"I walked away from my faith, I used to love God but something changed when I went to college."

These words are far too common in today's students who leave home and go off to college. When old friends hear these words, they cringe a little inside. The home church's heart breaks because students who were such a light and incredibly inspiring in their church no longer want anything to do with it or God. These statistics continue to climb within the students of this generation, and honestly it's a frightening thought.

I've talked to several students about this so called trend that's happening here in America with walking away and choosing to simply believe "nothing" after believing in an Almighty Creator. A lot of students responded with various answers such as doubt, lack of prioritizing faith, and no sense in mission or purpose anymore. So what are the students supposed to do when these things happen?

Growing up, I always felt like my questions and doubts were never really answered. I asked the questions "Why does God allow suffering?" "What's the purpose of life?" "What about evolution?", and these questions were never truly answered. Rather, I felt they were avoided in a passive way. I need you to understand though Church, when you stop giving meaningful answers, students will begin looking elsewhere for things to believe in. This causes a lot of isolation in most students because they feel like they are the only one asking these difficult questions. The church needs to give students a safe place to ask these questions.

I understand why many students that walk away from their faith though, when you come to college you have an entirely different environment and no one around to heckle you about going to church on Sunday mornings. Our priorities are not where they "should be," because most students are not looking to grow in their faith, rather they are looking to grow in themselves. It's not on the top of their list of things to do. At all. Media portrays college as a time to experiment and try different things and this is where a lot of students end up losing their desire and want to continue growing in their faith. Unfortunately, the church begins losing importance in their lives. It's been reported that most college students walk through college without a younger or older adult to mentor them through college. Adults and families, I urge you to "adopt" a college student and devote your time and wisdom into them.

It's plain and simple. Without a sense of mission and purpose, students will not have a foundation for a lifelong faith. It is IMPERATIVE that college ministries and churches give students the FULL depth of the gospel. We need to understand this! Please church, help us. We are sitting in death right now. We need to hear and know that God desires a relationship with us personally. We need to hear and know that through Jesus we can have a relationship with God just like you have. We need to hear and know that God literally calls us to reconcile others and bring everyone we come in contact with and have relationships with.

Churches and ministries who take this call to disciple their students seriously will see a change in the students that they send off to college. Please Church, we need you.