Being a follower of Jesus in college can be tough, so tough, in fact, that a lot of people find excuses to start avoiding church.  Some are creative, some are predictable, but here in the light of day, most of them seem a bit flimsy.  You be the judge, then tell us your best excuse for skipping worship.

1. I’m tired. (Usually has something to do with staying up into the wee hours of the morning on the night before. Your mistake, man up and get moving).
2. It’s cold outside. (Sometimes refers to room temperature ‘outside’ of the blanket you’re currently under. Sometimes refers to actually weather. Either way it sounds lame an hour later, unless frostbite is an imminent danger.)
3. The pastor is on vacation. (So what?! You don’t go to church to see the pastor. You go to church to fellowship with other believers and WORSHIP THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. Remember?)
4. No one will miss me. (Guaranteed no one will miss you if you never take the time to get involved, and if this is your excuse, you haven’t.)
5. I don’t enjoy the sermon. (NEWS FLASH: The sermon isn’t there for you to enjoy. It’s not a sitcom. The sermon is there to help you understand your relationship with God better. Pay attention. Take notes. Talk about it with your friends at lunch.)
6. There’s no one there my age. (And there won’t be until you get off your couch and start inviting people to come with you, and not just buddies who are plugged into churches of their own. Invite people who don’t have a church, who stopped going, who aren’t sure about it. Invite them to explore faith together.)
7. I’m fine without it; I don’t need church, just Jesus. (Popular, and technically true… if your definition of ‘fine’ is completely unbalanced, unbiblical and unrealistic.)
8. I need to deal with my sin first. (Um, actually, it’s the other way around. Jesus came because you COULDN’T deal with your sin. So, humble yourself and go get right with God.) Note: Unfortunately, many people cast themselves adrift here by not dealing with it for years at a time.
9. I don’t like the music. (Seriously? Get over yourself, dude. The relevant question here is, does GOD like the music? Hint: He does.)
10. I don’t have time. (Work? Homework? Hangover recovery? Quit playing around. You ALWAYS have the time to do what’s important to you. This is just your way of saying you don’t care. Ouch!)
11. I only go when I go home. (Hey, genius, guess what? You are “away” at school for about eight months a year. This. Is. Home. So find a local church and get plugged in. You love your former ‘home’ church, which is awesome, but that’s NOT an excuse to skip for months at a time.)