It can be a time of incredible joy and discovery, but it can also be a time of intense loneliness and pain. Consider the following statistics:
There are around 20 million students studying in the United States (US Dept. of Education). About one million of these are international students (Opendoors, 2018).
60% of students raised in the church leave it during college (Barna).
The fastest growing religious group in the United States is the “nones” (Pew Research, 2017)
The task for a church then, as an emissary of Jesus Christ, is to be a stable presence; a place for loving, human connection; and a stronghold for spiritual formation during a tumultuous time. The pastoral need cannot be overstated. This is why churches in the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas are working to reach students with the gospel of Jesus Christ.