All Articles For A (Sharp) Pastoral Warning to Students in Christian Colleges

Previous article in this series: November 15, 2010, p 76. Dear Reformed Christian Young People (and their parents), By now I hope it has become clear to you that, although the issue of church and kingdom is important for Christian college students, it reaches far beyond the Christian colleges. The new views of God’s kingdom affect everything. These views, which make church narrow and kingdom wide, and make church of importance only as it serves kingdom causes, affect all spheres of life. They drive mission works and church planting efforts: churches are needed to redeem culture and transform society, and...

Previous article in this series: November 1, 2010, p. 52. Dear Reformed Christian Young People (and their parents), How should a student respond when his religion professor asks the students to reflect on this statement: “Martin Luther King Jr. (and other civil rights advocates), influential economists, and Nobel Peace prize winners, can do as much to advance God’s kingdom as the Calvins and Luthers can.” Or if the professor praises preachers who resign from the ministry to run for political office because they can more effectively promote God’s kingdom as civil rulers? Or maybe the professor of “Social and Political...

Previous article in this series: October 1, 2010, p. 4. Dear Reformed Christian Young People (and their parents), Beware. My pastoral but very sharp warning last time was to look out for, in many Christian colleges and universities, a view of God’s kingdom that trivializes God’s church. This view makes the church merely a tool (only one of many) to establish the kingdom. For those who hold that view, God’s kingdom is far broader than the church, becomes something altogether different from God’s church, and is actually God’s real and supreme purpose in the world. In my judgment, this teaching...

Dear Reformed Christian Young People, When you attend public or state universities, I trust that you are prepared for a hostile reception and an assault on your Christian faith and life. The antichristian vehemence may be hurtful, but it is not surprising. You expect different from a Christian college. If you do, or hope to, attend a Christian college, you may be thankful for what Christianity, even Reformed Christianity, and Christian morals there are in the institution you choose. I speak from experience, both personally and as a father. My own education was in both secular and Christian (Reformed) institutions...