360° in 180: Summary – Top 9 Tips for Christian Students Entering Secular University (Part 30)

The statement swept over our classroom like a slow wave, bearing the central message of secular humanism. An atheistic worldview, secular humanism claims that humans evolved apart from any Creator God, so human reasoning (not God’s Word) is the final authority on truth, ethics, and morals. These claims completely contradict the gospel, which explains that humans sinned against their Creator’s perfect moral standards and therefore need a Savior. If secular humanism is true, then the gospel is irrelevant.

By contradicting the gospel, humanism makes religious statements and is even recognized as a religion by the US Supreme Court.1 And yet, as I was seeing firsthand in my own university classes, Western public education often promotes humanistic values, morals, and origins beliefs as the only acceptable “truth”—especially when it comes to beliefs about evolution. Evolution is such a core belief of humanism that the American Humanist Association’s latest manifesto states, “Humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change.”2

The Challenge: A Battle of Worldviews

we’re seeing today’s adult societies being founded on atheistic values alone

Throughout my science degree, I knew I wasn’t the only student being taught evolutionary (and otherwise humanistic) teachings as the exclusive truth. Students absorb unbiblical messages every day in classrooms worldwide—especially in the 60+ nations which have pledged to promote evolutionary origins through education.3 Research has linked students’ unanswered questions about evolutionary teachings to the reality that most church-raised American youth are leaving their faith by young adulthood.4 As more youth reject God’s Word with each generation, we’re seeing today’s adult societies being founded on atheistic values alone. This cultural reset has been humanism’s agenda for decades. Like humanist Charles Francis Potter exulted in 1930,

Education is . . . a most powerful ally of humanism, and every American school is a school of humanism. What can a theistic Sunday school’s meeting for an hour once a week and teaching only a fraction of the children do to stem the tide of the five-day program of humanistic teaching?5

What indeed?

Hoping to find out, I embarked on a DIY solo mission trip after graduation to learn from Christian students in other countries where non-biblical worldviews rule the schools. I nicknamed the project 360 in 180, an endeavor to backpack 360° around the world in 180 days documenting Christian students’ experiences across cultures. Along the way, I tracked down Christ-following students, professors, pastors, university chaplains, or campus ministers to ask them four questions:

1. What are the challenges of being a Christian student here?
2. What are the opportunities?
3. What advice would you give a first-year Christian student?
4. How can churches more effectively support Christian students?

The Solution: Keys to Surviving the Battle

while the problems Christian students face in different countries often vary by culture, the solutions are largely the same

As the months ticked by, I began to see interesting patterns develop. For one thing, students’ answers to the first two questions varied by culture. This made sense; after all, a Buddhist-born student who converted to Christianity in a communist country would face quite different challenges from a student who grew up attending church in small-town New Zealand. Yet around the world, interviewees’ answers to the last two questions—their ideas and insights about supporting Christian students—sounded uncannily alike. In other words, while the problems Christian students face in different countries often vary by culture, the solutions are largely the same. Therefore, if families, churches, and ministries focus on these solutions, the results could make a difference for equipping future Christian generations around the world!

So, what are these solutions? They all boil down to helping students build three types of personal foundations:

1. Spiritual foundations: a close personal walk with God, including frequent prayer, consistent Scripture study, and biblical literacy;
2. Intellectual foundations: training in critical thinking and apologetics, the field of study that examines why the Christian faith makes rational sense;
3. Interpersonal foundations: a Christian support network including family, peers, and mentors.

Ultimately, these interviews from 360 in 180, backed by my own student experience, revealed nine practical ways that Christian students can build these foundations. If I were a parent, pastor, or mentor with the chance to sit across a table from a high school or college student and offer these nine bits of advice, here’s what I would say:

1. Spend consistent time with God and His Word (Psalm 199:9–11; 2 Timothy 3:16–17).

   No student can keep a tight grip on a biblical worldview without clearly understanding what Scripture says in the first place. So, if you’re a high school or college student, one of the most important things you can do is to study God’s Word for yourself, know what it says, and make it the foundation for your thinking in everyday life. As one campus ministry director told me,

   It’s kind of simple, but the best way we can prepare students is to teach them the Bible well. Then when they go into university, they’ll have a deep understanding of the gospel, how it impacts our lives, and how to read and understand the Bible for themselves, without just relying on a pastor to explain everything. I see that as lacking in some churched students’ upbringings.

   Researchers confirm that consistent Bible reading, frequent prayer, and making faith an important part of everyday life are some of the most significant factors predicting whether Christian teens will keep their faith after graduation.6 So, get to know God and His Word, and you will be equipped to root your identity in the fact that you belong to Christ rather than in anything transient.

2. Build your apologetics base (1 Peter 3:15).

   Knowing what the Bible says is one thing; knowing why it’s true is another. Examining how we can know that the Bible is true is what apologetics is all about. As the field of study that looks at why the Christian worldview makes rational sense, apologetics training can help you answer tough questions ranging from “doesn’t science disprove the Bible?” to “did Jesus really claim to be God?”

   By diving into the many solid apologetics resources available from biblical ministries like Answers in Genesis, you can become equipped to defend your faith against the most common questions, arguments, and objections you’ll likely encounter at university. Along the way, make sure to learn about other worldviews from a Christian perspective as well, so you won’t be blindsided by new ideas when you hit campus.

3. Develop critical thinking skills (1 Thessalonians 5:21; Proverbs 14:15; 1 John 4:1).

   No matter how many apologetics answers you memorize before university, you’re always bound to have new questions, because there’s always going to be new information. That’s where critical thinking skills come in, which help you evaluate any message and reach a biblical, logical conclusion yourself. For example, when you encounter a persuasive message that challenges your faith, ask yourself, “Is this information true or false, because . . . ”

   Because a professor said so? Because most people seem to think so? Because anyone who disagrees is ridiculed? Simply questioning why the information sounds true can help you spot a huge variety of faulty lines of reasoning called logical fallacies. (A summary of the other critical thinking tools which helped me most at secular university is available in this article.)

4. Develop discussion skills (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:16).

   One important application for critical thinking involves asking yourself why the church has a certain stance on some of the issues that culture talks about most today. Then, study the Bible and seek advice from godly mentors to find out whether the “church” perspective really agrees with what the Bible says. If it does, think about—and practice—how to articulate a Christlike position with grace.

as Christians, the trouble doesn’t begin when we start asking questions; it begins when we stop seeking answers

5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions—just don’t stop looking for answers (Proverbs 2:2–7; James 1:5).

   Sometimes as a student myself, even after I’d gone through all the critical thinking steps I knew to do, I’d still have unresolved questions. But as Christians, the trouble doesn’t begin when we start asking questions; it begins when we stop seeking answers. And three great sources to consult when seeking answers include solid apologetics resources, biblical mentors, and God Himself. By taking my questions to God, turning them into opportunities to pray, learning apologetics answers, and trusting that God had the answers, even if I didn’t, I often found that tough questions didn’t diminish my faith—they made it stronger.

6. Thrive in Christian community (Hebrews 10:24–25).

   As Christians, we are all called to engage with those around us instead of living inside a terrarium devoid of outside contact. On the other hand, the Bible warns that bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33), alerting us that in our efforts to influence culture, we need solid boundaries to keep culture from influencing us. That’s just one of the reasons why we can’t afford to neglect Christian networking.

   One great way you can do this is by joining biblically grounded youth, young adult, or student groups to connect with godly peers who are experiencing the same things as you. Be careful though: an hour a week with peers cannot sustain your long-term spiritual and interpersonal foundations. You also need to seek God both by yourself and with others outside your age—the whole body of Christ—at church. As a retired professor in Australia told me, “Not attending church is the biggest mistake students make.”

7. Use your God-given gifts (1 Peter 4:10–11).

   One key to thriving in Christian community is to serve others. Whether through your church, your student group, or your own initiative, look for ways to use your God-given gifts and passions to bless others around you. Pray for ideas if God hasn’t already given you one, approach your leader about those ideas, and offer to serve.

Hearing how God has worked in others’ lives can activate your faith like nothing else

8. Seek out others’ testimonies—and share your own (Psalm 71:15–18).

   Another great way to build Christian relationships and your own spiritual foundations is through exchanging stories of God’s faithfulness. Hearing how God has worked in others’ lives can activate your faith like nothing else, as I discovered while reading missionary biographies as a teenager myself. Others’ testimonies can also help remind us of God’s truth when questions come up. As one graduate told me while describing the challenges of following Christ in Japan,

   There were a lot of times when I wanted to quit being a Christian. But my churches’ elders were really supportive. They’d been Christians since WWII and they knew how hard it was to follow Christ, but they also told me how blessed they were, and what God had done for them. I think that’s how I’ve kept my faith.

   On the flip side, sharing your own stories of what God has done in your life can remind you why you trust Him in the first place, strengthening your own faith as well as encouraging those listening to you.

9. Find godly mentors who are older than you (Psalm 145:4; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Titus 2:1-5; Proverbs 19:20).

   Having these stories of God’s faithfulness to share is one of the qualities which defines a godly mentor. And as it turns out, mentorship was the foremost theme which 360 in 180 uncovered, as Christians in country after country emphasized how young people are craving meaningful, ongoing connections with godly adults.

   How can you find these adults? Here are three ideas to get you started:

   • Look for a Christian who is doing what you want to do and ask if you can meet them to talk about it, learn from them on the job, or serve them somehow.
   • Look for opportunities to serve alongside older people.
   • Talk to older people in your church and find out their stories. Ask about what God has done for them, what He’s taught them, and how He’s led them.

The Moral of the Story

Ultimately all nine of these tips for Christian students to develop their personal foundations for secular university require initiative, effort, and proactivity. No student is meant to undertake this process alone, but rather with intentional support from families, mentors, and the whole body of Christ. The work won’t always be easy. But, like students all around the world are discovering, building rock-solid spiritual, intellectual interpersonal foundations that are strong enough to weather the waves of humanist education is worth every effort.

A note from Patricia:

This article concludes my 360 in 180 series, documenting highlights from my adventures and conversations while investigating Christian students’ experiences at secular universities worldwide. If you’ve missed part of the journey, please feel welcome to go back as far as Part 1 of this series to read the whole story. Or, if you’re already all caught up, stay tuned for more blog posts featuring practical tips for thinking biblically and critically in secular classrooms and cultures. Thank you for traveling with me!