Silence Speaks Volumes
There are many situations in which silence is the best response–indeed, often, “silence is golden!” But silence all the time, or at the wrong time,
What would it look like to live as part of God’s grander story as a faculty member on your campus?
Our book, A Grander Story: An Invitation to Christian Professors, offers you a biblical understanding of a professor’s identity in Christ and God’s calling in your scholarship, teaching, and service.
A Grander Story inspires and equips Christian faculty to think differently about their lives and work. Read the inspiring stories of six U.S. professors who share the unique ways they played their part in God’s grander story. Discussion questions are provided to prompt thoughtful group interactions.
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Learn more about our Grander Story groups (in-person or online). We can connect you to an existing group or help you start your own!
“God equips those He calls, which is an awesome thing—I mean, I don’t even know if I am qualified for Mensa, and I am not an apologist and am very capable of being a big chicken and a Jonah, but I know He can make the weak strong when it comes to defending the faith.”
– Chapter 6, Dr. Susan Siaw, Cal Poly Pomona
“I’m going to go to the toughest one head-on by talking about serving students in the classroom. It probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: we serve our students in the classroom (and I include the laboratory here) by a mastery of the material—by thoughtful, if not winsome, presentations of the material, and a desire to see our students learn. All of this is part of the biblical principle of “whatsoever you do in word or deed, do it as unto the Lord.”
— Chapter 5, Dr. Ken Elzinga, University of Virginia
“How can I tell them the truth that I come early because I’ve missed them, that I can’t wait to hear about their day, that I’ve been thinking about them all morning, and that I love them? How can I reveal that I’ve spent all week praying about their addictions, their losses, their fears, and their dreams?…’Well, it’s because I want to be with you,’ I finally stammer and reposition my hair tie and take my glasses off. ‘I really want to be with you.'”
– Chapter 10, Dr. Heather Holleman, Penn State
“God began to confirm what He had started to stir in my heart years earlier; ultimately my legacy in the academy will depend more on the people I impact than on academic accolades or the laboratory I helped build. Sure; I hope my research and writing contribute to my discipline, but at the end of the day I honestly believe what will remain—far beyond my syllabi or lab equipment—will be the lives God has enabled me to touch over nearly three decades.”
– Chapter 9, Dr. John Walkup, Emeritus Texas Tech
Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and
Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions,
Princeton University
There are many situations in which silence is the best response–indeed, often, “silence is golden!” But silence all the time, or at the wrong time,
For several years before I retired as a professor and extension entomologist at Oklahoma State University, I was involved with the Faculty Commons ministry. As
I joined the Animal Science Department at the University of Missouri on June 1, 1980, and by the mid-1980s, I began wondering if I had
It is Friday morning, 0730, to be specific. Sitting alone in a cold conference room in the College of Nursing, I wonder how many would