College – Way More Than Just “Staying Christian”!

Kent Murawski

There is way more to college than just “staying Christian”. God desires for you to flourish in your relationship with Him, not simply maintain status quo.

 

Spiritual Transitions

Fall is an exciting time of year. It’s back to school time and you might find yourself in one of several transitions.  Maybe this is your  last year of high school, you’re just starting college, you have a year or two of college under your belt, or you’re done with college and considering grad school or the workforce. Here’s the most important question if you are a follower of Jesus: How are you doing spiritually?

Statistics tell us 70% of young adults between the ages of 18-23 stop attending church regularly for at least a year, even if they were active youth group attendees and leaders. Furthermore, only two-thirds ever return to the church, albeit sporadically.[i]

God doesn’t just want you to survive college with your faith intact. He wants you to thrive! Ask yourself a couple of questions: Would you deem it a failure if you went through college and didn’t grow academically? In the same way, wouldn’t it also be a tragedy if you went through college and didn’t grow spiritually – or worse yet, lost your faith altogether? The goal isn’t to make it to the end of your college career limping over the finish line and thankful you barely made it out alive. The goal is to come out with a stronger faith than when you went in. College can be a deeply formative time in your relationship with God, and it’s also a time when many significant moves of God began throughout history.

Do It Again, Lord

Take Yale for example. Yale University has been the birthplace of many revivals over the years. During Timothy Dwight’s tenure (grandson of Jonathan Edwards) as the president of Yale, they experienced several moves of God that not only spread to the community, but to other universities as well. For example, in 1802 a spiritual revival occurred that “shook the institution to its center.” Of the 230 students enrolled at Yale, about one-third were powerfully converted and nearly half of these went into full-time ministry! Yale experienced 12 similar periods of revival between 1815 and 1841, with the revival of 1831 being very noteworthy as 900 people in the surrounding community of New Haven were converted as well.[ii]

Navigating Transitions

Transitions are a proving ground. They leave you feeling vulnerable, unsure of yourself, and slightly off-balance. They can be disorienting as you chart new territory and pioneer new ground. Like any new thing, transitions are scary and exhilarating at the same time, but in the end there is always a choice. Will you lean into your relationship with Christ or will you trust in your own understanding to get you through?

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;  do not depend on your own understanding.  6 Seek his will in all you do,  and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

Here are three ideas that will help you successfully navigate this challenging but important transition:

1) Choose the right friends. I’ve heard it said, when God wants to bless us, he brings someone into our lives, and when the enemy wants to hurt us, he brings someone into our lives. The Scriptures tell us that “Whoever walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20, ESV).

Who you surround yourself with will in large part determine your trajectory throughout college, so choose wisely. One of the best ways you can do that is to find a great campus ministry. That way you start with a pool of people who share similar passions and convictions. Don’t wait to find like-hearted people who will partner with you in your walk with Christ. Do it now.

2) Be rooted and planted in God’s house. Though I love campus ministries, plugging into a vibrant campus group isn’t enough, and your campus ministry shouldn’t be a replacement for a local church. Sooner or later, you will graduate college and begin a much longer phase of your life. It’s called adulthood. In this phase of life, the church – not a campus ministry – will become the major vehicle of spiritual growth and relationships in your life. Why not learn how to navigate church while you are in college? Where else can you find grandmas and grandpas, moms and dads, married couples, and single young adults in the stage of life where you will soon be?

Picture the local church as a greenhouse. In order for trees and plants to flourish, they need the right soil and have the right amount of water and sunlight.

12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,  He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord s hall flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:12-13 NKJV)

I came to Christ in college but I really didn’t grow that much. Why? Because I didn’t connect with a vibrant local church. After college, God led me to a great local church and guess what? I flourished.

3) Don’t put your relationship with God on the back burner. Your relationship with God is the most important thing about you. It defines you. You are a child of God. He is your Father. What could be more important than that? This is your highest identity. If you are going to thrive in the transition from high school to college and beyond, your relationship with God needs to be a priority, more than school, extracurricular activities, or anything else.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 NIV)

Not only is your identity found in your relationship with Christ, but it is the source of anything of eternal value that comes from your life. As you hang out with God, fruit will grow from every branch. Let this sink in: o ur highest call is not to do for God; our highest call is to be with God.

The Transition Book

the-transition-3d-cover-1 This is why I wrote the book, The Transition: Thriving Spiritually from High School to College and Beyond . God never intended for you to survive college. He longs for you to thrive through this and every other transition.

In The Transition, I unpack practical lessons as well as deep spiritual truths to help you flourish as you move from high school to college and beyond. You will be equipped to:

  • Understand how God has stirred young people throughout history to bring spiritual awakening
  • Build a strong foundation by going back to the basics
  • Discover who you are in Christ
  • Develop healthy relationships that will help you on your spiritual journey
  • Grow in practical wisdom needed for this stage of life
  • Find and fulfill your purpose

Get Chapter 1 for Free!

The book will be available for pre-order in November. To get chapter 1 for free as well as the latest updates on the book, subscribe to my blog

Those who pre-order the book (and email the receipt to kentmurawski@gmail.com ), will receive several helpful resources, including:

  1. Rest Assured: Seven Days to Sanity, Stillness and the Sabbath You Need (e-book)
  2. Video interviews with three top leaders of this generation, including:
  • Jonathan Burgio – director of BASIC College Ministries
  • John Decker – director of Believers College Prep
  • Tommy McGreggor – author, speaker, and veteran transitions coach

Happy Transitioning!

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By Kent Murawski July 28, 2025
When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.
By Kent Murawski July 23, 2025
When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.
By Kent Murawski May 26, 2025
“Should I end this?” were the last words I said before collapsing to the ground in excruciating pain. The only thing I ended that day was my basketball career ⛹️! On Sunday, May 18, 2025, I ruptured my patella tendon playing basketball with my boys. We were playing a game of P.I.G., and it was […]
By Kent Murawski May 16, 2025
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By Kent Murawski May 7, 2025
I always thought the big decisions were what shaped my life trajectory, but my 50th birthday celebration revealed something way more interesting—it’s actually the tiny, everyday choices that determine where you ultimately end up. It was the most meaningful birthday I’ve ever had.  Fair warning, this is a long one, but it will be worth […]
By Kent Murawski March 19, 2025
Your capacity to recognize when to pause may be more valuable than knowing when to push. Lately, I haven’t had anything to write, which is a rare occurrence. Sure, I could try to pound something out or pull some unused content out of the archives (which I have tons of), but here’s what I’ve discovered: […]
By Kent Murawski March 6, 2025
How are you? Your answer to this question reveals more about your future success and well-being than any strategic plan. We often wear busyness as a badge of honor. Ask ten people how they are doing, and nine out of ten times the answer will be, “busy.” That’s not the way things ought to be. […]
By Kent Murawski January 30, 2025
The weight of unrealistic self-expectations can feel crushing, especially at the start of a new year. January is not even over, and I’m already feeling overwhelmed.  It’s often said that we can be our own worst bosses or that the most challenging person to lead is the person in the mirror.  What do you do […]
By Kent Murawski January 16, 2025
Failed dreams can become your greatest victories. While dreams are essential for hope and growth, unfulfilled dreams can breed disillusionment. Yet what appears to be a “failed” dream often reveals itself as an opportunity. Barbara Corcoran, the renowned Shark Tank Investor, once said, “All my best successes came on the heels of failure.” This wisdom […]
By Kent Murawski January 4, 2025
Did you know that 92% of people give up on their goals by January 12th? Pretty shocking, right? I used to be part of that statistic. Every year, I’d write down my goals with excitement, only to find them collecting dust by February. It was frustrating and, honestly, a bit embarrassing. But then I discovered […]