What are the highlights of your spiritual life? The lightbulb moments? The seasons where you grew measurably closer to our God?
For many, college is one of those times. That’s certainly true for Ali and me.
I (Jimmie) arrived at the University of Virginia in August 2004 as a well-taught but complacent child of a Christian home. My spiritual inertia kept me on the fringes of my church and circle of Christian friends. But a trip I took between my second and third years awakened me and got me walking along the road into full-time ministry. The presence and encouragement of Christian friends and mentors at college kept me from walking away from Jesus and eventually helped me to actively give my life to him.
I (Ali) arrived at Oxford Brookes University in 2003 as a Christian, but didn’t have any other believing friends. Meeting Christians at university and being part of a congregation full of young adults who were excited about the gospel was hugely encouraging for me. Being part of a weekly small group Bible study and meeting up with an older lady taught me to live as a follower of Jesus and helped me answer the questions my non-Christian friends were asking.
And what about the approximately 5,000 students arriving this fall to study at Endicott, Gordon College, Montserrat, Gordon-Conwell, North Shore Community College, and Salem State (listed in order of proximity)?
They will be asking some of life’s biggest questions. Their values will shift and solidify. Their future plans will change by the year, or even day. But who will answer their questions? Who will shape their values? Who will guide their plans?
This fall we will study Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in our weekly College Life group. His prayer for the church beautifully outlines some of our ambitions for college ministry at NSCBC:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. —Ephesians 1:17-19
Would you take a moment now to pray these things for our college students?
Learn more about college ministry at NSCBC and contact us to get involved!
Jimmie & Ali Massie are regular attenders of NSCBC. Jimmie is studying at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and they hope to enter into full time ministry upon graduation. They are passionate about helping students apply the Gospel to their lives.
