# Influencing college selections by parishioners



## Edward (Aug 26, 2011)

On another thread, the Rev. Eshelman posted:



nleshelman said:


> On a serious note: We all need to encourage our members to be diligent in choosing colleges that are close to reformed churches that we, in good conscience, could attend.



How forcefully should our churches be in steering students to universities where, at least, for Presbyterians, a RUF is present, if not a church of your particular denomination. How involved are the pastors/elders here in influencing where the youth of the congregation get educated. 

I can understand that there are unique situations involving financial considerations, but those should be rare. 

Is this an area where more work is needed?


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## Rufus (Aug 26, 2011)

Well, it shouldn't be done legalistically i.e.: You must go to *insert* college or your not a good *insert Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian*


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## EKSB SDG (Aug 26, 2011)

The church should *strongly* encourage college-bound people to consider *only* those schools that are proximate to solid faithful reformed congregations. Of what benefit is the learning in the classroom if the learning that occurs on the Sabbath undermines the heart? When these young people are leaving home and often heading to schools that disregard and ridicule the Kingship of Christ, it is essential that those young adults be firmly planted in a solid church. The encouragement and direction in deciding on a college should be coming first from the parents. The rest of the church should also be encouraging this, not just the pastor.

*Locating proximate to a solid reformed church should be the deciding factor for everyone*, not just college-bound students. It seems that when people relocate for education, employment, or whatever reason -- locating proximate to a church that is sound in doctrine and practice isn't even considered. People don't generally move to a place where there's no food or water, yet they don't think twice about moving to a place where there is an absence of the Word, Living Water, and the Bread of Life.


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## N. Eshelman (Aug 26, 2011)

Why do I love Bruce Keeler? Read the above for an example why.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 26, 2011)

Amen Bruce!


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## Andres (Aug 27, 2011)

EKSB SDG said:


> The church should *strongly* encourage college-bound people to consider *only* those schools that are proximate to solid faithful reformed congregations. Of what benefit is the learning in the classroom if the learning that occurs on the Sabbath undermines the heart? When these young people are leaving home and often heading to schools that disregard and ridicule the Kingship of Christ, it is essential that those young adults be firmly planted in a solid church. The encouragement and direction in deciding on a college should be coming first from the parents. The rest of the church should also be encouraging this, not just the pastor.
> 
> *Locating proximate to a solid reformed church should be the deciding factor for everyone*, not just college-bound students. It seems that when people relocate for education, employment, or whatever reason -- locating proximate to a church that is sound in doctrine and practice isn't even considered. People don't generally move to a place where there's no food or water, yet they don't think twice about moving to a place where there is an absence of the Word, Living Water, and the Bread of Life.


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## Philip (Aug 27, 2011)

EKSB SDG said:


> Locating proximate to a solid reformed church should be the deciding factor for everyone



If this were the case, there would be far fewer church plants.


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## Edward (Aug 27, 2011)

Of course, proximity to a solid church doesn't mean that the young man or woman will actually go. 

To vary the theme slightly - does your church body have 'associate memberships' or something similar, and if so, do you inform and encourage the college bound to explore such? And on the other side of the coin, do you contact the church in the college community that the person will be there in college?


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## Mushroom (Aug 27, 2011)

Edward said:


> Of course, proximity to a solid church doesn't mean that the young man or woman will actually go.


If their parents are being... parents... they will be attending or be receiving appropriate rebuke and discipline even to the extent of losing financial support if necessary. Christian parents should not be about the business of equipping more pagans to be successful in their rebellion against God.


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## fredtgreco (Aug 27, 2011)

Edward said:


> does your church body have 'associate memberships' or something similar, and if so, do you inform and encourage the college bound to explore such? And on the other side of the coin, do you contact the church in the college community that the person will be there in college?


Edward: yes and yes.


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## Philip (Aug 27, 2011)

Brad said:


> If their parents are being... parents... they will be attending or be receiving appropriate rebuke and discipline even to the extent of losing financial support if necessary.



Yes, that'll make them more likely to repent.


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## Mushroom (Aug 28, 2011)

P. F. Pugh said:


> Brad said:
> 
> 
> > If their parents are being... parents... they will be attending or be receiving appropriate rebuke and discipline even to the extent of losing financial support if necessary.
> ...


The likelihood of their repentance is a matter of what the Lord grants, not a parent's manipulations, but those parents have responsibilities as Christians to do the hard things that love requires. Eli saw the result of forgoing those responsibilities. If you think the manipulations of Christians affects the likelihood of repentance on the part of anyone, you may have missed a large part of Reformed theology. We are called to obey, not manipulate.


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