5 Ways To Keep Your Faith In College
- Campus Light College Church
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
Welcome to college! This is an exciting time of possibilities and changes. Some are expected, and some are unexpected: college will change your schedule, your friends, your freedom, and sometimes, even your faith. In fact, with so much going on, it’s easy to feel like your relationship with God can get sent to the back burner. Not to be a debbie downer, but you wouldn’t be alone in feeling that way:
Around 70% of Christian students stop going to church during college.
Many leave for at least a year, and some don’t come back at all.
Many cite feeling overwhelmed as a primary reason for stopping church attendance.
That’s why we’ve come up with 5 simple and real ways to keep your faith strong while you're in college. Some of these might seem like a no-brainer—but seriously, if you do these 5 things, you will not be part of the 70% that end up drifting away from their faith.
1. Find a Church or Christian Community
You need people. As John Donne said, “No man is an island.” That applies especially to people who know and follow Jesus. Find a local church or join a Christian group on campus. These are the people who will encourage you, pray for you, and remind you of the truth as life happens. You don’t have to do this alone—and in fact, you shouldn’t!
2. Keep Your Faith Habits Going
Even if your schedule is packed, make time for God. That means:
Reading the Bible (Hebrews 4:12, Romans 10:17)
Spending time in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Ephesians 6:18)
Spending time in fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25, Philippians 2:1-2)
You don’t have to be perfect—just be consistent. A little time with God every day goes a long way. Most Christians don’t wake up one day and say, “I’m going to stop being Christian.” Most Christians end up losing their faith because they slowly drift away. As Proverbs 24:33-34 goes, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Okay, that sounds a little intense. But the point stands: all it takes is a little consistency or inconsistency to make all the difference!
3. Know What You Believe and Why
College will challenge your faith. That’s not always bad—but you should be ready. Learn the basics of why Christianity makes sense. Read a few good books, ask hard questions, and talk with people you trust. We recommend William Lane Craig’s reasonablefaith.org! The more grounded you are, the more confident you’ll feel. For more Bible resources, check out our blog post on “4 Bible Study Resources for Learning & Teaching the Bible.”
4. Set Boundaries That Help You Stay Focused on God
It’s easy to get off track. Be honest with yourself about what pulls you away from God—whether it’s certain people, places, or habits. Set some healthy boundaries in your relationships, in how you spend your time, and in what you say yes to. Your priority should always be God, but sometimes you need calibration on how to prioritize God. So make sure you have some older and wiser people who can guide you on how to live out your priorities with the right boundaries.
5. Live Out Your Faith
Faith isn’t just about what you believe—it’s about how you live.
Show that God is first in your life by prioritizing going to church on Sundays. It’s not about your attendance as checking off a box. It’s about showing up to hear from God’s Word and to fellowship with fellow believers. Ever heard of Eric Liddell? Google “Eric Liddell running on Sunday” to hear his story of how he ran in the Olympics for a race he didn’t train for! Pretty cool.
Serve others. Volunteering, setting up service at church, cooking for others, etc.
Share your faith. Invite friends to church and learn how to start gospel conversations! To learn more about that, check out our blog post on “How to Share Your Faith Kindly & Effectively”
Show kindness, joy, and integrity in how you treat people.
At the end of the day, we’re living before an audience of one. As 2 Timothy 2:4 states, our aim is to please the one who enlisted us.
If you’re looking for churches near campus where you can learn how to get a lot out of God’s Word, serve with others, and fellowship with believers on campus, you’re welcome to check out Campus Light! We meet at Tillett 232 on Sundays at 11 AM — and we have tons of other activities throughout the week, which we’ll keep updating on our Instagram and website. See you around!
1 Summit Ministries. “Top 5 Reasons Most College Students Give Up their Christian Faith.” Summit Ministries, 22 March 2017, https://www.summit.org/resources/articles/top-5-reasons-college-students-give-christian-faith/. Accessed 19 July 2025.
2 Summit Ministries. “Top 5 Reasons Most College Students Give Up their Christian Faith.” Summit Ministries, 22 March 2017, https://www.summit.org/resources/articles/top-5-reasons-college-students-give-christian-faith/. Accessed 19 July 2025.
3 Frankel, Joe. “24 Reasons For the Decline In Church Attendance.” Spotlight Feature, 22 July 2024, https://spotlightfeature.com/why-people-no-longer-want-to-go-to-church/. Accessed 19 July 2025.
Co-written by Cindy Zhao (Rutgers BA ‘23) and Aurora Sun (Princeton PhD ‘25).