The Top 5 Reasons You Should Attend FI ASAP

Are you considering attending Foundation Institute at some point in the future? Here are five urgent reasons you should do it sooner rather than later.

As a Foundation Institute (FI) graduate, I can confidently say that during my nine months in the program, I grew and changed in ways that I couldn’t have predicted at the beginning. I went into the program with specific spiritual goals in mind, and I came out with not only those accomplished, but many more. I hope my experience will help other young adults make the decision to attend FI.

The top five countdown

Here are the top five reasons I think you should consider attending FI:

5. Becoming independent in a safe environment.

If you have only lived with your parents or other family members before coming to FI, it’s a great chance to enter the adult world—but in a safe environment. Going to FI and living in the apartments will help you learn how to juggle adult responsibilities (like time management, paying rent, budgeting, etc.) with a strong support system there to back you up if you run into problems.

FI includes a network of concerned people who are approachable and want to see you succeed. This includes classmates, roommates, instructors, the housing department, ministers, ministers’ wives, Church members and employees at the headquarters office. It’s an environment like no other. I feel my time at FI helped give me the confidence and skills to be able to move out on my own.

4. Making friends of like mind.

If you’ve ever been to a Church camp or Winter Family Weekend, you know that some of the best friends you can make are those in the Church with the same values. Imagine being able to spend nine months at one of those functions instead of just one week! That’s what FI is really like.

I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Our class was made up of mostly introverts, so it took a while for everyone to get to know each other; but by the end of the program, we were a close-knit group. There are so many opportunities to get to know the other students, as well as the Dallas young adults.

3. Serving brethren in many ways.

From the first day at FI to the last, there is always something you can do to serve others. There are very visible roles, like organizing service projects or activities, participating in special music, giving opening and closing prayers or song leading (for the guys, of course!). But there are also the less visible ways to serve, like helping someone with a project, preparing a meal, visiting a shut-in or getting the class to sign a card of encouragement for someone.

FI provides opportunities to serve in ways you might not be able to in your local congregation. It’s a great way to learn about your spiritual gifts and find where you may want to serve in the future.

2. Learning from clear instruction targeted especially at you.

Do you ever get confused about anything in the Bible or about things that have happened in the history of the Church? If so, FI will help you get answers, even if you’ve grown up in the Church like me. FI gave me answers to questions I hadn’t even thought to ask.

I left with a familiarity with the Bible that is priceless and will benefit me for the rest of my life. My personal Bible studies are more fruitful, and I can now give answers more confidently when people ask me questions. I now understand how to use different Bible reference works, the general historical context and background for each section of the Bible and how the Church got where it is today.

1. Jump-starting your walk with God.

Do you feel as if you are simply drifting from one Sabbath to the next, one festival to the next, and going through the motions in your spiritual life? Are you less excited to learn about God’s way than you once were? Is your prayer life—lifeless?

FI is an amazing way to immerse yourself in God’s Word, God’s Church and God’s people. I heard something that I felt applied directly to my life every single day I went to class. FI really accelerated my spiritual growth, and it will do the same for you. Don’t put off taking a step that could greatly benefit your future!

Life doesn’t always align to create the perfect time to go to FI. Sometimes you have to take a “leap of faith.”

For another past student’s perspective about FI, read “To FI or Not to FI: That Was the Question.”

To learn more about FI, or to apply, visit Foundation Institute.

Tammy Valley is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in Houston, Texas, and a recent Foundation Institute graduate.