Spare a moment for church

Latwell Nyangu
Youth Interactive Writer

For some people, going to church is going home.

I would not know for some other people but in real life there are always obstacles in life but whatever obstacles you face, you will be blessed for choosing to spend a day at church or a place of worship.

Our parents always push us to attend church or go to where our beliefs rely upon.

The reasons are that the church plays a key role in grooming well-mannered children.

Mind me, I am not a preacher but going to church has a critical role in our lives as students.

Like I always say, I respect everyone’s belief, not only can the church nurture well-mannered children but even other beliefs play key roles.

One sad thing to note in today’s generation, we are grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons fellow students:

Student commits suicide, student caught stealing, students suspended over drugs, students caught cheating in exams.

Students sex tapes leak, student rapes, and whole lots of such negative headlines.

What has gotten into us as students?

It is not always fair to blast our parents or guardians for our mischievous characters.

Parents play their role and they end somewhere, while, the rest is for us to maintain but most of us, we are going astray due to exposure and environments we are spending our time at.

So while we are away from home, lectures and college or school authorities play another role to make sure we are behaving well.

But there is that moment where we are not under anyone’s monitoring except God.

In this quest for good behaviour, we ought to spare just a moment of worship.

Go to church and meet God.

I still have a few words my pastor told me some years back, ‘Fare fare, namate namate mwanangu (Enjoy but don’t forget to pray).

We still believe that the church is a community where we can socialise and support each other.

You can make friends, feel a sense of belonging, and build a support network that you can rely on.

The church community helps us to “mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.

The same applies to us students, there is a point we need to be just in church

Just be there, concentrate, pray and go home, you won’t be the same.

Have you noticed there is that tag name associated with students and young people who go to church.

They are given a good name despite most of them doing the opposite at times.

It is my hope that we take a few notes from going to church.

There is a secret to everyone who takes their time to be in church.

You can find answers at church. Maybe you are struggling with a specific question or need some direction in your life.

Growing up we used to be told, all kids must go to church.

Sometime last year, I wrote something about the power of a praying student.

I was discussing some strange things that follow us, especially at college. There are some spiritual wars we can fight through our beliefs.

Where we come from maybe they are not happy about our progress, so they fight us through some spirits, as the bible says, ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

So going to church makes us at times avoid some of the obstacles and challenges we face as students.

I would like to believe we still have parents who punish their children who refuse to go to church. If they don’t go to church, there is no food for them.

Everyone eats after church and if we still have such parents, my concern is validated but in recent years, our parents would punish us for not going to church.

They know what is found at church, what is taught at church, how the church plays a role in moulding a good child.

At times the doors were locked and even got bashing. At times we don’t listen to what our parents advise us.

Church was and is supposedly meant to give us guidance and moral lessons.

As I write this, someone has never set their foot in a church or place of worship.

Everyone has freedom of worship and it’s not a crime not to go to church but there are many things which can help you if you go to church.

There are so many temptations that a student can overcome if they go to church.

Remember I come from a Christian background and I have seen some positives to take home from church.

If you believe in anything, go my fellow students, take some positives and you will be a better student.

As students we have a freestyle and at times we go off rail.

One thing I know is that, our parents and guardians teach us good ways but we decide otherwise.

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ and I am not so sure if some colleges still have Scripture Unions where students attend church.

Most schools are receiving some bibles, so that they read them for their benefit.

Just being at church on Sunday revitalises us. There are some things we do as students and if we go to church we are protected.

Spare a moment for church fellow students.