Giving God My Best in College: A 7-Day Devotional by Cantice Greeneনমুনা

Find Your Tribe: Join or Start a Campus Ministry

Remember my prayer room experience from day four? If you do, you might also remember that what drove me there was a realization that I was being a hypocrite. I was outspoken in other ways and for many causes, but I was afraid to expose my faith in Christ to others. All those other causes were good things, but none of them existed primarily to honor God.

Even though I was frequenting a campus ministry, I kind of hid my affiliation. I didn’t tell my roommate when I was going there. I didn’t invite a friend. Maybe I even felt somewhat obligated to go. When I did go, I let the members know that I was not exactly one of them. I was vocal about having other friends who weren’t Christians. I hung out with other groups who would have objected had I tried to assert my Christian-ness in the group, yet somehow, I thought I could claim to be Christ-centered. That night, when the minister’s questions uncovered the disharmony in my position, I had a meltdown, but the meltdown served a purpose.

After my “come-to-Jesus” outpouring in the prayer room, I stopped hiding my Christian affiliations. Unfortunately for me, it took a meltdown and a crisis of conviction for me to finally rest in knowing that the Christ-followers on campus were my tribe.

Don’t be as slow as I was. Find your tribe—the people who accept you for the Christ-follower you are. Do it in the daylight—and when you find them, and they prove themselves trustworthy, be a friend, a real friend who isn’t afraid to be seen with other Christ-followers. When you’re tempted to hide from your Christian friends, remember this: “A brother is born for adversity, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Day 6 Question: What types of Christian ministries are offered on your campus?

*Hint: If you don’t find one that is for you, God might be nudging you to start one.