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## **Be Committed to the Church**
“Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another—especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25, NLT)
To all the graduates—**congratulations!**
We commend you for your accomplishments and thank you for your faithfulness to this church and to our EM group. May God lead and bless you as you close one chapter of your life and open a new one.
If you will allow me, I want to give special recognition to JongHyun and Connie for graduating from college. It is no longer easy for Christian young adults to finish college while holding firmly to their faith.
Many studies have examined how many Christian high school graduates entering college remain believers by the time they graduate. Because the studies vary, their numbers differ: some say only 50% maintain their faith, others report 30%, and some even say only 10%.
What makes the situation more alarming is the growing trend among teenagers to move away from organized religion—especially Christianity. It is truly concerning.
Just last week, I read a Fox News report that summarized what they called “11 million survey responses.” Two major conclusions stood out:
1. Younger Americans are increasingly unlikely to say religion is important in their lives.
2. Today’s teenagers are the least religious generation in the last six decades.
So then, **how can we fight back against this tide—this ungodly trend?**
Christian researchers identified several common factors among those who stay strong in their faith through their college years:
* Their parents were still married to each other and both attended church (before age 18).
* They were trained in their church, and at least one adult in the church invested personally and spiritually in them (between ages 15–18).
* Their pastor’s sermons were relevant to their lives (before age 18).
You cannot control your parents’ situation, but you *can* choose what to do to stay strong in your faith despite the increasingly hostile environment toward Christianity. That is why it is so important to commit yourself to church gatherings. This applies especially to those entering college, but in truth, it applies to all of us.
# **1. Commit to the church so you can continually learn what you believe and why you believe it.**
“Always be ready to explain your Christian hope.” (1 Peter 3:15)
If someone asks you about your faith, are you ready to give an answer?
Can you honestly say that you know what you believe and why?
One of the major reasons so many young Christians fall away is *the influence of their professors*.
Tobin’s research echoes the findings of a 2005 Washington Post summary of college faculty attitudes:
* 72% of professors in the U.S. identified as liberal.
* Only 20 years earlier, it was 39%.
If that trend continued, today it could be even closer to 90%.
These professors often deny or ridicule Christian beliefs.
They do not believe in a personal God.
They deny creation.
They dismiss the Bible as unreliable.
They deny the unique value of human beings.
They support abortion.
They often label Christians a “hate group.”
You will be challenged intellectually—and possibly ridiculed—about what you believe and why.
But let’s be honest:
Many of these professors insist that their ancestor is an ape.
They claim to have purpose, yet believe life came from chance.
They talk about love, but have no foundation for it without a personal God.
They deny absolute morality.
They cannot explain the meaning of life or human value.
They have no certain future or destination.
**So take confidence in God.**
Because of Him, you can offer real hope, real meaning, and a real future.
It is tragic that so many young people abandon their faith, and many more are in danger of doing the same. If you are prepared, you can help them.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
How can we demolish arguments?
By having **a better** argument—by thinking well, learning well, and being prepared.
That is why it is so important for you to commit to church gatherings—so you can continually learn and be strengthened.
# **2. Commit to the church to experience and practice caring relationships.**
Some young people leave the faith because they discover new theological disagreements or because of rebellion.
But far more simply drift away because they lose connection with the church and no longer see it as important.
Who is responsible?
Often *both* the student and the church lose track of each other.
Why must you dedicate yourself to the church?
Because we are **the family of God**—and God calls us to practice family love.
You cannot love God and ignore His people.
Do not let other interests or demands take priority over your relationship with the church.
Why be committed to gathering?
Because we all need not only truth, but also love, care, and encouragement from others:
“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:12–13)
We often do not even notice how we are tempted, hardened, and drifting.
That is why we need each other—to overcome temptation and stand strong in our faith.
# **3. Commit to the church so you can help others.**
“My brothers, I myself am convinced that you are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and able to instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)
As I watch you—the young adults and college students—I am encouraged.
You don’t just attend meetings.
You care for the younger ones.
You serve them like older brothers and sisters.
Honestly, I often envy the youth in our EM.
I wish I had older brothers and sisters like you when I was their age.
My life would have been happier and better if I had the kind of spiritual family you are providing.
That is beautiful.
And that is exactly how the church family should function.
So I beg you—please continue what you are doing.
This is another reason I want you to commit to the church when you go off to college—not only to listen and learn, but also to teach and help others.
Five years ago, we started all-age Sunday School so more people could be involved in teaching.
For those going to college, set your goals high.
Your aim is not merely to survive as Christians, but to stay strong, grow, and help others grow.
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# **In summary, why must you commit to the church?**
1. **So you may learn the Word of God.**
2. **So you may receive encouragement from brothers and sisters.**
3. **So you may help and strengthen others.**
Therefore, **be committed to the church**, not neglecting its gathering.
Please watch:https://youtu.be/7WXWvWLirX8?si=7tvm4_7PHbRyvk-W
