Over the years, I’ve received several invitations to attend our west coast “A Common Call” Christian faculty conference, but for a lot of reasons, I hadn’t made it a priority.
I had been part of a G-3 – a “group of three” faculty peer discipleship group – for several years. Our Cal Poly G-3’s meet three times over the quarter. Over the past 5 years, I have probably met at least 20 different faculty members in various G-3’s. These G-3’s are focused on getting to know each other, sharing our journey of faith, and then reading/discussing a chapter from A Grander Story, a short article, or even a Missional Moment. And – of course – we take time to pray for each other. G-3’s have allowed for great discussions and deeper Christian relationships.
After several invitations to attend “A Common Call,” I decided, “sure, why not?” I also decided to drive our family minivan on the four-hour drive to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Six other professors rode with me. Most were strangers to me, but the time in the car and the spirit in the vehicle were amazing. Just the drive to the conference and back and stopping for a meal was more time with fellow faculty believers than a year of G-3’s. The coolest part was that every time we stopped, everyone rotated who they sat next to without discussing it. It was like a very natural rotation so when we returned after the conference, we knew each person much better, knew about their families, how they had become a believer, what some of their struggles were, and how we could pray for each other.
The conference was outstanding, hearing from Heather Holleman and other speakers, and interacting with faculty from around California.
But, to my surprise, the drive up together was just as significant as the conference itself, building deeper relationships with other Christian faculty from my campus.
Once COVID restrictions allow, I would highly recommend not only attending a conference like “A Common Call,” but attending and carpooling with faculty from your campus. It was beyond my expectations, and I know each one of them much better. It is now with great joy when I see each of them around campus.
Faculty Commons is offering online Common Call Conferences until COVID allows for regional conferences. You can “ride together” by forming a small group of faculty to watch it together with appropriate measures in place.
Ben Swan
Agricultural Education and Communication
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo