AM around the world is seeking to target university and young students intensively. A study conducted on July 2017 confirmed that the secular world has distorted the motives of college students. College students are pursuing higher education with hopes of gaining a career and studies have been trying to determine the reason for this. Some have found that the competitiveness in the U.S. economy is the reason. However, a study from Barna Group examined this relationship between student’s and their reason for attending college. Upon analysis, the results can be helpful in college recruitment by providing students with a chance to contribute their talents/interest towards working for God’s Kingdom.
According to the data recorded, 75% of practicing Christians, 67% of Evangelicals, and 64% of No faith affiliated are going to college to prepare for a specific job or career.
Furthermore, 70% of students that self identify as Christians say that the purpose of going to college is to also prepare for a specific job or career.
“Those invested in biblical higher education should pay close attention, because student recruitment efforts must take into account the college-to-career assumption-not necessarily to share or capitulate to the assumption, but certainly to bear it in mind as a factor that strongly influences prospective students’ college choice”(Barna). This fact should motivate church leaders to inform college students that their works and talents can be contributed towards the Kingdom of God. And this will attract more students to want to seek salvation.
Last year, colleges across the U.S. enrolled 19.9 million students. This is not nearly as much compared to the amount of people in the world, however, colleges do not provide students with spiritual support. And for this reason students are trying to succeed by the world’s standards and not by God’s. When asked about his thoughts on the topic, Pastor Michael said, “Secular colleges tamper on their self confidence when they do not do well. They are trying to win validation and not their salvation.”
These statistics were very helpful for those who are doing college evangelism. Through this article, one can learn how to target college students by informing them that their passions and talents can bear much more fruit when they work for the Kingdom of God.