Changing Lives - One Person at a Time

This MMM was written by a colleague, Mark Jacus, as a follow-up to last week's MMM.

In last week's MMM, Mike Sorgius said, "If you were like me, you may have gone through your entire undergraduate career and not know of one Christian professor. This...propagates the idea that you can't be an educated person and still be a Christian."

I can say with certainty that this is no exaggeration, as I believed wholeheartedly that being a Christian and being a scholar were mutually exclusive.

During college I was an "evangelical atheist." Not only did I not believe in God; I felt it was my duty to enlighten my misguided Christian friends, which I often did (with enthusiasm and with success).

In my discussions with my friends I always felt that I held a trump card. Even if they were not convinced by my skeptical positions, I could simply point to the cadre of teachers and professors. "If Christianity were true," I would ask, "why don't THEY believe and promote it?"

To be sure, there was the odd professor who identified himself as a Christian. But they were in such a small minority as to be marginalized.

However, while I was still in college, several circumstances arose that caused me to consider the claims of Jesus Christ. I won't go into all of them, but one major influence is particularly relevant. I became aware that some of the scholars that I truly respected were also Christians. This was a new concept for me.

I had previously been convinced that thinking people did not believe in God, yet here was a group of people that I respected intellectually who considered it both rational and reasonable to believe in Christ. Within days I turned from my skepticism and received Christ and His payment for my sins.

Can I honestly say that these professors won me to Christ simply by identifying themselves as Christian scholars? No; as I said earlier, several factors went into this decision. However, because of their courage and boldness, my heart was softened to the point of considering the Christian message. Had they not been visible, I doubt seriously if I would have given the Gospel a fair hearing.

C.S. Lewis has said that "my heart cannot rejoice in something that my mind rejects as false." As long as people (i.e. students) are convinced that the Christian world-view is intellectually unworthy, many students and colleagues will dismiss the Gospel without giving it serious consideration.

Scripture: Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven..."

Action Point: The same as last week!! Look for appropriate places to share the importance of your faith with students and colleagues inside and outside of the classroom. Make specific plans for when you will tell students in each class about yourself.

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