Ask Anything You Want

University is a strategic time for young adults. They are making pivotal decisions about what they believe and what foundation they want to choose for their lives. That’s why Christian professors are so important. Amid competing worldviews such as Marxism and naturalism, Christian professors can point students to the beauty and truth of the gospel. I was reminded of this when I read an update from John and Laura, who serve with Global Scholars in Eastern Europe:

Our last class meeting is the “Ask Anything You Want” survey day in which students can ask anything they want anonymously. I type up the list of questions and then have them vote with their phones on which questions we’ll address in class.

I try not to dominate the conversation, but a number of the questions were about me and why I am a Christian. So that was an open door for me to speak personally, and to once again explain, as I’ve said on several occasions during the semester, that Christianity is not just a worldview or a belief system but a relationship with God.

I told them that the biblical message is that God loves them so much that He wants to spend eternity delighting in them. Most of them don’t believe that, but I singled out particular students at random: “A., God loves you so much that He wants to spend eternity delighting over you.” “L., God loves you so much …”  D. doesn’t believe this is true (I know this from his responses all semester), but I have a good relationship with him, and he raised his hand because he wanted to be included. “D., God loves you so much…”, which made him smile, and not just out of cynicism.

Responses to the course vary. Most of our students are quite secular and a single course rarely brings about instant life change. Most come from non-Christian homes, and few have met a gospel-centered Christian before arriving here. We’re playing the long game here, and we know that the Holy Spirit often uses a variety of relationships over time to draw people to Himself. But I’m often encouraged when I read students’ responses to the self-reflection questions I include on the final exam. One student is from Latvia and feels drawn to Christ but is not sure he can commit to faith. Nevertheless, he wrote, “There is and must be a God. God necessarily exists.” Another student wrote, “I believed more in the secular perspective, but now, Tim Keller’s way of providing evidence about moral values, in seeking meaning in life and other things, made me think that there is more to God and the Christian belief.” These and other such responses are reminders that God can use this class to continue His work in their lives.

Thank you for equipping Christian professors around the world. Your support makes more interactions like this possible. I am thankful for your partnership with Global Scholars!

For Christ and the university,

Stan

Italicized names have been changed to protect privacy.