On first impression, junior Robert Bolgeo is a stereotypical Biola under grad. He鈥檚 an outgoing film major from Nashville with a Southern Baptist upbringing, raised in the church, etc. He鈥檚 starred in and produced a comedy Web series called 鈥淒orm Life,鈥� he loves mission trips and gets excited about systematic theology. Just your average Biola student, right?

Maybe. But whether or not he fits the Biola mold, Robert would be quick to tell you that, ultimately, it鈥檚 not about him. It鈥檚 about God.

When he first arrived at Biola as a freshman, the experience of having education coupled with faith blew Robert鈥檚 mind. He鈥檇 grown up in public school and was excited about required chapel and 30 units of Bible.

When the novelty wore off, though, Robert saw himself and his peers become jaded. What was it that motivated them to keep up the 鈥淐hristian college鈥� life? Ultimately, the whole thing felt a little self-serving.

鈥淓ven when we do things for others it is often because we want to feel good,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are so often motivated by selfish desires, and I hate that.鈥�

Robert, who reads Wayne Grudem鈥檚 for fun, is passionate about curbing the effects of individualism on the church.

In worship, he said, we sing, 鈥淚 worship my God,鈥� when we ought to be talking in first-person plural.

鈥�We are in this together, a community, but we are afraid to be bonded,鈥� said Robert. 鈥淲e are too individualistically motivated.鈥�

This is the paradoxical struggle for Robert and his generation of Christians. From every direction comes the desire to be unique, individual and the exception to the norm; but then there is the call of God 鈥� to deny ourselves, follow him and be the church.

Robert is working through that, along with his peers. It鈥檚 not always easy, but it鈥檚 something Robert is committed to.