Last month, I discussed catechesis in the home in response to a question I received while visiting a congregation in our district. Specifically, I discussed 1) making church a priority above all other activities and 2) gave some practical advice on family devotions and catechesis in the home.

What happens when this child, whom you’ve taken to church and raised in a Christian home, leaves for college and will be away from home? How can you assist him or her to carry on the habits that you’ve sought to instill? Life transitions are fraught with anxiety, and a student’s first year in college has an extra edge. For most, this is the first time they have been away from home. In the midst of their new surroundings, they are meeting new people and new professors. On top of that, going to a new church, with a new congregation and a new pastor, is one more “new thing.” Even something a lifelong churchgoer knows to be a good thing, now becomes a difficult step into another “new.”

This concern is not merely anecdotal; the research bears this out. Pew Research Center notes that many who were active in the Church during their youth become less consistent in attending the Divine Service—or drift away for a time—during their college years and early adulthood (www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/12/08/religion-holds-steady-in-america). Though the Pew Research report doesn’t cite college as a cause of the decline in church attendance, it is reasonable to infer that this time of unfamiliarity is a contributing factor. The transition into this new stage of life brings with it the loss of familiar routines and the steady encouragement of parents. What was once woven into the fabric of Sunday morning must now be taken up anew, all by themselves. There is much room for the devil to maneuver between the student and God’s Word & Gifts.

On top of this, young men and women are also stepping into an academic and social environment that will shape them in new ways. College isn’t only a place of learning, but a place of formation. Many students will benefit from thoughtful and faithful professors, and there is much that is good to be received from them. At the same time, some will encounter ideas and instruction that are at odds with the Christian faith from an authoritative figure. Professors aren’t the only influence. Fellow students, friendships, and the desire to belong all exert a powerful pull, for good or for ill. In such a setting, the Christian student must learn not only to continue in the habits of hearing God’s Word but also to discern, test, and hold fast to what is true.

How can parents best prepare their children as they hand them off to the new adventure that is college and university? This is the advice that I have. Please ask your pastor for his thoughts as well.

1. Go to church together in the town where your student will now live at least once before you leave your son or daughter at college. Given that a major shift is happening in the life of your student, help them to make the step that takes them into the sanctuary of a faithful LCMS congregation. Take your son or daughter to church. Take that first step with them. Speak with the pastor, introduce yourselves, and give him your son or daughter’s contact information. Help your student incorporate into the life of that congregation as best you can. The more times you go to church with them, the more that habit will become instilled in them, and the easier it will be for your student to go to church on their own.

2. Research to see if there is an active LCMS college group that meets. Getting your student plugged into a group of peers who share a common confession will be a great help. Currently, North Dakota has active college fellowships on three campuses. 

Wittenberg Lutheran Chapel is just north of the University of North Dakota campus. Pastor Durham does a fabulous job providing pastoral care as the students navigate the minefield that can be university life. Wittenberg’s website with all the pertinent contact information can be found at: www.wittenbergchapel.com.

The campus ministry at North Dakota State is headed by Rev. Scott Johnson, associate pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Rev. Johnson also does a marvelous job ministering to the students. The website for the NDSU campus ministry is: www.immanuelfargo.org/campus-ministry.

A new campus ministry has just started on the campus of Minot State. SOLA (Students Of Lutheran Apologetics) is just getting off the ground, but a group of students has already been meeting to discuss and learn God’s Word. If you would like more information, please contact Mr. Caleb Hoverson at calebhoverson@yahoo.com.

3. Consider a Christian private university. The LCMS has several universities around the country under the Concordia University name (please note that Concordia-Moorhead is not an LCMS university). At these campuses, they offer daily chapel, Christian faculty, and are places where most students are Christians. The Concordias that are geographically closest to North Dakota are: Concordia University - St. Paul (St. Paul, MN), Concordia University - Nebraska (Seward, NE), Concordia University - Wisconsin (Mequon, WI), and Concordia University - Chicago (River Forest, IL).

Whether children in the home or children going off to college, what we are talking about are the steps in lifelong catechesis. Faith is sustained through the means God Himself has given—His Word and His Sacraments. As parents begin the process of watching their sons and daughters fly from the nest, let us do all we can to place them into the care of Christ’s Church. And even when so much is “new,” Christ is the anchor and the harbor throughout the storms of life. He remains faithful, and He continues to meet His people where He has promised to be found.