As the facilitator of our campus faculty ministry, I continually struggle to see what we can do to minister to our believing colleagues, much less reach out to the others. We have about 100 on our email list, but on a good day have 5 come to our weekly lunchtime gatherings. This tells me that 95 or so of them do not find the gathering vital enough to open their schedule over lunch (we brown bag it) or have class over that time.
That begs the question, what perceived needs are we not meeting? For some, church is the avenue for their ministry, and that is fine. I humbly challenge these brothers and sisters that where we spend the majority of our time is a green field in which God has planted us to do His work. When we gather even just as believing faculty, we encourage each other in so many ways—navigating the often hostile culture, integrating our faith with our teaching, research, and service, challenging our assumptions about our faith, praying together, putting our heads together to address contemporary issues in both the academy and culture at large, and just knowing there are others who share our faith.
Can Christian faculty stand together on campus to graciously offer alternative viewpoints to some of the dominant assumptions of campus culture? Not tearing down or attacking other worldviews as much as offering reasoned explanations, suggesting new perspectives, and providing students and colleagues alike with a sanctuary from the pressures of the world.
In short, we have unique opportunities to be salt and light.
God’s Spirit provides synergy when we work together.
What do you say?
SDG
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