God dramatically changed my life through Point University. I was raised in a Christian home, I had been a professing Christian for the entirety of my life, and I was the recipient of a strong, moral, Jesus-based foundation. But for some reason, I did not want to attend a Christian college after high school. I felt that I had been exposed to Christianity my whole life and was ready to step out into the real world and take on life. However, in the late summer of 2010, I found myself committed to Point’s (then Atlanta Christian College) baseball team and on track to pursue a degree in business. Even though I didn’t have a clue what the future would hold, God had everything under control.
I had been playing baseball for my entire life and had always dreamed of getting an athletic scholarship to help me with the financial burden of college that I was solely responsible for. Though I never really sought out an offer, Coach Dyer heard about me from a friend of his and thought that I would be a good addition to the baseball team. To make a long story short, I eventually decided that my heart was not in baseball and I decided to focus on other things my education, my job and my girlfriend.
During my second semester, after my baseball career had ended, I began to have a major change in perspective. I started seeing my friends’ lives at other schools and how they were so easily overlooked and swallowed by the crowds of people who could care less about them. I saw, on multiple occasions, how this negatively impacted their lives along with our friendships. Though they were no doubt Christians, it was obvious that some of them were in no way ready for the world that they had chosen to submerge themselves in. It was at this point when I realized that maybe my coming to this Christian college was vital to my understanding and fulfilling of God’s purpose in life. The fact that I was not overlooked, but held accountable for my actions, clearly set Point apart from the other schools.
Could a college experience truly be more than a mere academic venture that prepares you for financial survival in a cruel and vicious world? I knew that the answer to this question was yes at the end of my second semester. I was going to have to transfer to another college that was less expensive due to my financial situation and due to the fact that I was no longer playing baseball for scholarship. One other crazy deciding factor was that I had, out of the blue, been led into the field of dentistry. It was at this time that I decided, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I wanted to spend the rest of my academic career pursuing the goal of one day becoming a dentist. I was in the process of applying to other schools around the state that had well known biology departments. Well wouldn’t you know it, through the amazing family of what is now Point University, God provided the resources and found a way to make sure that I stayed right where I was and where I needed to be.
In a one-on-one conversation with Dr. Kim Macenczak, she assured me that the school would hire professors, add classes and do whatever they needed to do to make sure that I received everything that I needed for matriculation into a dental program. Though it was more than I could comprehend at the time, and was a scary faith-demanding decision, I immediately agreed to her offer. Upon my decision to stay, I delved into becoming more involved with the school that seemed to care enough about me to make a substantial investment in my life. I started taking advantage of some of the leadership opportunities available to me at Point. I was asked to be on the student transition team when ACC made the transition to Point University (where I was privileged with the honor of working with President Collins.) I was part of the student Judiciary Committee and was able to travel to several locations with our admissions team as a school representative and speak on behalf of the school, and most importantly, I became a Campus Life Minister (CLM). Each of these experiences was unbelievably influential in shaping me into the individual that I am today.
Attending a school that offers limitless spiritual formation opportunities is priceless. Throughout my years at Point University I have been able to see my knowledge and understanding of scripture grow on a daily basis. My faith has been strengthened immensely here at Point through so many avenues like Bible classes, worship services, and just doing life with so many brothers and sisters in Christ.
After I graduate in May, I will be getting married to Sydney, who is my best friend and the best spiritual accountability partner that I will ever have, on June 8, 2014. We will then be moving to Augusta in August where I’ll begin dental school at Georgia Regents University (previously Medical College of Georgia). I tip my hat to the Point University family, and I want to thank everyone who has played a role in the investments that this school has made into not only my life, but in other Point students as well. This is not just another college, but a place where God is Lord and Kingdom work is the ultimate goal. As you can probably tell by reading this brief summary of my experience here at Point, this university has given me so much more than a mere academic foundation. Point has strengthened me in ways that will last for eternity.
What do you want to take away from your college experience? Let us know in the comments section below.
Jason Johnson ’14
