The North American campus is filled with things — ideas, opportunities, and experiences — that vie for the attention and allegiance of today’s student.

Christians and non will give themselves to something — with the hope that it will be significant, and change everything!

And although there are a lot of great things to think about, opportunities to explore, and experiences to have — these things fail to be understood correctly when placed in Supreme position in one’s heart — and life.

These things aren’t bad in and of themselves, but when elevated to an unhealthy place, they begin to mis-shape and mal-form our students.

Here are a few of the more prominent gods I see on campus today — what would you add to this list?

Achievement — Many students are well aware of why they are at college — to get a degree! And not just to get a degree, but to score well and be among the best and brightest — with the hope that it will provide them an advantage once they graduate and go in search of their first job.

And while I fully believe that students should strive to do their best, the pursuit of an unblemished GPA must be held in check. Too many students, in the name of achievement, are willing to forgo learning and settle for “studying for the test” and/or cheating. What’s sacrificed, besides the education, is integrity and character.

Acceptance — In a culture of seemingly limitless ways to be connected, many students struggle to feel like they belong. They may have hundreds (or even thousands) of followers or friends online, yet will seriously question whether or not they know a single individual who would be there for them if they really needed it.

So instead of believing that they are worthy of real friends “just as they are,” many will conform or pretend to be someone they’re not, for the sake of being accepted. What’s often sacrificed is authenticity, vulnerability, personal values and beliefs.

Freedom — Out from under the wing of their parents, many students will struggle to use their new-found freedom wisely, because they fail to acknowledge and/or accept the corresponding responsibilities that accompany the numerous freedoms that make up the college experience.

As a result, many students will struggle when their excessive exploration of freedoms keep them from producing academically, connecting relationally, or otherwise growing up. Often what gets sacrificed here is maturation and the ability to be responsible. Students fail to “become adult.”

Future — Again, most students come to college precisely because of their future. Many even believe that God wants to use their college years as a way of preparing them for their future — which is great! But some will take this belief to an unhealthy extreme in which they become so obsessed about their future that they struggle to really live in the present.

Life becomes about networking, maximizing opportunities, and looking for the competitive edge. What often gets sacrificed is — well, everything that doesn’t help them to accomplish their future goals. If it doesn’t move them towards meeting their goals, it gets left behind.

Pleasure — Today’s student has been conditioned to believe that they should not deny themselves anything. They’ve also grown up in a culture that has elevated or promoted high-risk, high-“reward” behavior to the point that it’s become normative.

As a result we see more and more students setting aside common sense, or their religious convictions, for the sake of pursuing the passions and pleasures of this world in excessive fashion. Sacrifices in this area can range in scope from loss of innocence to loss of life.

——

Campus gODS are very real — because they steal from God the worship, loyalty, and allegiance that rightly belong to him.

I know this list is not exhaustive, so what would you add?

What are the gODS you see students willingly giving themselves too?

What are the sacrifices you see them forfeiting?