Thanksgiving and Christmas offer special opportunities for Christian professors to welcome students and share spiritual truth in an inviting way. I was encouraged to hear this story from Nick and Teresa, who serve with Global Scholars in Europe, about how God used their Christmas celebration to open doors.
Most professors at the university where Nick teaches don’t have office hours, so students appreciate how Nick makes himself available for conversations about the courses he teaches as well as general life advice. Many of the students who stop by Nick’s office hours are international students, primarily from Muslim countries.
Hadi had lots of questions about the Incarnation. He wondered how the Incarnation was possible if there was only one God. Nick explained that ultimately, the reason why he believes in the Incarnation is what Jesus himself said and did. He said, “As a Christian, I am bound to take Jesus at His word.” Hadi seemed to find that answer thought-provoking and said he wanted to discuss things further.
At Christmas, Nick and Teresa invited Hadi and two of his classmates to their home for Christmas dinner. They served a traditional Christmas meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and apple and pumpkin pie. Hadi and the other students played board games with Nick and Teresa and their son, and they all read the Christmas story together.
In the months that followed, Hadi continued to visit Nick during office hours. He mentioned how Nick and Teresa interacted with their son and said, “I think kids who are brought up with religion do much better in life.” Nick gently shared that it isn’t religion that changes us, but God himself who transforms hearts.
Today, Hadi is back in his home country but still writes to Nick. Nick and Teresa continue to pray that the seeds of truth planted during his studies will bear fruit one day in Hadi’s life.
Please join me in praying for Hadi, and for other students like him. Pray for opportunities for them to hear the true message of Christmas, and for Global Scholars professors like Nick and Teresa to have special opportunities to share God’s grace and truth this Advent season.
May the joy of Christ’s birth fill your home this Christmas. I am so thankful for you and your partnership in this mission.
Advent blessings,
Stan
The italicized names have been changed to protect privacy.
This episode of the College Faith podcast is especially important if you’ve ever felt like your faith was unraveling, or if you’ve watched someone you care about go through that. I’m joined by Dr. Peter Schuurman, a sociologist, pastor, and co-author of Blessed Are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada. It’s a book full of real-life stories from people who have struggled with their faith, and it addresses themes well beyond the Canadian context. Whether you’re deconstructing, reconstructing, or just trying to hang on to your faith, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of the Thinking Christianly podcast, we discuss the final chapter of my new book Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. We cover how we can care for both the body and the soul in missional contexts, how a commitment to holistic dualism helps us avoid dehumanizing others, and more.
Our December prayer calendar is now posted on our website. Download the prayer calendar to pray for professors, students, and current needs in higher education.
