Advice to Bible College Students

Contributor: Crystal Hutcheson

ADVICE TO BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS

Putting aside what can be learned by reading my coveted class notes, my experience at Bible college shook my faith to its core.  My inner person, my spirit, my very reason for existence was put to the test...and in more than just a classroom.  The following is bits and pieces of things that I either DID, and found awesome, or did NOT do, and found myself wishing I had.

Take notes like you're getting paid to do it

Taking excellent notes is not only good for your grades, but they also make excellent resources for your future in ministry and life in general. Do you realize how many hours worth of class material one absorbs during 4 years?  There's no way you will be able to remember it all! So many Bible college grads use their old notes to create curriculum, lessons, book material, or teaching series later on.   Trust me...invest in the time it takes NOW to keep expansive notes, keep track of other sources that professors mention in class for further research, and keep all this info in some semblance of organization.  For my own personal study, I've started transferring some of my notes from Bible classes into a thick-margin Bible.  It's helpful, and reminds me of what I learned in classes in a quick-reference manner. 

No matter what field(s) you end up in, you will graduate with the basics of counselling, teaching, speech, writing, business, world religions...the list goes on.  No matter what you think now, you may need a bit of help remembering things from that one class you never thought you'd use later in life.

Get out of the bubble

One epidemic present on EVERY Bible college campus is “the bubble.”  Being part of a campus filled with people who believe mostly the same things as you means life can become the most seemingly spiritually fulfilling experience.  You can end up going to Bible classes, small groups, spontaneous worship experiences with friends...all without leaving campus.  It's a great feeling...but can lead to spiritual obesity.  Paul equated growing in your faith to eating food (1 Corinthians 3, Hebrews 5), so here's my analogy:  If all you do is eat this solid food that you get from the lifestyle of a Bible college student without exercising it out in the real world, you will become Spiritual McFatty.  Don't baby yourself and use 'the bubble' as protection from the real world, but rather use 'the bubble' in a proper manner – as encouragement for your activity outside of it.

Be part of the bubble

Get out of your room!  Live campus life! Literally walk around the campus from door to door, seeing what's going on. Grab your homework and work on it outside on a picnic bench...why on earth not?  Be a class officer or a student council representative. Attend sports events. Volunteer to help at on-campus events. Start a club or group that meets once a week. Plan dinner parties or movie nights in your apartment. Find some way to get involved! The more involved you are in school stuff, the more you will get out of your college experience.

Challenge yourself

There will never be a safer time for you to challenge yourself than when at Bible college.  Sure, it's required for you to do “Christian Service,” but try not to take the easy road.  I got tons of Christian Service from handing out bulletins at a local church on Sunday mornings my freshmen year. It wasn’t until I found the courage to explore other local ministry opportunities that I really started learning! Try out different ministries before getting stuck into one - try homeless ministry, look into 'Give Kids the World,' volunteer at an orphanage, sign up for mission trips...try something that scares you.  It's like you're given a giant blank check and space to “try on” these different ministries all along the learning process.  Even if you are 1,000% sure God has called you to one type of ministry, it's good to have a wide variety of experiences so that you can support and understand all aspects of kingdom work.

Get to know your professors!!

Take advantage of the time that you get to have with your professors!  Ask them out to lunch.  Stop by their offices just to say hi.  At FCC, this isn't brown-nosing...it's normal.  They genuinely want to be part of your life.  If you have struggles at all with assignments or life in general - - ASK them about it. They want to go out of their way to make your educational experience one that is tailor-made.  These men and women are at the TOP of their field, and could be getting paid much more for teaching the same types of classes at secular universities, yet they humbled themselves to accept the call to fight against the biggest enemy of the church today:  ignorant Christians. They are on your side, and will help you in any way they can.

Learn principles and resources, not just opinions

Culture is constantly changing.  Some of what you will learn (in any college, in any profession) will become outdated within a year or two after you've learned it!  Thankfully, our main subject material in Bible college is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Learn how to research and understand the Scriptures, no matter what the issue.  Something WILL come up in your life in the future that you didn't ever expect, and that you didn't hear directly from a professor (or even the Bible) about.  Learn how to face THOSE kinds of issues...the ones you don't know about yet.  What resources are available for you to use in the future? 

There you have my advice to any future or current Bible college student. I hope you find it to be helpful! May God bless you as you prepare to love and serve our Lord with all of your “heart, soul, strength and mind.” (Luke 10:27)