Evolution

Are you evolving? Do you believe in evolution?

There is at least one kind of evolution I believe in. I believe that you and I should be evolving and improving in our spiritual growth every day. I believe that if you are not growing and strengthening your faith on a consistent basis, your faith is destined to be extinct by the time you graduate college. I just read "There is a 42% drop in weekly church attendance from high school graduation to age 25" in America. How about you? Do you want to be one of the 42%, or one of the 58%? It's your choice. No one can make it for you.

Am I buggin' you? Don't mean to bug ya. I just feel responsible to God to tell you the truth and not let you become one of the 42% without ever even being warned about the spiritual dangers that seem to be part of the college years.

So how do you avoid becoming one of the 42%? Make good habits now, at the beginning of your college career. If you quit being involved in church now, you are likely to continue in that pattern indefinitely. If you make time to be with other Christians studying the Bible a priority now, even when you feel like you have too much homework, you will probably continue to make it a priority the rest of your life. (You will always feel like you have too much homework, so it is futile to wait for a time when you think you are fine on your homework. Ask any Senior.)

Think I'm just saying this to get you to come to CCVT campus ministry? No, actually it's the other way around: CCVT exists because what I have said is true. CCVT is a place where you can make friends with other Christians, study the Bible together, worship God together, pray for each other, have fun with each other, support each other, be there for each other in good times and in bad, and basically just be what Christians are supposed to be for each other so that they don't end up as lunch meat for that lion that is always prowling around looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.")

By the way, you won't experience that just going to a local church, sitting in the back pew, and leaving right after services without talking to anybody. You don't make any friends that way. For your Christian faith to be real, you need to be in community with other Christians -- real friendships. Going to church is not about having your ticket punched enough times so God will let you into heaven. That's not the way it works. Go somewhere where you can make real Christian friends.

Are you still with me? Or have I become your enemy? (In Galatians 4:16 the apostle Paul says, "Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?")

CCVT is a great place to make real Christian friends, because that is what we are all about. It is our focus, and we are here specifically for college students. Why not start tonight by making some friends at "Oasis"?

Tonight's "Oasis" Bible study is about evolution and creation, and what Christians believe about those. To find out what CCVT believes you'll have to come tonight. It's going to be pretty interesting.

For those of you who may not know, "Oasis" is our main large group gathering that we have every week. It's kind of the center of our life as a campus ministry and includes Bible Study, group discussion, sharing with friends, prayer, & celebration through heartfelt worship.

If you need directions to our campus house, probably the best way to get them is to type "413 West Clay St., Blacksburg, VA" into Google maps. You'll see that our campus house is only about a block away from most of the dorms on campus, over by the Washington Street tennis courts. It's much closer than most of your classes!

If you are walking from on campus, do this: When you are standing on Washington Street between O'Shaughnessy (O'Shag) Hall and Johnson Hall you are only one short block away. Cross to the other side of the street and take the sidewalk up the hill towards VT's Cranwell International Center. (You will see a sign for Cranwell on Washington St.) VT's Tennis Courts will be on your right. As you are walking up the hill veer to your left off of the sidewalk and walk up the grassy hill. (Veer left before you get to the chain link fence with all the vines growing on it. We are on the other side of that fence.) You will see the campus house facing you. It's a two story red brick house with a big front porch and a banner on the balcony railing that says "Christ's Church @ VT Campus Ministry" -- so you'll know you found the right place once you get here! It's really pretty simple, but feel free to call me if you have any trouble: 540-552-8292.

All of us at CCVT are really looking forward to meeting you at Oasis, so I hope to see you there.

Feel free to bring a friend.

Don't forget: Oasis Bible study at 7:30pm every Wednesday (during the semester)

Check out our schedule of other upcoming events on the post below.

Looking forward to seeing you,
Steve