Spiritual Foundation #4 Environmental Preparation
As we wrap up our blog series on foundational types of college preparation, let’s review what we’ve covered. We’ve surveyed laying a strong faith-based foundation with personal habits of Bible study and prayer. Then we built on the importance of intellectual preparation, largely using the study of apologetics and its related disciplines. Next, we discussed the need for relational preparation through campus ministry and local church involvement, as well as friendships and family support. In this final blog, we’ll explore how being prepared for the college environment can help your child be ready for a successful transition to college.
Knowing what you’re in for before you step on campus can help students acclimate more quickly and successfully to this new environment of strenuous academic expectations, new social networks and dynamics, and the responsibilities of adulting. That’s why the first two to six weeks can be so key to acclimation.
Philosophical Environment
Secular Colleges: Be prepared for the philosophical challenges Christian students encounter at secular campuses: We’ll refer you to an excellent article by Professor Owen Anderson that does a comprehensive job of explaining these challenges. Anderson provides a “be prepared” list of 10 items that parents and students would be wise to add to their apologetics training, Bible study, and critical thinking training. Overall, training your student about the philosophical ideologies they will face on campus will prevent major shock to their systems and can actually strengthen their resolve about their own beliefs. It comes down to a slew of “isms.”
I’ve defined an “ism” as the “ideologies of sinful man.” Owen Anderson names academic secularism, religious/worldview pluralism, scientism, pragmatism, higher criticism, existentialism, cultural relativism, Marxism, LGBTQ+, and activism as the main philosophical challenges. Perhaps even more helpful than identifying these issues is knowing how to refute these errors in thinking. The Mama Bear “Cultural Lies” book (the one with the green cover) discusses many of these, but you can also check out our Guide to Sexuality and Gender Identity book for LGBTQ+ issues.
Christian Colleges: Even Christian colleges need to be vetted. Do they actually teach from a biblical worldview or do they just post a few verses around campus? Rather than doing a deep dive here, let us point you to existing information on this topic from people we respect. Just beware. Some Christian colleges are Christian in name only.
Free Speech and Political Environments
Be apprised of the latest issues on campus. These issues may catch your student off guard if they’re not familiar and ready to respond. What is the spiritual, social, and political climate like on their campus? What major events should they look out for on the campus—do they have a Sex Week? (Yes, Mamas, it’s a real thing.) Look into the types of events and speakers their student government supports. Are they known for protests? What kinds? What kind of research is getting funded? Which books are available in their religion and sociology departments? What is their DEI policy (now known as “inclusion” or “belonging” policies, after the recent presidential mandate? Are campus ministries allowed to meet on campus? (You may be surprised at how many aren’t.) Does your student need to know how to navigate “safe speech” zones? Will they need to know what microaggressions are? Respect trigger warnings? Is there a mandatory “cultural sensitivity training” for incoming freshman?
- Alliance Defending Freedom (adflegal.org) has incredible resources online regarding student rights, including a free speech conversation guide. They also provide free legal help to students and campus ministries whose religious freedom and free speech rights are violated.
- The College Fix is an online news source covering breaking campus news. Seasoned journalists as well as student journalists contribute to the content. It’s a good pulse point for what’s happening on campuses in general.
- The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education maintains a database that catalogs speech codes of campuses. They publish an annual Spotlight on Speech Codes reviewing the state of free speech on campuses. Use it to see how your campus scores.
- Campus Reform is a conservative watchdog in the nation’s higher education system. Campus Reform reports on the conduct and misconduct of campus administrators, faculty, and students. You can click on the “campuses” tab on their website to see if your university is in the news.
Physical Environment
Not only is your college student entering a new and different environment of ideas and policies, but they are quite literally moving into a new physical environment from their dorm room or apartment to their campus hub and the surrounding town. Preparing logistically for this new environment helps them adapt better and start out ahead. Have them get their room completely set up with all they need for a place to study, sleep, and take care of themselves. Setting an understanding with roommates about quiet hours at night and in the morning, as well as personal boundaries, can help set the tone for respecting each other while still enjoying one another’s company.
Have them visit where they will do laundry, pick up physical mail, and grocery shop. Map out the best routes to dining halls and campus classrooms to know the time it will take to walk to class, catch a bus, or ride a bike. Encourage them to introduce themselves to their academic advisor and professors (staking out their offices and office hours). Get to know where the infirmary is in case they get sick and where the student resource center is for times when extra help is needed. (Don’t forget to discuss whether you will have access to your child’s medical information and if you will be called if there is an emergency. Once they are over 18, your child will need to sign a HIPAA release form to grant consent. For more information on legal documents needed when a child turns 18 see this article.)
Conclusion
Mama, you are no longer their personal EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). It’s up to them now. They need to guard their faith, their intellect, their relationships, their personal space, values, routines, and philosophy. Prepare them the best you can and then release them – all the while praying for them and their campuses.
We hope that this college prep blog series was helpful for those about to start college, even though it may have been a bit of a crash course. But we highly encourage those moms of younger students to begin this work now so that you can send them to college on F.I.R.E. for their faith.
Faith. Intellect. Relationships. Environment. Preparing in these four areas will help your college kids build a college experience that is stable and unshifting with their faith still a cornerstone.
Before we conclude, though, we’d love to offer a prayer. This comes from Jeremy Story, who runs Every Student Sent (which we referenced earlier in this blog series). He gave us permission to share it with you.
A Guided Prayer for the Class of 2025:
Heavenly Father, We lift up this generation of college freshmen to You. As they walk into the lecture halls and residence halls, may they first walk with You.
Give them the boldness to stand firm in the faith and resist the pull of a culture that has forgotten You.
Lord, lead them to rich Christian community –
To friends who encourage their walk with Jesus. To campus ministries, churches, and mentors who will sharpen and send them.
Give them courage to share the Gospel –
To speak the name of Jesus with truth and love. To be a light in dark places. To love others radically and point them to the hope they’ve found in You.
May they not just survive their college years, but lead others into eternal life.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
If you want another prayer (or two), we recommend the prayers “Releasing My Almost-Adult Children” and “Adult Children to Walk Faithfully with God” from our book, Honest Prayers for Mama Bears.
Recommended Resources:
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)
How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
Intellectual Predators: How Professors Prey on Christian Students (DVD) (mp3) (mp4 Download)
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
Julie Loos combined her passion for prayer and apologetics in her contributions to three Mama Bear Apologetics books. Her apologetics training came from campus ministry and certificates from Biola University and the Crossexamined Instructors Academy. Julie has been teaching, writing, and speaking on prayer for Moms in Prayer International for more than 23 years. She lives in Missouri with her husband, Todd, has two married sons, two grandchildren, and enjoys working out, Bible study, chocolate, coffee, and deep conversations.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4hytqBA
