Scott Metzger

Junior, North Hills RPC

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Geneva has affected my spiritual growth by making me realize how central the Bible and our walks with Christ can be in every part of our lives. Every subject in every class can somehow be connected to the Bible. I have been challenged to integrate my Christianity into every aspect of my life, not just the “church” activities.

As a transfer student, I spent two years in the secular educational system of my community college. While I greatly enjoyed that time, learned a lot, and wouldn’t trade it for any other schooling experience, Geneva is very different. All education is based on the Bible. The issues aren’t sugar-coated, and we deal with many hard issues. It is not a Bible education, but an education that recognizes the relevance and validity of the Bible in everything known to mankind.

Geneva is a small college, but a big experience. The chances to develop meaningful, strong, and stable friendships with students, faculty, and staff are endless. The education is excellent and fully integrates the Bible. The social activities are numerous. And the opportunities for spiritual growth present themselves everywhere.

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Amelia Ward

Senior, Shawnee RPC

Kansas City, Mo.

God has used Geneva to help me learn to treasure Jesus more, through both RP and non-RP friends who live for Christ with their whole lives. It was a struggle for me coming to a place where so many people don’t believe the way I do about worship, but God used it to reveal that my heart is only able to worship because of Jesus. God showed me that real unity with others is possible, not when we have all the same beliefs, but when our faith is in Christ. It has been a slow process, but God has been teaching me to put my trust in His ability to help me be sanctified more, like Romans 5:10 says: “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Geneva has a different spiritual climate than any place I’ve seen before, in that there are Christians, non-Christians who think they are Christians, and a few non-Christians who state it openly. It’s a hard place to witness to people, but a good place to learn to pray for and take opportunities. Also, it was easy for me to start comparing myself with other people and then plateauing in my faith, because there isn’t outright opposition to Christ, so that’s a danger. But again, it was a good way to learn to be aware of my own heart’s weaknesses.

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Heather Pinkerton

Junior, Syracuse RPC

Syracuse, N.Y.

Being at Geneva College has really impacted my thinking in many areas. I’ve been challenged in how I should interact with other believers, especially those who come from different denominational backgrounds. It has been a blessing to see members of the kingdom of God united in their callings as servants of God. At the same time, though, it has also made me aware of how many different thoughts there are about living life as Christians. Although this can be discouraging, it has only made me desire heaven more as all believers will finally be united in heart and mind in the truth.

Geneva has also challenged me with regard to living out my faith within my chosen career field, accounting. As I anticipate entering the work force in another year and a half, I’ve had to think through ethical issues and how I can best represent Christ day to day in front of my coworkers. I’m entering a field that has been stained with scandals lately, such as Enron. This only serves to highlight the dire need for Christians in the business world who will stay true to God’s high calling for them.

Finally, Geneva has really challenged my understanding of myself. Living among other people has showed me sins that I need to deal with. I’ve also been forced to completely rely on God and on His sovereignty over everything as I deal with uncertainty about my future. The Lord has really shown me that relying on Him is the only way I can live my life to the fullest in light of His desires for me.

I came to Geneva as a truly “undecided major.” I liked all sorts of areas of academics and, therefore, had a very hard time trying to decide what gifts and talents God had given me and how He wanted me to use them. I finally declared a major six months ago, but it was a hard two years leading up to that as I tried a variety of classes in several academic areas. The faculty and staff were very supportive in trying to advise me, discern my gifts, and confirm the strengths (and weaknesses) they saw in me.

I think that of its many assets, Geneva’s professors are the best. The men and women who serve on Geneva’s faculty truly care about their students. They are always ready to assist students in whatever ways they can, whether with regard to homework help, life experience, or career advice. The love they have for their disciplines is evident in the way they teach, as is their love for Christ.

In addition, I’ve met some incredible students here at Geneva. The campus is small and very friendly, so wherever I go I’m usually able to greet a large majority of the people I see. Living in the dorms has also created the chance for some wonderful community. The girls on my floor are quite close. So, when we are not doing homework, it’s not uncommon to find us wandering down the hall to catch up with a friend or two. We commiserate about hard assignments, discuss our spiritual lives, share prayer requests, and spend our (minimal) free time goofing off together. Many of these girls have been great examples for me.

Each year, we say goodbye to students and faculty who have been significant sources of inspiration in our lives. Their shoes are always waiting to be filled. I especially would ask that RP students consider coming to Geneva. Although our generation is being groomed to take on leadership positions within the RPCNA, attending a Christian college like Geneva provides opportunities to begin serving the larger Christian population and practicing leadership on a much larger scale. Many non-RP students are confused as to why RPs stand on issues such as exclusive psalmody, predestination, or a cappella singing in worship. Having students at Geneva who are willing to explain these things encourages other students to think through these issues and also counters some of the negative feelings about RPs resulting from a lack of understanding about our beliefs. So, I ask RP students to seriously consider if God is calling them to Geneva. I believe that God is blessing Geneva and that students coming to Geneva will be blessed by their time here, too.