Sara Groves – Her Christian College Experience
Christian recording artist Sara Groves answered questions for The Christian Connector, Inc. related to her own Christian college experience.
Below you will find a series of questions from The Christian Connector (CC) and answers from Sara (SG). Our hope is that Sara’s experience at the Christian college she attended will be an encouragement to you. Sara attended the same Christian university where her father taught Biblical studies.
CC: Did you plan to be in the Christian music industry while you were in college?
SG: Like any girl who grew up singing Amy Grant songs into her hairbrush, I had secret dreams, but no, I didn’t see myself doing this in a real way.
CC: What drew you to Christian music?
SG: Well, it’s a long story, but in a nutshell, my husband believed in me and felt that the music I was writing in my piano room would be well received by others, and he devoted his time and energy to that end.
CC: What do you enjoy the most and the least about being in Christian music?
SG: I love communicating and meeting people, and I love the job of writing music. My least favorite part of Christian music is that label. I don’t think music can be Christian or non-Christian. I believe that Christ calls us to a fully integrated life of faith, and as an artist, I want to write honestly from my worldview.
CC: How would you describe the teachers at the school you attended?
SG: When someone has a genuine relationship experience with God it’s like a diamond ring that comes in a velvet box. When it comes time to pass on that experience, I think sometimes it’s human nature and the nature of institutions to hand over, not the ring, but the velvet box thinking, “This is how the ring came to me, it must be this way.” it will come to you too.” It takes a very special place and some very amazing people to pass on the ring instead of the box.
CC: Did you consider other schools besides your final choice?
SG: …I never really considered going anywhere else. I practically grew up on campus, going to games, talking about worldview and “All truth is God’s truth”… I don’t remember thinking of any other university.
CC: What did you enjoy most about your college experience?
SG: Having my dad for a class called Essential Christianity. The texts were Mere Christianity and Celebration of Discipline, and the goal of the class was to get students thinking about their own worldview outside of the way they were raised. I could see what my dad did every day when he took his briefcase and left the house. I could see what he was really passionate about. All of our conversations around the table made more sense after that class.
CC: What do you think were some of the advantages of attending a Christian university compared to a secular school?
SG: Well, I made all the important decisions in my life at that time. I met Troy (her husband of hers), chose a career, and the seeds planted by many of my teachers are still with me today. I know a lot of people who made it through secular schools just fine, but I really enjoyed learning about literature and history through a Christian worldview.
CC: How has your experience at Christian college affected your personal life?
SG: My marriage and friendship with Troy is the most personal and meaningful… Our parents went to the school we attended, so we had a lot in common. You may not have found it in another school.
CC: How has your experience at Christian college affected your professional life?
SG: The teachers…really encouraged me to think about my world view, take it apart and ask good questions. They believed that God was big enough to handle my questions and that questions and conversation are part of intimacy with God. Also, as a liberal arts college, we were encouraged to see the purpose of every career path, not just that of a pastor or missionary. These ideas still greatly influence my music.
CC: What was your major in college?
SG: Education in English and Social Sciences
CC: Can you share any long-term goals you may have for, say, the next ten years?
SG: Well, my goals for the next ten years are the same for my life in general: to learn more about Christ, to continue to build a strong marriage, to be a good mother to these children.
CC: If you had to do things over again, would you attend a Christian university?
SG: Yes. I feel like it was a formative moment, and I was very impressionable. I am thankful that there were so many people who cared, not just about gaining knowledge, but about becoming a whole person.
CC: What advice would you give to those reading this regarding attending a Christian college?
SG: I don’t feel like there’s just one way to do anything – God is creative in the way he teaches us – but for me, my experiences at Christian college and the friends I made were and still are invaluable.
The Christian Connector, Inc. would like to give special thanks to Sara Groves.
You can learn more about Sara and her music by visiting her website: www.saragroves.com