Christian Faculty and Staff

Brenda and I are privileged to serve in a strategic ministry, which I don't tend to communicate well. I recently had the opportunity to speak to a Christian Faculty group via video call.  Here is the essence of what I tried to communicate.

Thoughts for Christian Faculty Groups

  

Faculty, you are the SALT of the Academy!  You are the Light of the University!

But if the salt has lost its saltiness- and if the Light is under a bushel…

Fac and Staff are potentially among the MOST INFLUENTIAL people in the world- the 3 sq feet behind the lectern or the desk- most influential in the world.

We can have INTERNATIONAL impact, just by being on the Uni. The world comes to us! The FUTURE leaders of the USA and the world are very often trained in our classrooms.

Bad News-- kinda-- Lucas 12:48b. (Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.)

Scary news, Lucas 6:40 (⁴A student is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.)

Best News, G^d has made Provision for us all, in the Blood of Jesus the Christ!

And, we have the opportunity to share Christ with everyone.

Why important? In Lucas 16, we Jesus tells the story of Lazarus in the Bosom of Abraham. A KEY point of this story—everyone has ONE of two destinations.

As a prof for about 36 years total, I am WELL aware of what KEEPS us from sharing the Christ.  What keeps us quiet:  Fear of man, pride, busyness with mundane things, fear of man, preoccupation with material world, fear of man.

Fear?  Not me!  Yes, you. Here’s a word from the Apostle John (12:42) “⁴² Nevertheless, many even of the professors and staff believed in him, but for fear of the deans and colleagues they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the academe…”.

So WHY RISK it. I am HAPPY in the uni.  It pays well and has a lot of benefits, including a great retirement plan.

Why risk it—because there is an EVEN Better deal, or at least Jesus said there was in Matt 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matt 16:26 tells us, “What does it profit a student to gain a Bachelor's, Master’s, Ph.D., and lose her own soul, or what will a woman give for a soul?”

And too, think about our first-generation College students. They were brought up as Christians, but reach the PEAK of education and what do they learn, “Highly Educated people tend to be HOSTILE towards Christianity”  Hmmm.

Start asking students, “have you ever had a Christian professor before?”  The most common answer, “Not to my Knowledge”.  The last student I asked threw in, “But I have had an anti-Christian professor.”

What can YOU do, Christian Faculty/Staff member?  Read the book “A Grander Story”.  There are scores of things you can do to be salt and light.  Pick a couple and try them out. If they don’t work, or feel like you, try two or four more.  There’s plenty to be done, the Fields are white unto harvest.