It was the end of my first lecture and a student in the back left-hand corner of the auditorium raised their hand to ask the third, and final, question. After being called on, he voiced rather loudly, “So, were you a virgin when you married your wife?”
Not a typical question a student asks their professor on the first day of the new semester.
Creating Situations
I’ve often thought ministering as a faculty member on a university campus is similar in some ways to ministering in a country that isn’t open to the gospel. Obviously, being a faculty member on a college campus doesn’t equate to those saints called to work in closed countries, but maybe the strategies used by those that work in closed countries could be used on the college campus.
One strategy is to create a situation where you are answering a question. You didn’t bring the topic up; the other person did. You don’t ask the question; the other person does. On a college campus in most countries, you are safe answering a question asked by a student.
Go Ahead: Ask Any Three Questions
Several years ago, I started doing two things on the first day of each semester. The first is to talk about the various academic jobs I’ve had over the years. This allows me to talk about moving from the United States to Singapore because of my Christian faith, and bring up the ministry we were helping with in India. The second thing I do is allow the class to ask any three questions they want at the end of the first lecture.
Some of the questions are bland, and some are personal, like the one about my sexual history. This semester I had a student raise her hand and ask directly again if I was a Christian. After saying I was, she asked, “Do you have trouble reconciling your faith with science?”
Disclosing My Salary
What a gift of a question. I got to talk to my class for a couple of minutes about how I integrate my faith with my academic work , during class time, to the entire class, all because a student asked me a question.
Over the years I’ve answered bland questions, disclosed my yearly salary several times, and even got to talk about how not having a Christian world-view led me to seek satisfaction in sex before marriage and how that created numerous problems early in my marriage.
Meet the University’s Goal
I’ve also been blessed to present the truth of Christ to my class because a student asked a question.
Universities want professors to share with and connect with our students. Why not develop strategies that meet the university’s goal? Try letting your students ask you questions, and have fun answering them. Probably more than a few times you will be able to provide the Truth that our campuses dearly need to hear.
Doug Matthews
Psychology
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire