| |
Don't be a David Cameron Christian
Those of you who read the news may well remember some comments made by David Cameron before Christmas. The Prime Minister described himself as a “committed” but only “vaguely practising” Christian who was “full of doubts” around theological issues.
If you're expecting any political commentary at this moment, you'll be sorely disappointed. Instead I was struck by these comments and begun to think what a “committed” yet only “vaguely practising” Christian looked like.
 I suspect many people would call themselves “vaguely practising” Christians. The “vaguely practising” being that they attend church at Easter and Christmas. Attending a church meeting on Sunday does not make you a 'practising' Christian though, not even vaguely. More subtly, many people within the church would call themselves “committed”, but are in truth only “vaguely practising” as they confuse attendance to church with a commitment to Jesus.
How do you measure your Christian faith? Is it by how often you attend church? Or is it by how deep your relationship with the risen Jesus is, and how much that relationship is growing? Do you equate “commitment” to simply “attendance” on a Sunday and are in fact missing out on the full riches of living a radical life for Jesus?
A trap that can befall many people, especially students, is to simply attend a church on Sunday during term time. This is not “commitment”. Deciding to be counter cultural and get up early on a Sunday to go to church is not enough. For many going to church is nothing less than a box ticking exercise rather than something that enables you to become part of a church family. This only truly happens outside of Sunday meetings. That takes real commitment.
Perhaps like David Cameron, you are riddled with doubts about theological issues. Don't shy from confronting them. Open the bible and ask God to speak to you. Speak to your friends or leaders in your church. Ask them to help.
If your doubts are such that they cause you to ask big questions, then you should take the opportunity to delve deeper into the claims of Christianity. As C.S. Lewis said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
Andrew Kenyon 11/01/2012
|
0 Comments
|
No Man is an Island
Homesickness is just for clingy prepubescent kids, right?
Wrong.
Having been dropped off at Uni for the first time by my parents, I was totally unprepared for the sheer wall of emotion that hit me with the realisation that I was in an unfamiliar city, with no friends and no family nearby.
Oh, well, it will pass, I thought.
Two days later I was on the phone sobbing to my Mum that it was all horrible. I couldn’t handle the pressure, no one liked me and I was clearly going to fail my degree.
It will get better, she said.
The next day I had my first panic attack.
But what if it doesn’t get better?
Fast forward a few weeks - I wasn’t sleeping, had stopped eating and was stockpiling sleeping tablets (just in case).
I still can’t understand how I managed to flip from a happy-lets-explore-the-world-and-see-what-I can-make-of-it kind of person into a suicidal one in a matter of a few days. But I know how I started to turn back.
Although she hardly knew me, the girl across the hall knew what I was going through; having been sent to boarding school aged 11 with little knowledge of English she knew a thing or two about feeling alone. And the guy in the next staircase would just let me talk, no judgement. The college nurse got on to me and insisted I see her regularly for a chat. And a family friend who lived in the city came and took me out (making sure I ate something whilst she was at it).
I don’t think any one of these people individually could have stopped me sliding even further into depression, but together they saved my life.
So what do I have to say if you find yourself struck down by homesickness or depression? You MUST tell people. This is hard - being vulnerable to practical strangers - but trust me, acting to change the situation will help!
We were created to be in a community. It takes time to rebuild that once it’s lost; the good news, however, is that we get to make new friends and family, and can even find we have exciting new roles to play.
I hate to admit it, but my Mum was right. It did get better.
 Esther Chandler 01/11/11 |
0 Comments
|
So you’re moving to a new city to study? (part three)
We’re approaching the half way point in our series looking at how to settle in a new city. You’ll be prepared for fresher’s flu and actively looking for stuff to get involved with. As well as looking for a church (armed with your A-Z). In the next few weeks, we’ll be hearing from more people from Christ Central who will be sharing their experiences of university. In the meantime, let’s look at the next tips:
5. Remember you are here to do a degree
This may make me sound like a boring old grouch who wants to spoil all your fun. None of that is actually true (except the bit about being old). However, it is worth remembering that whilst uni is a time to have fun and experience new things, it is still important to work hard, at least some of the time. Failing your degree because you have been lazy would be a waste of the time and money it costs to be at uni, and a waste of the experience that you’ve had. And if you believe that your life is about glorifying the God who made you, then surely getting the best marks you can possibly get will bring more glory to him than sleeping through exams and failing your degree?
6. Resist the urge to go home every weekend
Going home on Friday night is tempting. You’ll most likely get home cooked food that isn’t pasta and pesto, a comfy bed, and your washing done in something other than Sainsburys’ cheapest washing powder. But it also means you’ll miss out on a lot of socialising as well as events in and around the city. rather than lugging a suit case on the train back home, you could be hanging out with friends without the distraction of lectures and learning to use your own washing machine. You will also miss out on getting involved at church, and the copious amounts of free food students get on Sunday afternoons at churches, meaning you’ll miss out on one of the great benefits of being a student. Oldies like me have to pay for our own Sunday lunch.
Andrew Kenyon 22/09/2011
|
0 Comments
|
So you’re moving to a new city to study? (part two)
This is the second in our series looking at some important tips for new students.
If you’re moving to Manchester or Salford to study – congratulations. You have made a splendid choice. At risk of sounding biased, you couldn’t have chosen to move to a better place. In fact, if I wrote a travel guide, I’d probably just advise you stay here. Manchester has everything (except a beach)*.
So if you have made that wise decision, our next tip will be particularly important:
3. Get to know your city
Buy an A-Z. Have a wander round the city. Get lost around the city centre for a bit. You’ll discover all sorts of things to cater to every taste. Don’t just assume Manchester Arndale is all there is to see in Manchester or that Starbucks is the only place to get a coffee. Take the time early on to find the best places to visit and avoid the tendency to only go where the uni buses will take you.
4. Immerse yourself, but only in stuff you actually enjoy
Find out what you’re interested in. Join a decent uni society, or find some people in your church or halls who share that interest, and get involved with that. Do you like going out clubbing? Then you’ll find plenty of places to do that. If you don’t, you’re probably best off not bothering. You won’t enjoy it, and people will be able to spot that a mile off.
You are more likely to make meaningful friendships with people who are into the same stuff as you rather than trying to force yourself to be something you are not in order to fit in. Otherwise you could spend too much of your time at uni stood doing stuff you don’t like with people you don’t really connect with.
* This may not necessarily be true
Andrew Kenyon 12/09/2011
|
0 Comments
|
So you’re moving to a new city to study? (part one)
Starting a degree is exciting, but it can be pretty scary too. You’re likely to have moved out of your parent’s home for the first time. You’ll soon understand the meaning of the word debt. And you’ll need to learn how to use a microwave pretty quickly.
You’re also more than likely to be in a new city, and this can be pretty daunting. It takes time to work out which places are good/bad/ugly/safe/worth avoiding. And it takes time to make friends too.
So we thought we’d start our new blog for students and 20s by looking at 10 key things you should be thinking about if you’re moving to a new city to study.
Let’s start with the most important.
1. Find a church
Find one quickly. Don’t be one of those flaky types who tries out several dozen for 3 years, never finding one that’s “perfect”. Because a “perfect” church doesn’t exist. But some very good one’s do, and in them you will be cared for, challenged, fed and encouraged to grow as a Christian. Each has a different flavour. And each will probably have a midweek group where you can make friends, share life and pray together.
 Once you find one, get plugged in. You will make friends with people. Some will be students who share the experience and challenges of living for Jesus on campus. Some will be older, and can share their experience with you. In a church, you will be able to connect with people of all ages and nationalities, and this is so important, as sometimes, just sometimes, student life can grate a little. At the very least you will get free food. Lots of it.
Click here for more info about what we do for students at Christ Central, or email us.
2. Paracetamol is your friend
You will get fresher’s flu. It’s a fact of life. Paracetamol is cheap, alleviates the symptoms of this famous student lurgy, and will allow you to not spend fresher’s week in bed with a hot water bottle.
Andrew Kenyon 05/09/11
|
0 Comments
|
|
|
|
| | |
