Sharing Who You Really Are

As the first day of class approaches, I always think about how to introduce myself to my students effectively. I have taken several approaches over the years, and the scope of what I share has changed over time. My philosophy now is to share more, rather than less, about who I am. 

To introduce myself, I now use PowerPoint slides that include photos reflecting who I am. I use these slides and take five minutes to share about myself. Yes, I share about my academic background, professional experiences, and my research interests, but I also share about more personal things, including my hobbies, passions, my family, and, yes, I share that I am a Christian.

I remember the nervousness that I felt the first time I integrated my faith into my introduction. This is not something my students are accustomed to hearing from a professor at a public university. Even today, although somewhat easier, I approach that moment with some trepidation. However, I remember the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” This verse reminds me that God has placed me in a specific classroom at a specific time and that identifying as a Christian may be important for someone in that room.

In light of this, I have found a couple of easy ways to share about who I really am. First, on a slide showing a family photo, I share that the two most important things in my life are my faith in Jesus and my family. I explain that this is more than a ‘cliché’ statement and truly reflects what motivates me each day. Secondly, when talking about my passion for travel, I show slides of trips that I have done with a missional purpose, particularly trips to the Olympics with Athletes in Action. In doing so, I mention that I went to the Olympics to serve as a chaplain to athletes—thus providing another reference to my faith.

Over the last few years, it has become clear that this simple reference to my faith on the first day of class is important for many students. It has opened the door to many meaningful conversations, including students asking about the integration of faith in business, students requesting that I pray for them and their families, and an openness from students to share about family struggles or mental health challenges. For example, one student named Gloria told me about a family member who had been murdered and asked me to pray for her and her family.

For Christian students, it has opened the door to discussions about internships with Christian organizations and/or desires for a career in the non-profit sector; others have expressed to me the importance of simply knowing that one of their professors is a Christian. One former student, Chris, who spoke to me about his faith, went on to do an internship with Cru on our campus.

Although telling a group of students that I am a Christian was not an easy step, I was reminded that it was not me speaking but Christ in me (Gal. 2:20). I just had to be willing to step out in faith.