Why Campus Community and Convocation are just supplemental
By Grace Haynes, Graduate Student Worker
Hello! Former Resident Shepherd and Community Group Leader on the Hill, here!
I absolutely loved the unmatched spiritual community here at Liberty. Like most of you, I fell in love with Liberty the minute I stepped foot on campus because of the genuine atmosphere amongst the students. Liberty provides so many opportunities, especially for freshmen and new transfer students, to get involved with on-campus life from Student Activities events to Midnight Mayhem hockey games. However, some of the deepest connections form not in loud student sections but on those late Wednesday nights when you and some people on your hall have the chance to sit down and really talk about what’s going on.
I am a huge advocate for attending both Convocation and Campus Community and I’m not just saying that because of my previous leadership roles. While Convocation is mandatory, Campus Community is not. When I was a freshman in Fall 2018, it was the invitation from upperclassmen on my hall leadership that got me through the doors of the Vines Center for Campus Community. That Wednesday night service was the highlight of my week and gave me the refreshing encouragement to continue trudging through my homework, quizzes, and exams.
But what about Sunday mornings?
Whether you grew up going to a church or not, I’d recommend getting in the habit now that you’re in college. There is something about being out on your own (sometimes in a new city, state, or for some, an entirely new country) that feels isolating at times. As great and uplifting as the worship sets at Convocation and Campus Community can be, they cannot replace your weekly attendance and involvement in a local church. Liberty is a school, not a church. I cannot stress this enough: You need the local church, and the local church needs you.
Lynchburg is flooded with local churches. You could visit a new church every week for the four years you’re here and probably never visit them all! If you like a full-blown rock band or an a capella-only church, we have it. If you want to know everyone in your congregation or prefer something a little bigger, we have that too. Attending a local church, especially one that is diverse, is essential to your growth. It allows you to take off your “student hat” and feel like a normal person again. Hearing different perspectives other than just your campus pastor can open your eyes beyond the Liberty bubble. Sitting under another pastor’s teaching can broaden your understanding of the purpose God has for your life. There’s also something sweet about opening the door for the elderly couple on your way into service or waving hello to the couple that just had their first baby.
At my local church, we have a saying we use often: serving is our response to God. I would challenge and encourage you to find a church you agree with spiritually and commit to it. Get to know the pastor, the community, and the ways you can serve that community. In this pandemic era, many churches have lost members AND servers. They are in desperate need of people to help open doors or direct people to find seats, and we as a student body, have the opportunity and privilege to love on our local church communities while they welcome us into their town for four years.
When you graduate, you will leave this chapter as a student and enter a new season of working, traveling, or continuing your education. You do not get to take your student body with you, but a local church will certainly always be there with its doors wide open waiting for you wherever you go!
