Parents

Hey Mom, Dad, Guardian or Spiritual Mentor,


As a Christian parent or advisor you may be asking, “How is my son or daughter going to keep the faith at Carleton?” You have a right to be concerned. Here are just two of the challenges your son or daughter will face:

  • A campus climate that is more challenging for Christians than for non-Christians according to a recent campus climate survey. This is true on most secular campuses.
  • Many competing interests and opportunities. There are many, many worthwhile interest groups on campus that students may be drawn to.

If your son/daughter wants to grow spiritually, however, he/she will find some wonderful resources. SOul ZOne Ministries is one of them. We at SOul ZOne are here to help Christian students not only survive, but to thrive during their years at Carleton. We believe that in “Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3)

There is a vibrant community of Christian students at Carleton. You’ll find a weekly worship band, student-led discussion groups representing a variety of Christian traditions, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), FC groups (a network of believers committed to the centrality of the cross), and more. Please explore our site and the Carleton Fellowship in Christ website for a sampling of these groups. We also welcome you to check out Keeping the Faith at Carleton, a 'zine of stories about Christian community on campus over the last 50 years.

Christian students genuinely care for one another and make extraordinary efforts, in view of their limited time, to reach out to new students, often encouraging one another to schedule lunch appointments to get to know people outside of their friendship groups. How can you encourage your son/daughter? Pray for him/her. Ask how he/she is doing spiritually. Are they attending church and a regular Bible study on campus? Do they have close friends who share their faith and values?

When you are in Northfield, please stop by (or better, call or e-mail to give us some lead time). We’d love to meet with you over coffee or a meal. We look forward to seeing you!

Gary and Deb Hvass
Will and Cully Craig

PS Here are some resources you and your daughter/son may want to look at before coming to campus:

Freshman: The College Student’s Guide to Developing Wisdom by Mark Matlock (NavPress, 2005).
How to Stay Christian in College by J. Budziszewski (NavPress, 1999).

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Tim Keller (Dutton, 2008).