was I serving? What motivated me to continue investing in my faith in this college setting?
Ultimately, the fear that I was getting involved in a college ministry and serving for the wrong reasons produced questions of doubt. I wondered whether my weekly Bible study attendance and event planning came from a genuine desire to draw near to God and serve Him, or if those things simply happened out of habit because they were all I knew how to do growing up as a Christian. It frightened me to consider this as it led to the possibility that my works were futile and my faith merely a habit I carried to college.
Opening up to my mom and older sisters at church about such doubts revealed to me just how much I still subconsciously clung to works-based faith. The anxiety I felt when questioning my heart posture arose because I allowed my works to define my relationship with God. It made sense that doubting the validity of my works would bring so much fear and worry—I had let that be the mark of my righteousness before God.
All this inner turmoil ultimately prompted me to reorient my mind to the truth revealed in the gospel. My worth is not in my works, but in the final work of Jesus Christ, accomplished by His death and resurrection. I have the assurance of my salvation, not because I do the “right” Christian things, but because Christ Himself has made me right with God. Reflecting on these gospel truths was liberating, and it exposed me to my sin of self-righteousness. Out of pride, I looked inwardly to insert my works into God’s salvation plan, but He was faithful to humble me and shift my gaze outwardly to the cross.
I encourage all youth pastors to set aside time for students, especially juniors and seniors, to deeply reflect on the gospel and consider Jesus Christ, in whom we have the assurance of salvation. A focused sermon series or Bible study on the different parts of the gospel will help create this practice of knowing and reciting the gospel every day. Though it may seem like merely going back to the basics, there is nothing more beneficial for an incoming college student than to rest assured of a solid foundation grounded in the truth.
Accountability
There is no better time to appreciate the joy of accountability than university life, where the opportunity to connect with different people abounds. Since entering college, the friendships and relationships that I built, especially those rooted in a common faith in Christ Jesus, have taught me the necessity of community. God did not intend for me to run this race alone, and I deeply felt the reality of this part of His perfect design in just the past few semesters.
I initially joined a women’s small group in my college ministry to simply meet more people. What had started with my spontaneous and rather selfish decision, God soon used to draw me closer to Him. In our small group meetings, we studied the attributes of God, memorized and recited Scripture, and prayed for one another. I could do all these things alone—learn about God, read His Word, go to Him in prayer—and I indeed value my private quiet time.
And yet, setting aside time in the middle of the week to seek God alongside sisters who were experiencing similar things resulted in a particular joy and sweetness. Our times together never failed to rejuvenate my restless soul during a busy season, and my gratitude to God for placing me in this community only increased after each session.
Being part of a small group provided me with accountability partners who both encouraged and challenged me to continue making God my greatest priority and sweetest treasure as I adjusted to life away from home. I was encouraged by the vulnerability to share and bear one another’s burdens, ranging from academic responsibilities to personal matters, and it ultimately pointed me to our undeniable need for Christ.
It was so easy to feel lost in the swarm of work and be overwhelmed by the constant hustle and bustle of campus life. I am thankful for the sisters who reminded me of where I place my worth (the gospel) and in whom I put my trust (Jesus). Their intentional questions helped me check my heart, their testimonies offered guidance through my own struggles, and their loving prayers strengthened me.
Not only does the encouragement I receive from an intimate community hold me accountable in my walk with God, but it also serves as a reflection of the gospel and Christ’s sacrifice. The sisters around me pour out acts of love, including vulnerability to share God’s work in their lives and generosity to spend time catching up over a meal, because they desire to imitate the One who loved first.
I highly recommend youth pastors begin fostering this culture of accountability through small group and discipleship opportunities. Small groups do not necessarily have to be split by grade and age. Looking back at my time in the youth group, I recognize how beneficial it would have been to have more consistent opportunities to connect and share life with sisters both older and younger than me.
As a college student, letter grades inevitably occupy my thoughts and efforts, but these two particular A’s push me to think beyond my current state into an eternal perspective. Considering the assurance of my salvation and seeking accountability among a community of believers have been invaluable in rooting me in the truth.
Even on foggy days when I cannot physically see it, the Golden Gate Bridge stands firm on the horizon. Similarly, God is forever unchanging, and through each day of every season, He is my most reliable and firm foundation. Though one day I might eventually grow tired of this view of the bay, assurance and accountability create a renewed awe at God’s faithfulness in my life everyday.