Do College Students Need Support Groups?
A local church ministry of over 30 years continues to provide guidance and support for college students.
Joshua Generation Campus Ministry is located at Cross Culture Church in Lithonia, GA, established by Assistant Pastor Gregg Johnson in 1990. Based on its constitution, the purpose of this ministry is to equip college students to become leaders by preparing them to pursue and fulfill the purposes of God on their college campuses. Some of the group’s key values include accountability, communication, and integrity.
“Joshua Generation helps students by making sure they are doing well in all aspects,” said Joshua Generation Director Holbert White.
Stress and College
College students are searching for support groups, such as the church-based Joshua Generation Campus Ministry, to help with stress management.
Kennesaw State University psychologist Dr. Josh Gunn described stress as an average human experience that everyone experiences differently. There is good stress that motivates people to get things done and bad stress that causes people to feel bad. Bad stress can cause lack of sleep, lack of motivation, over- or under-eating, and irritability.
“Unfortunately, students stop doing exactly what will help them relieve stress when they start to feel stressed,” Gunn said.
Gunn also noted that different things can relieve stress, such as exercise, a balanced diet, and good sleeping habits. In addition, Gunn said friends and support groups can help relieve stress. One of Joshua Generation’s services to its students includes relieving stress.
Joshua Generation is a Christian support group that caters to the needs of college-aged students. Joshua Generation Director Holbert White said the group currently caters to about 30 students. Kennesaw State University student Angelina Allen is one of the 30 students benefiting from the group. Allen said she loves Joshua Generation because it’s a safe place. She feels like she can be herself.
What Makes Joshua Generation Different?
One of the main differences between Joshua Generation and other support groups is the fact that this one is church-based. All of the ministry’s themes and messages are backed with Godly advice and scriptures. Other differences include the willingness of its leaders to come up with new ways to help students and the level of accountability.
“The Level of accountability refers to the staff members making sure that students have something to guide them through the easy and difficult decisions that they have to face in life as college students while they are on their respective campuses,” White said.
Benefits of Joshua Generation
Joshua Generation helps its students in various aspects, including personal life, school, relationships, finances, and spirituality. Kennesaw State University student Angelina Allen is also a part of Joshua Generation, and she said she loves the ministry.
Allen said that she loves it because of the love and effort of the staff members. When Allen is going through a hardship, she said she feels most comfortable talking to White’s wife, Nicole. When they aren’t talking over the phone, Nicole White and Allen update each other on current events after church on Sundays.
Allen said that another benefit of being a part of the group is she has a family who will always lift her up in prayer, and she can do the same for other students. Most outside communication is done through the social app GroupMe, where students and staff post encouraging links and prayer requests.
“We always encourage each other. We fellowship with one another and have good food and great conversations,” Allen said.
In addition, Allen loves it when staff members come to visit. During the spring 2016 semester, Holbert and Nicole White made bi-weekly trips to Kennesaw State University to sit and talk with Joshua Generation students. The meetings involve food and message-guided games. The messages were about various things, such as finances, romantic relationships, time management, and career paths.
Goals of Joshua Generation
The leaders of Joshua Generation plan to expand in ministry within the next five years by increasing support and membership. They want to have a chapter on every campus that has an affiliated student. Georgia State University was the first chapter to be established, and leaders plan to move on to Kennesaw State University next.
In addition, the leaders of Joshua Generation want to host annual retreats, hold weekly bible studies via Skype with all of their students, and be more prevalent on college campuses.
