Redeeming The Dream Years

Brent Thompson / Teresa Neumann reporting : Feb 18, 2005
Baptist Press

The "Dream Years" -- the early 20's when young people go off to college and have their first taste of freedom. At least, that's the expression psychologists have coined for the heady years of early adulthood. But for many parents, the vast unknowns of college life for their newly liberated "babies" may seem more like the "nightmare years." So, they pray that God will protect them and send other Christians into their lives.

Oftentimes, churches assume that denominational or para-church campus ministries will step into the lives of these transplanted youth. Though that is not always the case -- many churches not catching the vision for how influential and important "church" is and should be in a college-student's life --Kyle Hoover of Central Baptist Church in Bryan, Texas has made it his life.

Working along with his wife, Christine, at Texas A&M, Hoover is committed to "nurturing, guiding and encouraging students" as they grapple with the universal question, "What should I do with my life?"..."Students are hungry for truth," says Hoover. "They want something real, relevant and legitimate for their lives.... They are in the marketplace of ideas and are really trying to discern what is truth and what is error. That is something that is a constant in college ministry."