Warning: This is written for a Jesus Following audience, if that's not your cup of tea that's fine, just letting you know.
Our blood family is not something any of us got to choose. Our friend-family is something most of us just kind of fell into. Our college family consist of advisers and that one waiter/waitress at Waffle House that knows your order when they see you.
However, there is one type of family that can be especially difficult to find, and that would be our church family. Now, as a believer, I believe that all of my fellow followers of Jesus Christ, and His complete teachings, are my spiritual family, but many college students don't feel comfortable with the church they are in currently for many reasons. For many believers in college this is the first time many of us have had the opportunity to grow closer to God away from the watchful eyes of home-friends and family. And believe me when I say I know how scary it can be to try to grow in a church where your views of how to live out the Word of God vary from most of the congregation you are in. Ever since I began my freshman year, the question of, "who is my church family" has been constantly voiced in my mind.
For the first few weeks of college I visited some churches but never felt at home, relying on bible studies and BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry) to keep me going, actually going to a church was not something I looked forward to since at the time I just felt uncomfortable everywhere I had been. This continued my entire freshmen year, but thank the LORD I had access to bible studies, outreach, and BCM or I would probably have gone insane! Then summer hit (praise) and I went from school to a three week break before my summer job started at Camp Fellowship and I was once again stuck in the Greenwood area for a few months. As the summer went on my fellow staff members and I visited some churches but I still couldn't find that belonging that many of my friends found at some local churches. Now don't get me wrong I am very proud of my local church community, there are many great bodies of believers in the Greenwood area! The scary thing is that I had no idea that there was a problem with this until the start of my sophomore year! I have spoken to some of my peers about this and to my surprise, many of them are having the same problem that I am. A few of them even felt ashamed that they didn't have a body of believers they considered their church family because of what they have heard from fellow believers. Crazy right?
I am still searching for a place to call my church family where I can grow among like-minded followers of Jesus Christ, but until then I will continue to pray for God to lead me to where I will grow correctly. To my fellow Christians that feel this way, sort of wandering to find a family, don't feel ashamed. No matter what others may say, it is your walk with Christ that you are on, not theirs. Continue to pray to God for clarity and He will lead you to where He wants you to be.
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
