A 12 Week Devotional Guide for Christian College Students
Dear Christian College Student,
This is an exciting time. You are entering a wonderful season of learning and growth that will impact the rest of your life. Know that your church has been and will be praying for you. Know that your parents love you. Know that the Lord is providentially at work in every area of your life, from your choice of a major to your choice of an entrée in the cafeteria (don’t eat the brown stuff). Take a deep breath.
As you schedule your classes and begin your studies, hear from those who love you that we want you to know God. Whether you are attending a Christian college or not, this time in life is and should be a time of spiritual growth for you. You can know and treasure God in all your studies, not just in your Bible classes.
Spiritual disciplines are a critical foundation for this effort, and I have constructed this guide to aid you in your devotional practice. Simply put, I believe this study will help structure your private devotional practice around the core truths of the Christian faith and anchor your heart to the gospel each day.
The Format
The plan is simple. There are six books. I will provide links to all of them in this article. You will read a devotional entry in J.I. Packer’s excellent book Growing in Christ each day for five days and then read several chapters corresponding to your reading from Dr. R. Albert Mohler over the weekend.
The Content
In the history of Christian discipleship, the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer have guided and anchored Christians for centuries. These landmarks of our faith are helpful cords that tether us to the bedrock of Christian doctrine, ethics, and communion with God. Packer's book covers all of these, and Mohler has written a book on each. All these resources together will serve you greatly to establish your faith in these critical days. In addition, I have included a book by Tim Challies called Do More Better to give you practical, purposeful help with time management and organization. Finally, Jonathan Leeman's book Church Membership will encourage you and equip you in a vital part of your spiritual life: joining a church. I cannot stress the importance of joining a church during these years enough. The reading and study will take 12 weeks, requiring less than an hour of reading each day. This pattern should fit cleanly into most academic calendars and can easily be repeated. I pray it is a help to you.
The Books
Growing in Christ by J.I. Packer
The Apostles’ Creed by R. Albert Mohler [AC]
Words from the Fire by R. Albert Mohler [TC]
The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down by R. Albert Mohler [LP]
Do More Better by Tim Challies
Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman
The Schedule
The Apostles’ Creed
Week 1, Days 1-5: Packer (1-5); Weekend: Mohler (AC 1-2)
Week 2, Days 1-5: Packer (6-10); Weekend: Mohler (AC 3-7)
Week 3, Days 1-5: Packer (11-15); Weekend: Mohler (AC 8-12)
Week 4, Days 1-3: Packer (16-18); Days 4-5: Mohler (AC 13-14); Weekend: Mohler (LP Overview)
The Lord’s Prayer
Week 1, Days 1-5: Packer (1-5 in Lord’s Prayer section of Crossway edition); Weekend: Mohler (LP 1-3)
Week 2, Days 1-5: Packer (6-10); Weekend: Mohler (LP 4-6)
Week 3, Days 1-5; Packer (11-16); Weekend: Mohler (LP 7-Epilogue)
The 10 Commandments
Week 1, Days 1-5: Packer (1-5 in 10 Commandments section of Crossway edition); Weekend: Mohler (TC Introduction-Chapter 1)
Week 2, Days 1-5: Packer (6-10); Weekend: Mohler (TC 2-6)
Week 3, Days 1-5: Packer (11-16); Weekend: Mohler (TC 7-10)
Management and Membership
Week 1, Days 1-5: Challies (1-5); Leeman (Introduction-Chapter 4); Weekend: Rest
Week 2, Days 1-5: Challies (6-10); Leeman (5-Conclusion); Weekend: Rest