frontlines nov 2012 - faculty commons

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§ 2 reversed when God raises Him from the dead, defeating death forever. • A woman of ill-repute from a hated people group is transformed. e most intense perse- cutor of the church becomes a convert. Fisher- men fully committed to one way of life bail on it for another. Unlikely people like you, and like me, are transformed. If you read the Bible with eyes to see, the very mention of a “lost cause” that involves people will cause you to perk up at the thought, because God has a history of reaching out to the furthest away, and redeeming the most unthinkable. In fact, if Jesus were alive today I feel certain He would spend plenty of time with professors. He loves the lost. It is probably our lot in life to view certain situ- ations and people as “lost causes.” is is because from our perspective these people and situations are unredeemable. And because we are sadly blind to what a “lost cause” we once were. BUT if you look at God’s heart for the lost, and His track record, one might find great reason to join with God in His remarkable rescue mission that is underway in America’s professors. God loves lost people, and because of His power and mercy, no one, and no group of people, will ever be a “lost cause.” Never. It’s not because of the people; it’s because of God. We so covet your prayers and financial invest- ment in this great cause! Executive Director of Faculty Commons since 2005, Rick has also directed the Rice and Duke ministries. He is a summa cum laude graduate of both Georgia Tech and Trinity Evangelical Divini- ty School. Rick, his wife Sonya, and their three children live in Durham, NC. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The king- dom of heaven is at hand.’” • Luke 15:4ff: What man of you, having a hun- dred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go aſter the one that is lost, until he finds it? . . . And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” • Luke 19:10: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. e label “lost” in God’s economy, rather than precipitating a white flag of surrender, instead triggers passionate action with the hope of a future party! In fact, one could make the case that the Bible is a story of the remarkable success of probable “lost causes”: • God calls to Himself a people, who then prompt- ly abandon and abuse Him, condemning them- selves to hundreds and hundreds of years of scattered exile. Only the tiniest remnant re- mained. Yet today over two billion claim to be His people. • Abandoned by those who were, in theory, going to love and support Him, Jesus of Naz- areth is leſt alone to be crucified by political and religious authorities. What seems to be the darkest moment in the story is suddenly § 1 A Window into America’s Universities NOVEMBER 2012 Faculty Commons-A CRU MINISTRY God’s rescue mission for professors. Uniting hearts and minds for Christ. Friendship and questions offer life. God’s relentless pursuit of Jonah–and us! FRONTLINES Are Professors a Lost Cause? God at Work at Purdue OSU Professor’s Influence Surprised by Grace § 1 § 2 § 3 § 4 God at Work at Purdue Ministry Profile: Corey and Melinda Miller, Purdue University Are Professors a Lost Cause? Rick Hove, Faculty Commons Executive Director Do you have friends who distinguish themselves by virtue of their forthrightness? I do. I thank God for those sweet folks who spit out what everyone else swallows. On occasion friends and acquaintances – strangers even! – take the opportunity to inform me that “professors are a lost cause.” Such hon- esty never fails to elicit a grin from me. ey are wrong. Professors may be “lost,” but in no way are they a “lost cause.” Some people miss the difference. If you look through the New Testament you’ll discover the folly of believing lost people = lost cause. In fact, given God’s affinity for the lost, in the Bible lost people = God in pursuit: Matthew 10:5-7: ese twelve Jesus sent out, in- structing them, “Go nowhere among the Gen- tiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. e Symposium has given believing professors recognition, even by those who oppose them, as a movement of bright and winsome Christ-follow- ers who have neglected neither their minds nor their hearts. Corey uses this event, as well as personal referrals, semester luncheons, open fo- rum “hot topic” discussions, and referrals from churches to meet new professors. “We intention- ally network with area pastors for this purpose,” Corey explains. “We receive pastoral recommen- dations and then in turn send new believers and prospects to these area churches.” Corey is seeing people impacted by his minis- try come to faith in Christ and get involved, then move to another university, or even a city outside the U.S., and try to start a ministry there modeled on what they experienced at Purdue. He says, “is ownership is a sign that we are becoming a movement. When I see professors get excited about their faith and strive to develop grad stu- dents with a missional mentality, I’m on my way to working myself out of a job so that I can start again at another university.” One Chinese Ph.D. student was sent to the U.S. by his government to study western Marxism prior to finishing his degree. While attending classes at Purdue, he began attending one of the small Reading and Discussion groups that Facul- ty Commons sponsors. “Over several months this student had his eyes opened and he came to know Christ!! He’s now back in China as an example of an atheist-Marxist-turned-Christian- philosophy-professor in a Chinese university!” explains Corey. Corey and Melinda pray that each believing professor at Purdue stops merely being a profes- sor who happens to be a Christian and instead catches the vision to become a missional profes- sor, one who is intentional in bringing Christ’s presence and truth into their university and aca- demic work. ey conclude, “If by God’s grace we can win the current or future professor, we also win their classroom for thirty years!” “We’ve moved beyond ourselves. We work in tandem with other cam- pus ministries,” says Faculty Commons staff representative Corey Miller. “Indeed, with the greater pastoral and church communities involved in much of what we do, we’re not just about going aſter the whole campus, but the whole community. We are networking our resources together, unified in Christ.” Corey cites The Symposium as the clearest example of this. A joint outreach of several churches and Purdue ministries, each year e Symposium is the single largest outreach event in the community. A dozen or so Christian faculty, pastors, and campus ministry leaders speak over 30 times on the relevancy of the gospel and truth of the Christian faith by addressing a variety of issues. Purdue University Founded in 1869 and named after benefactor John Purdue, Purdue is one of the nation’s lea- ding research institutions. According to U.S. News and World Report’s 2012 rankings, Purdue was 23rd among public universities. • Total enrollment fall 2012: 39,256 • Associated with seven Nobel Prize winners • One of two U.S. public universities having the largest international student population • More than 20% of the faculty born outside of the United States • Produced 22 astronauts, including the first man to set foot on the moon, Neil A. Armstrong, and the last man to leave it, Eugene A. Cernan • Produced NFL quarterbacks who have thrown for more yards and TD’s in the NFL than that of any school and has three Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterbacks • Has rich history of traditions including the Big Bass Drum, the Fountain Run, and yearly 50-mile 160-lap go-kart race to raise money for scholarships • Go Purdue Pete and Broilermakers! Photo: Purdue University, Office of Marketing & Media ©2012 University Hall Purdue professors and staff discuss issues of faith at a Faculty Commons Reading and Discussion Group. Participant backgrounds include philosophy, physics, chemistry and engineering. It’s Official! Earlier this year Cru became the official name of Campus Crusade for Christ in the U.S. The new logo is dominated by a cross above the new name. As our president Steve Douglass explains, “Anyone who knows any- thing about Cru, knows we are passionate about one thing—connecting people to Jesus Christ. In fact, we only exist for the purpose of helping people everywhere experience the transforming grace and forgiveness of the gospel through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.” Faculty Commons is a Cru ministry.

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reversed when God raises Him from the dead, defeating death forever.

•Awomanof ill-reputefromahatedpeoplegroupistransformed.Themostintenseperse-cutorofthechurchbecomesaconvert.Fisher-menfullycommittedtoonewayoflifebailonitforanother.Unlikelypeoplelikeyou,andlikeme, are transformed.IfyoureadtheBiblewitheyestosee,thevery

mentionofa“lostcause”thatinvolvespeoplewillcauseyoutoperkupatthethought,becauseGodhasahistoryofreachingouttothefurthestaway,andredeemingthemostunthinkable.Infact, if JesuswerealivetodayI feelcertainHewouldspendplentyoftimewithprofessors.Heloves thelost.

Itisprobablyourlotinlifetoviewcertainsitu-ationsandpeopleas“lostcauses.”Thisisbecausefrom our perspectivethesepeopleandsituationsareunredeemable.Andbecausewearesadlyblindtowhata“lostcause”weoncewere.

BUTifyoulookatGod’sheartforthelost,andHistrackrecord,onemightfindgreatreasontojoinwithGodinHisremarkablerescuemissionthatisunderwayinAmerica’sprofessors.Godloveslostpeople,andbecauseofHispowerandmercy,noone,andnogroupofpeople,willeverbe a “lost cause.” Never. It’s not because of thepeople;it’sbecauseofGod.

Wesocovetyourprayersandfinancialinvest-mentinthisgreatcause!

Executive Director of Faculty Commons since 2005, Rick has also directed the Rice and Duke ministries. He is a summa cum laude graduate of both Georgia Tech and Trinity Evangelical Divini-ty School. Rick, his wife Sonya, and their three children live in Durham, NC.

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The king-dom of heaven is at hand.’”

•Luke 15:4ff:Whatmanof you, having a hun-dred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? . . . And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”

•Luke19:10:FortheSonofMancametoseekand to save the lost.Thelabel“lost”inGod’seconomy,ratherthan

precipitatingawhiteflagofsurrender,insteadtriggerspassionateactionwiththehopeofa futureparty!

Infact,onecouldmakethecasethattheBibleisastoryoftheremarkablesuccessofprobable“lostcauses”:•GodcallstoHimselfapeople,whothenprompt-lyabandonandabuseHim,condemningthem-selvestohundredsandhundredsofyearsofscatteredexile.Only the tiniest remnant re-mained.YettodayovertwobillionclaimtobeHispeople.

•Abandonedbythosewhowere,intheory, goingtoloveandsupportHim,JesusofNaz-areth is left alone to be crucified by politicalandreligiousauthorities.Whatseemstobethedarkestmomentinthestoryissuddenly

§1 A Window into America’s Universities NOVEMBER 2012 Faculty Commons-A CRU MINISTRY

God’s rescue mission for professors. Uniting hearts and minds for Christ. Friendshipandquestionsofferlife. God’s relentless pursuit of Jonah–and us!

FRONTLINESAre Professors aLost Cause?

God at Work at Purdue

OSU Professor’s Influence

Surprised by Grace

§1 §2 §3 §4

God at Work at PurdueMinistryProfile:CoreyandMelindaMiller,Purdue University

Are Professors a Lost Cause?RickHove,Faculty Commons Executive Director

Doyouhavefriends who distinguishthemselvesbyvirtueof

their forthrightness? I do. IthankGodforthosesweetfolkswhospitoutwhat everyoneelseswallows.

Onoccasionfriendsandacquaintances–strangerseven!–taketheopportunitytoinformmethat“professorsarealostcause.”Suchhon-estyneverfailstoelicitagrinfromme.

Theyarewrong.Professorsmaybe“lost,”butinnowayaretheya“lostcause.”Somepeoplemiss the difference.

IfyoulookthroughtheNewTestamentyou’lldiscoverthefollyofbelievinglostpeople=lostcause.Infact,givenGod’saffinityforthelost,intheBiblelostpeople=Godinpursuit:•Matthew10:5-7:ThesetwelveJesussentout,in-

structing them, “Go nowhere among the Gen-tiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

TheSymposiumhasgivenbelievingprofessorsrecognition,evenbythosewhoopposethem,asamovementofbrightandwinsomeChrist-follow-erswhohaveneglectedneithertheirmindsnortheirhearts.Coreyusesthisevent,aswellas personalreferrals,semesterluncheons,openfo-rum“hot topic”discussions, and referrals fromchurchestomeetnewprofessors.“Weintention-allynetworkwithareapastorsforthispurpose,”Coreyexplains.“Wereceivepastoralrecommen-dationsandtheninturnsendnewbelieversandprospectstotheseareachurches.”

Coreyisseeingpeopleimpactedbyhisminis-trycometofaithinChristandgetinvolved,thenmovetoanotheruniversity,orevenacityoutsidetheU.S.,andtrytostartaministrytheremodeledonwhattheyexperiencedatPurdue.Hesays,“Thisownershipisasignthatwearebecomingamovement.WhenIseeprofessorsgetexcitedabouttheirfaithandstrivetodevelopgradstu-dentswithamissionalmentality,I’monmywaytoworkingmyselfoutofajobsothatIcanstart

againatanotheruniversity.”OneChinesePh.D.studentwassenttotheU.S.

byhis government to studywesternMarxismpriortofinishinghisdegree.WhileattendingclassesatPurdue,hebeganattendingoneofthesmallReadingandDiscussiongroupsthatFacul-tyCommonssponsors.“OverseveralmonthsthisstudenthadhiseyesopenedandhecametoknowChrist!!He’snowback inChinaasan exampleofanatheist-Marxist-turned-Christian-philosophy-professorinaChineseuniversity!”explainsCorey.

CoreyandMelindapraythateachbelievingprofessoratPurduestopsmerelybeingaprofes-sorwhohappenstobeaChristianandinsteadcatchesthevisiontobecomeamissionalprofes-sor,onewhoisintentionalinbringingChrist’spresenceandtruthintotheiruniversityandaca-demicwork.

Theyconclude,“IfbyGod’sgracewecanwinthecurrentorfutureprofessor,wealsowintheirclassroomforthirtyyears!”

“We’vemoved beyondourselves.Weworkintandemwithothercam-pusministries,” saysFacultyCommonsstaffrepresentativeCoreyMiller.“Indeed,withthe greater pastoral

andchurchcommunitiesinvolvedinmuchofwhatwedo,we’renotjustaboutgoingafterthewholecampus,butthewholecommunity.Wearenetworkingourresourcestogether,unifiedinChrist.”

CoreycitesThe Symposiumastheclearest example of this.A joint outreach of severalchurchesandPurdueministries,eachyearTheSymposiumisthesinglelargestoutreacheventinthecommunity.AdozenorsoChristianfaculty,pastors,andcampusministryleadersspeakover30timesontherelevancyofthegospelandtruthoftheChristianfaithbyaddressingavarietyofissues.

Purdue UniversityFounded in 1869 andnamed after benefactorJohnPurdue,Purdueisoneofthenation’slea-dingresearchinstitutions.AccordingtoU.S. NewsandWorldReport’s2012rankings,Purduewas23rdamongpublicuniversities.•Totalenrollmentfall2012:39,256•AssociatedwithsevenNobelPrizewinners•OneoftwoU.S.publicuniversitieshavingthelargestinternationalstudentpopulation

•Morethan20%ofthefacultybornoutsideoftheUnitedStates

•Produced22astronauts,includingthefirstmantosetfootonthemoon,NeilA.Armstrong,andthelastmantoleaveit,EugeneA.Cernan

•ProducedNFLquarterbackswhohavethrownformoreyardsandTD’sintheNFLthanthatofanyschoolandhasthreeSuperBowlMVP-winningquarterbacks

•HasrichhistoryoftraditionsincludingtheBigBassDrum,theFountainRun,andyearly50-mile160-lapgo-kartracetoraisemoneyforscholarships

•GoPurduePeteandBroilermakers!Photo: Purdue University, Office of Marketing & Media ©2012

University Hall

Purdue professors and staff discuss issues of faith at a Faculty Commons Reading and Discussion Group. Participant backgrounds include philosophy, physics, chemistry and engineering.

It’s Official! Earlier thisyearCrubecametheofficialnameofCampusCrusadeforChristintheU.S.Thenewlogoisdominatedbyacrossabove the new name. As our president SteveDouglass explains, “Anyonewho knows any-thingaboutCru,knowswearepassionateaboutonething—connectingpeopletoJesusChrist.Infact,weonlyexistforthepurposeofhelpingpeopleeverywhereexperiencethetransforminggrace and forgiveness of the gospel throughGod’sSon,JesusChrist.”

FacultyCommonsisaCruministry.

Faculty Commons groups of professors and staff meet regularly across the OSU campus, gathering for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of lives. Together they wrestle with the ever-challenging question, “As a follower of Jesus Christ, what should I be and do in the academy?”

§3

A panel of three Christian faculty at the University of Florida gave 1100 students the opportunity to ask them questions about God, their faith, and other issues.

§4

Dr.EdHarris,ProfessorandWilliamsChairofEducationalLeadershipatOklahomaStateUni-versity,hasan impactonhisstudents thatgoesfarbeyondclassroomlectures.WithadoctorateinEducationalLeadershipfromTexasA&MUni-versityandamaster’sdegreefromDallasTheo-logicalSeminary,heisinterestedintheinterrela-tionshipoffaith,lifeandwork.Forover20years,Edhasnotonlydoneanexcellentjobofteaching,research,publishing,andservice,healsohas influencedthelivesofnumerousstudentsandcolleagues.

Hisapproachissimple:heasksgoodquestionsandgetstoknowpeople.Inturn,heisintentional

increatinganatmospherewheretheycangettoknowhimaswell.Edisaprofessorwhohas reflecteddeeplyabouttheprinciplesthatguidehiswork,homeandlife.

Notlongago,aPh.D.studentfromapredomi-nantlynon-Christiancountrybeganaconversa-tionwithEd.Overtime,astheydiscussedtheirbackgrounds, beliefs and interests, the studentasked toknowmoreabout theChristian faith.Thedialog inspiredhimtobeginreadingthe Bible,whichinturnmovedhimtotrustChristashisSavior.Soon,hiswifealsobecameaChristian.

Theywere connectedwithChristianmentorsandachurchthatcouldhelpthembothgrowin

OSU Professor’s InfluenceFacultyProfile:Dr.EdHarris,Oklahoma State University

Frontlines is published by Faculty Commons, the faculty ministry of Cru.

•Editor: Bonnie McGee•Writer: Ceil Wilson•Design: Rich Bostwick

We want to hear from you. Please contact us via email at [email protected]. Faculty Commons, 2001 West Plano Parkway, Ste. 2700, Plano, TX 75075; Ph: 972.516.0516; Web: www.facultycommons.com

bigissuesoflife.”Hehasbeenaleaderinthe OSUFacultyCommonsnetworkofprofessorsforyears,helpingsetthedirectionandencouragingotherfacultytobealighttotheircolleaguesandstudents.Edspeakslocally,nationallyandin-ternationallytootherprofessorsregardingthe theologyofworkandtheappropriateintegrationoffaithintheworkplace.

GarypraisesEd“asoneofthebestmodelsoflivinganintegratedlifewithnodichotomybe-tweenthepersonheisonSundayandtheoneheistherestoftheweek.”

theirfaith.Godhasputontheirheartsadesiretoreachouttotheunderprivilegedclasseswhentheyreturntotheirhomecountry.

This student recently toldOSUFacultyCom-monsministryrepresentativesGaryandGenaHellman,“InowhavepeacewithGodthroughJesusChristandamadifferentpersonthanwhenIcametothiscountry.Myhopeisthatotherpro-fessorswillsharethisimportantmessagewithinternational students whomay have neverheard.”

Edcomments,“Iamthankfulforthisministry,because itprovidesavenue for faculty, staff andstudentstodiscussanddigdeepintothe

Fast Facts:The director of the new Cru ministry at the University of Alaska wants to build a profes-sor/student movement there.

A group of student leaders involved with Cru at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo lead the student outreach to the faculty at their university.

Christian professors at Princeton University hosted an event for graduate students to mentor them as future professors and Christ- followers in the academy.

Surprised by Grace: God’s Relentless Pursuit of RebelsReviewbyBillHager, Faculty Commons National Field Director, University of Georgia

lious,promiscuous,drug-usingteenagerwhowaskickedoutofhisparent’shomeatage16andforsixyearsdidhisbesttochanneltheprodigalson.

PerhapsbecauseofhisexperienceofrunningfromGod,Tchividjianhasakeenerunderstand-ingoftheextentofourheart’srebellionandtheextentthatGodwillpursueuswithHismercyandgrace.Whilethisbookdoesathoroughjobofexplainingand interpretingthe twistsandturnsofthebookofJonah,itsenduringvalue isinexplainingandinterpretingthetwistsandturns of the human heart and the God who pursuesus.

TchividjianhelpsusseetheeventsinthebookthatnormallyaredepictedasGod’swrathasevi-denceofGod’sgrace.“(T)hestormisn’tpunish-ment;it’sanintervention,broughtonbyGod’saffectionratherthanbyhisanger….WouldithavebeenbetterforJonahifGodhadlefthimalone?ItwasanactofmercyforGodtosend thestorm.”TchividjianhasnoproblemmakingthelessonsofJonahapplicabletohisreaders.

“(Jonah’s) runawayposture isourposture, everytimewesin,whetherinthought,word,ordeed,

…wearetellingGod,‘Mywayofnavigatingthissituationisbetterthanyours….’”Itdoesn’ttakelongtoseethatthisstoryofagreatsinnerbeingsenttoagreatcityofsinisnotjustaboutJonahrunningfromGod,orIsraelforsakingherKing,butabouttheneedourheartshaveforaSavioreveryday.

Auniquefeatureofthisbookistheinclusionof

Jesus:“Ifyouthen,whoareevil,knowhowtogivegoodgiftstoyourchildren,howmuchmorewillyourFatherwhoisinheavengivegoodgiftstothosewhoaskHim?”(Matthew7:11)1.AskGodtoworkinthelivesoflostprofessors,wooingthemtoHimself.Youmightprayforpro-

essorsinyourdepartmentfromyouralmamater.2.PrayChristianprofessorswouldpursueopportunitiestobe“saltandlight”intheirclassesand

departments.(Matthew5:14-16)3.AskGodtoblessChristianprofessorswhostudyandteachinthelifesciencessothattheirlives

andscholarshippointotherstotheAuthorofLife.

Join with us in Prayer

14colorplatesofcenturies-oldartmasterpiecesthatdepictdifferentaspectsofJonah’sexperience.Inthecourseofthebook,Tchividjianinterpretseachpieceofart,bringingdepthandemotionintoJonah’sstoryasonlygreatartcan.

Thisbookissoinsightfulitwillmakeyougetupfromyourreadingchairandfindsomethingwithwhichtounderline.You’llseehowquickly

Investing in the MissionYourfinancialinvestmentwillenableustobuildmovementsofprofessorsandstudentstotakethehopeofJesusChristtotheworld.Willyouprayerfullyconsiderpartneringwithusin thisgreatendeavor?AllcontributionstoFacultyCommonsareincometaxdeductible.Cash donations

MakechecktoCruandmailtoFacultyCommons;2001W.PlanoParkway,Suite2700; Plano,Texas75075.Orinvestonline:give.cru.org/2271527

Maximize your giving to help reach the world for ChristStocks,bondsandmutualfundsheldforatleastayear,whichhaveincreasedinvaluesince thetimepurchased,willreceiveextrataxsavingswhenusedasadonation.

Estate DesignAtnocharge,professionalsattheGreatCommissionFoundationcanhelp youdevelopastrategytomeetyourfinancialgoalsminimizingtaxesandmaximizingKingdomimpact.

Ifyouneedassistance,pleasecontactourDirectorofMinistryDevelopment, [email protected].

Support Faculty Commons Staff AspartofCru,allstafftrustGodfortheirsalaryandministryexpenses.Youcancontributedirectlytoindividualstaffatgive.cru.orgbytypingtheirnameinthesearchbox.

Whileonedoesn’texpecttofindgraceasmuchintheOldTestamentasintheNew,it’snotbe-causegraceisnotthere,butbecausewedon’tknowhowtofindit.Surprised by Graceisanapttitle for Tullian Tchividjian’s book about Jonah.Theauthorknowsalittlesomethingaboutgrace.We knowhimnow as the grandson of Billy GrahamandtheonechosentofillDr.James Kennedy’spulpitatCoralRidgePresbyterianChurch.Buttherewasatimewhenhewasarebel-

Dr. Ed Harris spends time with his students, building relationships for conversations about life’s most important issues.

thehumanheartcanbecomeanidol-makingfactory,andhowGodrelentlesslypursuesyouevenwhenyouhavenointentionofchanging—withHisveryeffectivemethodsofpersuasion.Andyou’llmarvelatGod’sextravagantmercyandbesurprisedbyHisrelentlessgrace,andbesur-prisedbyHisrelentlessgrace,andbesurprisedbyHisrelentlessgrace…