As a young mechanical engineering professor in the 1990s, I was blessed to have senior colleagues who were strong believers. That made it easy for me to be open about my Christian faith with other faculty.
I still had fears about sharing with students until I sat in a class with one of those senior colleagues as he identified himself as a Christian. His example eased my fears, and I was able to share with my classes from that point forward that I was a follower of Christ.
A Multi-Faith Forum
The next time I had fears about sharing my faith was when student groups organized a multi-faith forum and I was asked to be the panelist representing evangelical Christianity. Knowing that I was just part of a panel that included representatives of Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism made it easier, but I was nervous and it didn’t go as I hoped.
I was only asked how God’s command in Deuteronomy 20 for Israel to kill all the Canaanites was consistent with “God is love.” It did, however, alleviate my fears the next time the forum took place. The next time, I persuaded the student organizers to let each panelist give a 2-3 minute summary of the key concepts of their faith. That really helped because I was able to explain the gospel in the context of God’s holiness, as well as his love.
Asked to Give My Testimony
The last time I was afraid about sharing my faith was when a few faculty and I were asked to speak about our faith during Holy Week. I was the speaker for Monday for this “Faculty Who Believe” event and was asked to give my testimony.
I was the sole speaker for Monday and was worried that there might be hecklers. I prayed that I’d be gracious in that circumstance, but there was no need. The audience of about 50 was supportive. I even discovered that a few faculty I knew from other departments were also believers.
Only When I Had to Plan
It is ironic that on the few occasions that I really did face hostility and mild persecution for being open about my faith – and was called to explain myself to the dean – I did not have any fear. I knew that I had acted with integrity, and nothing ever came of those accusations. It was only when I had to plan to take steps of faith that I had any fear.
I have known 1 John 4:18 for almost my entire life – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
However, I had only thought of that in terms of fearing God’s judgment due to the immediate context: v.17- “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment…” and v.18b- “For fear has to do with punishment…”
Fear of Man
What I failed to understand on those occasions is that both fearing and loving God, and having a deep sense of how great God’s love is, also takes away any fear of man.
Trusting and resting in how great and perfect God’s love is does not just cast out the fear of punishment on the day of judgment, it can take away fear. Even the fear of being one of Christ’s ambassadors on a secular university campus.
Tim Cameron
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Miami University