College Nights at Athens Church

Each fall, thousands of freshmen arrive for a new school year in Athens. They outfit the dorm room and say their goodbyes, but then what? What does a college student need to truly thrive, and where can they find it? This fall kickoff message from Josh Bayne contains vision for the new semester and outlines ways to get involved. From Athens Church College Nights, 8/20/2024.

from Athens Church, 2/6/2024

What if the breakthrough you're looking for is actually in the palm of your hands? Athens Church college pastor Josh Bayne kicks off our semester with a challenging word from Mark 14. From Athens Church College Nights, 1/9/2024

from Athens Church College Nights, 11/7/2023

from Athens Church, 10/10/2023

Who is this man, Jesus? Whether you're brand new to Christianity just exploring what it's all about or whether you're just looking to experience more in your faith, this message from Athens Church resident Daniel Amable from College Nights 9/12/2023 is for you. 

College can be lonely, scary, and downright intimidating at times, and growing spiritually can seem like such a mystery, but we'll never grow if we stay inside our comfort zones. In this message from College Nights on 8/22/2023, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne calls us to take a step of faith this school year to truly activate God's power in our lives.

Pressure. We all deal with it. Whether it's academic, financial, finding a job, or finding your person, the more we dabble into adulting the more the pressure seems to grow, especially when we see others reaching the milestones we long to achieve ourselves. So what can we do about it and is there any way to dial it down without just mailing it in? Athens Church college director Josh Bayne discusses this and more from College Nights 3/14/2023.

Everyone wants to be loved-- to find someone who will stick with them through all of life's ups and downs, someone who is in it for the long haul. But in a world where dating is increasingly based on split-second decisions and geared toward casual relationships rather than marriage, where do we turn for direction? In this message from College Nights 2/14/2023, special guest Jonathan Pokluda helps us clarify the win- both for the goal of our relationships, as well as what we should be looking for.

How do you not only pick up the pieces of your past, but have peace about it too? Can we have a future that's free from the things that have weighed us down before? In this message from College Nights Spring Kickoff, Tega Faafa shares her story on the topic plus the path to freedom found in scripture.

Often we find ourselves in seasons we don't want to be in. Life feels difficult, even painful, and it's hard to know why things are happening and what we can do about it. In this message from College Nights Friendsgiving at Athens Church, college director Josh Bayne invites us into a better option than just escaping the hard season we might find our self in.

This week Daniel, Jameson, and Mason are continuing the series "In Athens as it is in Heaven" and discussing if followers of Jesus can drink alcohol, and what it looks like to interact with that healthily. They are joined by guest and friend Noah Mahr. 

There's a difference between being saved and being free. In this message from this month's College Nights gathering at Athens Church, Daniel Amable takes us on a journey towards freedom by way of Exodus chapter 14.

Continuing our series In Athens as it is in Heaven, this week Jameson and Mason are joined by our college pastor Josh Bayne to discuss sports, why they're attractive to millions of people, and how a follower of Jesus should interact with them.

Continuing our series In Athens as it is in Heaven, this week we discuss how to be a Christian in greek life, misconceptions about it, and how to love others without judgement with special guest Jarrett Broome.

There are approximately 40,000 college students in Athens, yet year-in and year-out, university aged individuals report the highest levels of loneliness of all. So why is it so difficult to make friends in college? In this College Nights Fall Kickoff message, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne gives us some direction in perhaps the most challenging and important collegiate assignment of all... finding friends.

In part two of our new series "In Athens as it is in Heaven", Jameson, Daniel, and Mason have a conversation on what the Kingdom of Heaven really is and what it means to live in it.

Today Mason, Jameson, and Daniel introduce a new series of conversations. They discuss why it is important to contextualize following Jesus and what that means for college students in Athens.

Jameson and Mason are joined by Debbie Butler and have a conversation on the book of Revelation, keeping the sabbath, triathlons, and being amazed by Jesus. 

Today Mason, Jameson, and Daniel have a conversation around the topic of worship with their friend Andrew Kennedy. They discuss different ways to worship, music, leading others, and how to worship in everyday life.

Jameson, Daniel, and Mason are joined by special guest Grace Turner to discuss healthy rhythms and habits to help us navigate new seasons. 

Daniel, Mason, and Jameson reconvene to talk a myriad of topics including serving, ambition, and how to affect change even when you're not in charge.

Jameson joins Daniel and Mason to discuss a wide array of topics including shame, spiritual growth, and how addictions begin.

All of us know what it's like to be unsure about what the future holds next, for life to look a little different than we thought it would, or to feel stuck in a waiting season you think may never end. In this third and final part of our College Nights original series, Designing Your Life, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne shares a bit of his story, and one verse to guide us for the road ahead.

As we approach next weekend's Good Friday services, Daniel, Mason, and Madison circle up to discuss that confusing, mysterious, life-changing thing we call prayer and how to get started talking with God.

Daniel joins Mason to talk about living for the glory of God vs the glory of ourself, what it means practically, and the surprising path to satisfaction.

Mason joins JB to talk about these weeks we call Lent between now and Good Friday and how we can make this season practical in our faith, plus a fun announcement about Easter Weekend at Athens Church!

All of us could design an exterior picture of what we want our life to look like in 1... 5... 10 years, but do you have the internal character to sustain the external dreams that you have? Many of us have hidden layers from our past lingering in our present that threaten the future we long for, and, as we'll learn, sometimes you have to go back to go forward. In part 2 of this College Nights original series, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne helps us get the interior parts of our life right, so we're setup to succeed wherever we go and whatever comes our way.

Do you feel frustrated by a pattern of personal failures, overwhelmed by a chaotic culture, or disillusioned by a lack of meaning in everyday life? Your struggles do not mean you're doomed. They're actually a sign that you are alive. Now it's a question of whether you will struggle well. Guest speaker Ben Stuart from Passion City Church in Washington, DC talks about this and other principles from his new book Rest & War.

What is God's will for my life? What am I gonna do after college? How do I land my dream job? "What do you want to do when you grow up?" Everyone was designed on purpose, with a purpose, but it can be hard to decipher exactly what path we're supposed to be on when it comes to our future and big life decisions, the things we really care about, and who to partner with along the way. We want our life to count, but figuring it all out can be stressful! In part 1 of this College Nights original series, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne sets out to help us gain clarity and confidence for what comes next, specifically when it pertains to our career and work life.

In this episode, Sarah joins JB for a deep dive into all things worship, plus Atlanta Run Club, and more!

Anxiety happens, and how we respond matters. It's a reality all of us deal with in some way or another- whether on occasion or every day. In this message, Shawnté Sandle concludes our Affirmations series by sharing some of her own story and pointing us to practices and scriptures that can help when life seems most overwhelming.

Continuing our series of student interviews, Nick joins JB to talk Phi Slam, racial equality, and other very important opinions from around campus.

In this episode, Mason interviews Athens Church Starting Point director Stephen Sowell to help discover practical ways to get started and gain more traction reading the Bible.

The first in a new series of student interviews, Kendall joins JB to talk Dawg Camp, therapy, and starting college in a pandemic. It's a fun, honest half hour of stories and reflection.

As college students, finding our way into temptation is not all that difficult. In fact, the temptations we face in our university years are common to all of us. It's finding the way out that can be elusive. In part 3 of this College Nights original series, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne gives an encouragement and a challenge to anyone looking to break the cycles of temptation or break free from a destructive relationship or habit.

Shawnté, Josh, and Mason preview the upcoming College Nights and women's gathering, then take on your questions in our first ever mailbag episode of the podcast!

Comparison is not just something girls wrestle with. All of us struggle with wondering about how we measure up, if we make the cut, and if our lives are on track to matter and accomplish big things. How can we avoid being overcome by comparison, especially in the era of social media when all we see is everyone else's highlight reel? Allie Cooney joins us with a better path in part 2 of our College Nights original series, "Affirmations."

Every year, college students rank as the loneliest demographic in America, but what if there was something you could do to help prevent loneliness? And what do you do when you find yourself in the middle of a lonely night? You have some choices! In part 1 of this new College Nights original series, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne lays out a plan for overcoming loneliness in your college years.

Mason, Lyla, and JB reflect on the highlights from our 4 College Summer Gatherings, preview a few things coming up in August, and announce some Hometown Hangs happening around the state later this month!

Mason, Lyla, and JB return to discuss week 3 of College Summer Gathering and preview our 4th and final week of the summer next Tuesday! This week was all about the mind, featuring topics like control, mindfulness, affirming statements, and other practices to help get your mind right. And, of course, we send a prayer up for those Eastern Conference finalist Atlanta Hawks at the end.

Mason, Lyla, and JB are back to recap week 2 of College Summer Gathering with a wide range of topics including identity, soul wounds, and practical tips for restoring the soul this summer. Plus, a preview of next Tuesday's week, all about the mind!

In this special "recap" podcast, Mason, Lyla, and JB discuss takeaways from last night's College Summer Gathering, the Barberitos dinner hang afterwards, and preview next Tuesday's gathering.

College Director Josh Bayne discusses emerging antidotes to perfectionism, burnout, and apathy in this special message to close out our school year.

We're mixing it up this month, and our panel is taking real questions you've sent in about how to think about and navigate relationships in your college years. The goal: regardless of what your dating history looks like, that something you'll hear will be, not only, helpful, but leave you feeling hopeful too about the season ahead.

Last semester was challenging on a lot of levels, but perhaps the greatest challenge of all was motivation. It's easy to lose some vision for your life, especially in a time of social distancing and constant cancellations. Of course, this can lead to some not so beneficial habits and patterns as well. In this special new year's message, Athens Church college director Josh Bayne discusses what we can do to make this semester different than last, and how to get ready for what God might have for us next.

With college comes urgency. Not at first, but, before long, the pressure to find a job, find a mate, and all around get our life together really begins to sink in. You ought to arrive in your early twenties with a bright outlook on life, but plenty of us actually cringe when we hear the word "future." It's more worrisome than winsome. In the 3rd and final installment of this College Nights original series, college director Josh Bayne talks about the one thing that might just be the key to making everything else turn out ok.

You have worth from birth, but as we step out of childhood and into adulthood, we often discover some of that self worth has gone missing. Whether it's from rejection, tragedy, trauma, or just mistakes we've made ourselves, it can be hard to pin down how we lost it, and perhaps, more importantly, how we get it back. In part 2 of this College Nights original series, Josh Bayne talks about how to stop punishing ourself and rediscover what's been lost along the way.

"Who am I? Where am I going? And why am I so anxious?" College is a time of growth and discovery, but as we grow into young adulthood, we often discover there's more questions than answers; questions about our identity and direction that can be paralyzing, especially if we don't love who we're becoming or the path that we find ourselves on. In part 1 of this new College Nights original series, Josh Bayne talks about anxiety and the peace that's possible in Jesus.

Each fall, thousands of freshmen arrive for a new school year in Athens. They outfit the dorm room and say their goodbyes, but then what? What does a college student need to truly thrive, and where can they find it? This fall kickoff message from Josh Bayne contains vision for the new semester and outlines ways to get involved.