How to be a Good Christian Professor

An interview “study” with Christian faculty members and lesson summaries from conferences.

Guiding Questions

  1. How do you apply your faith/Christian values
    1. in your teaching? Do you tell your class that you are a believer?
    2. in your research?
    3. in collaboration with other mostly non-believers?
    4. in meetings/conferences?
    5. in building relationships with students?
    6. in dealing with conflicts at work (with a student/colleague)?
  2. How do you see Christian values reflected in your discipline? Do you make a connection between your faith and your field? How?
  3. What are the challenges of being a believer professor? How did you overcome them?
  4. What advice would you give to an early-career Christian scholar who wants to pursue academia and become a good Christian professor?

Note: Blue text marks Nanin’s additional comments.

Prolog

This document is not an “ultimate recipe” to be a good Christian professor. Instead, it summarizes the experiences of several Christians who became professors earlier. This document targets future Christian professors, a.k.a., Christians whose goal is to be a professor one day. I (Nanin) personally believe that being a professor (like any other occupation) is a calling from the Lord, and Christians should understand that they are Christians who just happened to be called as professors, and not professors who just happen to be Christians. This document is not meant to be used as a checklist, but it offers examples of what people have done. I encourage readers to find their own style according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Readers can pick and choose from the following examples some practices that fit their style and actually do them in their work. The goal is not to earn human approval (Galatians 1:10), yet as being a professor is a calling, I hope these practices can help the readers focus their hearts on the Lord and serve people around us well as we do our daily work (Colossians 3:23).

Table of Contents

Dr. Steven Hall

Distinguished Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, NCSU

How do you see Christian values reflected in your discipline? Do you make a connection between your faith and your field? How?

Some believers draw a line between their religious-church life and their work life. There is value there: someone can be very missional and serve in the field while holding a full-time job that covers their living costs. Paul was one of the best examples of this. However, others believe work and religious life are intertwined. Speaking of science, most early scientists believed in God, probably not a personal God as we know Jesus, but they at least believed the universe is ordered in some way, and that something (or someone) created that order. Even the so-called “atheists” have “faith” in some of these concepts.

Dr. Hall mentioned his paper on the intersection of science and faith, which he published in the PERSPECTIVES on Science and Christian Faith Journal. In Biological and Agricultural Engineering, science/engineering is intertwined with God’s work in Genesis, that He made everything good, and that He placed Adam to work and take care of the creations (Gen 2:15).

We agreed that making this connection is sometimes not trivial and even hard, but it’s a good question to ask and reflect on. In Security, Dr. Hall encouraged me to think about which motivation or thoughts underlie my research: is it (1) due to the fact (and confidence) that God is in control of everything and we are trying to be His tool in His work, or is (2) based on fear of death and the chaos of the world?

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your research?

Motivation and topic selection are the starting points of any research. We believe God puts ideas in our minds, so it is good to pursue them, but we must think intentionally about them and their relation to our faith and identity in Christ. Dr. Hall has published in various venues: scientific journals, theological journals, and journals at their intersection. This broad area does not negatively affect his CV; e.g., no one has specifically asked about the theology paper he included. When publishing purely scientific articles, Dr. Hall is intentional in his word choices; he tries to include some “more Christian” words (e.g., creation, creatures, provision, stewardship) to provide subtle nuances that may be perceived unconsciously (or consciously) by readers.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in collaboration with other department members?

Our colleagues are also created in God’s image. This truth matters, as we may work with people with different natures. We can always offer to pray for our colleagues, as most people (even people who don’t believe) appreciate prayers. Our availability and willingness to pray for them may also lead to some thoughts that may bring them to the Lord.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your teaching?

In the courses he taught, Dr. Hall starts with (1) the course name; (2) some of his professional background; and (3) some parts of his personal life, including that he loves Jesus. Being a Christian is part of his identity, and it is okay to just be ourselves and share that part of our identity in class. Dr. Hall is also open to any students who want to talk more about that outside the classroom. He will then follow up by saying that everyone is created in the image of God, so he will treat everyone well. This aligns with NCState’s policy of equality, which he also included in his slides. It is important to ensure that the students know we will treat them well, even when we don’t always agree on our beliefs. Dr. Hall also told his students he wants them all to succeed.

As the course goes on, Dr. Hall sometimes makes remarks that mention his faith: “as a Christian, I …”. In his experience, there was little opposition to this. He received more positive responses from believing students, as well as from some students who have problems and come to talk to him. In his teaching method, Dr. Hall mentioned “to be fair and kind” (my personal remark is that this reflects our God’s character: just and loving). This shows up, for example, in how we grade students’ work: we can try not to be mean, but to be honest and truthful, even when that means giving them a lower grade.

  • A teaching strategy Dr. Hall recommended is to start tough with a higher standard (even a bit tougher than our usual standards) and then lower it gradually throughout the semester. This strategy pushes the students to work hard in the beginning because they see a high standard. At the end of the semester, when the final exam isn’t as hard, students will be surprised to have earned a better grade than they expected and will be happy. The other way (where the difficulty gradually increases) could make students unhappy at the end of the course, as they receive a lower grade than they expected.

ps. Dr. Hall’s teaching performance has always been above average.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in building relationships with students?

When students come to him with problems, Dr. Hall acknowledges that he is not a counselor, but he listens and offers to pray for them. While he acknowledges his weakness (he is not great at memorizing names), Dr. Hall tries his best to match names to faces. This shows his effort to make students feel seen and to show them he cares to know them as unique individuals, not just as part of a crowd. Dr. Hall also sometimes arrives a bit early and uses that time to talk with students about personal matters they’ve shared with him before, e.g., the job they are applying for, getting engaged, etc. This effort doesn’t cost him much but has a strong impact on the relationship and on how students perceive him.

What are the challenges of being a believer professor? How did you overcome them?

Different universities/institutions have different internal politics. It is possible that we ended up at a university closer to believers. However, as there are other beliefs (e.g., feminist) that are allowed to be very vocal, we as Christians should have the same right: to be ourselves.

What advice would you give to an early-career Christian scholar who wants to pursue academia and become a good Christian professor?

Dr. Hall recommended talking to someone in the area who is “one step ahead”. Of course, it helps to talk to someone much more senior, but their experiences (the technical ones, such as getting tenure) would likely differ as the academic world evolves over the years. Sharing application documents among peers is also recommended to inspire and help one another in securing a position. Dr. Hall is also willing to help read these documents and give feedback.

Dr. Hall gave some useful recommendations on applying for a position.

  1. We don’t have to be at the top of the list; we just need to be good enough that they don’t discard us. Then,
  2. Do your homework. This applies to both the application and interview steps. In the application step, a good candidate will do their research on the institution they are applying to (the people, their research, the culture, etc.) and won’t make careless mistakes (e.g., by making it very apparent that they are applying to hundreds of institutions, as they forgot to change the name of the professor they mentioned in their letter). In the interview step, asking questions about current faculty members’ research and suggesting ways to collaborate are effective ways to show we have done our homework.
  3. In the teaching workshop/seminar step, “fake” a good class. “Fake” here means we can pretend the class is taking place in the middle of a semester. For example, we can assume that some topics have been covered in a “previous” class, or that we can discuss “homework”. Also, don’t make people fall asleep; make the class interactive and engaging, e.g., use technology for a quiz.

Additional notes

  • Don’t burn bridges; collaborations can continue even across the ocean.

Dr. Kim Titus

Teaching Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department

Prolog

Dr. Titus has a physics background. She worked at Highpoint for 18 years before returning to NC State 2-3 years ago. She is currently a Teaching Associate Professor, teaching 3 courses + 1 passion course. I saw her heart for teaching and building relationships with students, and she also stepped up to host a small group at Summit Church’s Garner Campus with her husband, Dr. Aaron Titus. She mentioned that if something is a high priority, we will have to make time for it.

How do you see Christian values reflected in your discipline? Do you make a connection between your faith and your field? How?

Dr. Titus mentioned that it is good to have conversations with believing professors, but everyone has their own way, and I have to find mine. She mentioned that sometimes it doesn’t matter what we study; we always have to serve, be available, and be the light. She mentioned that we are not computer scientists (professors) who happen to be Christians, but Christians who happen to work in this field. In physics, for example, the whole discussion on the Big Bang theory and all that can be interesting. It is also important to consider how we can use our skills (even some we often overlook, e.g., databases, web, spreadsheets) to serve our community, for example, helping our church build its database.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in building relationships with students?

She mentioned that her community has multiple prayer requests for adult kids who are drifting away, and that universities/higher education systems are where students drift away. But it’s actually a mission field with many opportunities for ministry! Dr. Titus mentioned that students come to her to share their struggles. She also emailed some students, saying she was praying for them, and then prayed for them.

Dr. Titus also mentioned that she will pray over the classroom during exams to give the students peace of mind. She also told the students that she is their biggest cheerleader. She mentioned giving grace and mercy to students, and even when we have to say no, we still give mercy (How would Jesus react? What would He do in my position?). It reflects whether we have the heart and compassion to genuinely care about our students. We should think of them like our own children. Our care for our students should extend beyond their classes and work.

Dr. Titus said that, as academics or faculty members, we hold a position of influence. Whether we use our influence for the Lord or for other things is our decision. We can influence our students with harsh comments and yelling, which makes them feel incapable and inadequate, or we can do the opposite (soft and caring) and help them feel capable, adequate, and loved.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in collaboration with other department members?

Colleagues

Dr. Titus had some experience on different occasions dealing with “hard” colleagues. When she is treated unkindly, she prefers not to escalate the conflict. She said, “Pursuing a conflict is not worth losing the relationship.” She prefers to find the positive in what she has and move on. In another situation, when a colleague starts avoiding her, she prays for them and then has a direct yet loving conversation with them. She asked, “How have I offended you?” and tried to understand the person’s point of view. Then she offered what she could do to be more helpful rather than a problem. She listened and tried to help her colleague based on what she learned. The conversation actually cleared the air, and Dr. Titus came to better understand how to pray for this colleague.

Teaching Assistants

Dr. Titus has some experience in having difficult conversations with TAs. Instead of having a “screaming/shouting match,” she said her default is to assume the TAs will respond to a soft, caring approach. Some might need a more direct approach, but she still prefers a soft one. She will then adapt the approach based on the TA’s response. Dr. Titus mentioned that we need to be straightforward and professional, yet loving and not hurtful. It is important to have a good relationship with TAs where they can think of us as a “friend.” Dr. Titus also always starts with something positive she can mention about the TA, even if, after that, she has to give “negative” feedback. Even when giving negative feedback, she explains why she is giving it and chooses her words wisely.

When it comes to someone with a different value, Dr. Titus tends not to judge or jump straight to the truth; instead, she builds a relationship with them. She prays and hopes that, if they are comfortable with her, one day, when they start questioning their value, they know they can talk to her and that she will not judge them. There is a fine line between professional and personal conversations, so it is important to be careful. It would be a different case if they started asking questions or asking for opinions.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your teaching?

Dr. Titus mentioned providing a “safety net” for students, such as offering another chance to take the exam. Balancing grace and tough love is important. She also emphasized the importance of delivery methods; for example, having discussions “closed book, open friend” for quizzes can change students’ heart attitude and mindset toward a class. Dr. Titus believes many students are “verbal processors”: they process information better and learn more when they can talk about what they’ve learned, rather than only listening to lectures and staying quiet. That’s why Dr. Titus always includes activities where students talk to each other.

How to respond to students’ wrong answers is also important: “That’s a great guess, but not necessarily what I’m looking for,” instead of a direct “Wrong!!” It is also important to see students as human first, then as students, not the other way around. We have to think about subtle ways that don’t change or affect their learning but do change how they feel, because students may not remember what we say, but they will remember how we make them feel. For example, instead of telling students, “This is a hard problem; you won’t understand,” we can phrase it differently: “It is a tricky problem that I once also struggled with. Let’s try to solve this together. I’ll help you through it.”

Tips: Dr. Titus mentioned that we can make class more compelling by adding attendance points and incorporating in-class activities that also earn points. She changes the timing of the activities, sometimes at the end, sometimes at the beginning, so that students really need to come if they want the points.

What advice would you give to an early-career Christian scholar who wants to pursue academia and become a good Christian professor?

When looking for future directions, knowing there are fellowships can make our lives “easier.” Therefore, researching local communities (and their languages) can be beneficial. Sometimes God changes situations to show us when to move forward. Just don’t force a door to open; walk, knock, and pray that He will guide you and give clarity by opening and closing doors.

Dr. Aaron Titus

Teaching Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy

How do you generally apply your faith/Christian values in your work?

Dr. Titus said he always tries to be transparent and authentically himself because people can see that. In fact, students told him he showed them that one can be a scientist and a believer at the same time. He also mentioned that it is our privilege to see things that our students can do that they could not see themselves doing. This is precious for students because it makes them feel seen.

Book recommendation

  • The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (Francis Collins, 2006)

    In this book, Collins advocates theistic evolution and describes his conversion to Christianity.

Dr. Kay Sandberg

Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your relationships with students?

Dr. Sandberg mentioned showing hospitality by smiling at students as they walk to the classroom, so they can see that she is glad to see them. She asks about students’ outfits and tattoos, even when those outfits and tattoos are uncommon. She shows she doesn’t shy away from their differences; instead, she takes an interest in them. This shows students that she is willing to talk to them, respects everyone, and genuinely cares. She also mentioned she lives an “ask me” life, meaning that if people (students) ask her, she is free to answer. Thus, she prayed that students would ask her about her faith and hope. Note that if you have grown up not in a Christian country, that fact can actually fascinate students and stir questions.

When facing difficult students, Dr. Sandberg shows grace and mercy while staying fair. She uses the ABC method: Affirm, But Consequence, meaning she will listen to the students’ point of view, but still apply the consequences. She believes that without it, it wouldn’t be fair to other students, and it’s not really loving to let them fail. She will make sure the students understand her motivation and that she is trying to help them, as they need to learn earlier for their own future, since their future employers would not put up with the problem either. In all of this, her motivation is always to love her neighbors, as Jesus commanded. She recommends setting very clear expectations in the very beginning. When the project is still unclear, we can still set clear expectations, e.g., “I will be communicating with you even when the way is still unclear.” She reminds us that sometimes the Lord allows frustration to show others that we are His followers when we can be kind in the midst of it.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your teaching?

Dr. Sandberg reminds us that the university hired us to teach a specific subject, so we should not preach during the lecture. However, we can use examples, analogies, anecdotes, or stories to reveal something about our personal lives when deemed fit.

Dr. Sandberg has many Teaching Assistants (TAs). In every class, a TA will share fun facts about themselves, usually something unusual. For the very last class, Dr. Sandberg shares her own fun facts. This is where she says she memorized some books of the Bible, which stirs curiosity among her students: “Why do you always read the same book?” This reminds us to cultivate spiritual disciplines so when people ask, “What do you enjoy?” or “Who do you hang with?”, our answers reflect our relationship with God and can point to Him.

Dr. Sandberg also says we should not lie about our mistakes, because humility goes a long way. We should admit our mistakes, take responsibility, and try to fix them. In this way, we ensure fairness, which reflects God’s characteristic of justice. Dr. Sandberg mentioned an example of when technology messed up; she would go out of her way to give the students the grade they deserved. This reminds us of what God requires of us: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in collaboration with other department members?

Colleagues

Dr. Sandberg always respects her colleagues, for example, by smiling at them in the elevator and asking them about their research. That goes a long way because it shows she cares, which makes it less likely for issues to arise. It is also important because people are picking up on what we say. She believes that if she can build a good connection early on, colleagues are less likely to come back to her mean. She always establishes a respectful, positive first encounter. In the office, Dr. Sandberg would not join in when her colleagues badmouthed others. She also noted that refraining from cursing, even when irritated, reflects our identity as Christ’s followers. On the bright side, she said having a fellow believer as a colleague has been a huge encouragement.

Teaching Assistants

Dr. Sandberg invited her TAs to her house, usually for the end-of-semester celebration (her TAs are all volunteers). She had dinner with them, but before dinner, her husband would “share the gospel.” He would bless the food and have the gospel message embedded in the blessings. He would also say that Dr. Sandberg is a sinner (everyone is!) and she needs a savior. If we are a faculty member who is still single, we can apply this approach by inviting a believer friend to dinner so they can share the gospel on our behalf. Dr. Sandberg recommends that, if we join an institution, we ask someone there whether it is the norm to invite people to dinner. We can also invite people after grades are assigned to limit conflict of interest.

Dr. Laura Sremaniak

Associate Head for Facilities and Safety, Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry

How do you see Christian values reflected in your discipline? Do you make a connection between your faith and your field? How?

Dr. Sremaniak mentioned that she tries to challenge students to think more broadly, not just to solve small problems. An example of that is how something can come from nothing. She also mentioned that the connections among energy, light, and matter refer to a rational Creator. The fact that those connections are represented by simple formulas shows that the rational Creator wants to make Himself known to humans, as He has given us the brain capacity to understand those concepts. She also mentions that wave-particle duality points to the Trinity: when entities can exhibit both wave and particle characteristics, this points to how God, in one essence, can be in three persons. When asked how she made those connections, Dr. Sremaniak said that while some come from her own thinking, others come from reading articles and essays by other believer scientists.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your teaching and relationships with students?

Dr. Sremaniak mentioned that at the beginning of the semester, she will print the class roster with students’ pictures and pray over them. She also goes to the classroom and prays over it, consecrating it to the Lord as a holy space. In the first class, she will tell her students that she is a practicing Christian, that she likes studying the Bible and theology, and that she is open to conversations and questions about her faith, her subjects, or anything else.

In her teaching, Dr. Sremaniak hopes that at the end of the semester, students see that she upholds integrity while also being thoughtful. She hopes that students who never give Christianity a second thought will think about it, knowing there is someone who is both excellent in science and believes in God. Dr. Sremaniak welcomes students to her office hours and creates a casual environment. She always acts fairly and justly in her relationships with students.

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in collaboration with other department members?

Dr. Sremaniak mentioned that we can show hospitality to our colleagues, like inviting them to dinner at her house. They say a blessing before dinner, and her colleagues never object. When dealing with conflict, Dr. Sremaniak thinks of the people involved as EGR: Extra Grace Required people. She said we need to be graceful yet pursue excellence: if standards aren’t met, there are consequences. Conflict resolution is hard, so we need prayers to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance on what to say and do. Dr. Sremaniak also mentioned that having a fellow believer as a colleague has been a very sweet gift from the Lord, as their prayers helped her through the years.

Dr. Sremaniak also mentioned that she has been involved in advocacy, which reflects one of God’s characteristics: justice. She has advocated for a fair promotion scheme for non-tenured professors, a fair salary scheme for male and female professors, and a fair (and lower-cost) scheme for evaluating teaching professors. She identifies problems and takes action to make changes, not for herself but for the university and marginalized groups.

Common Call Conference 2026

Dr. Lisa Beymer

Clinical Associate Professor, Teaching, Learning, and Community Engagement (TLCE)

How do you generally apply your faith/Christian values in your work?

  • Reflection: In what ways can I specifically share the light of Christ at this university?
  • NOT a professor who is a Christian but a Christian who is a professor → Let it be greater that the name of Christ be known than my reputation to be protected.
  • Making disciples is a lifestyle. It’s how Jesus lived among us, and He calls us to live like that.

PRAY – Philippians 4:4-7: bold prayer.

“Don’t be anxious about X but in X by prayer and supplication…” Pray and trust His provision.

  • Dedicate time in the calendar to pray
  • Pray on the commute to or from campus
  • Pray before walking into your building
  • Pray over rosters
  • Pray over classrooms
  • Prayer walks on campus

How do you apply your faith/Christian values in your discipline?

The Gospel in the discipline

  • Lead with questions
  • Use storytelling
  • Connect to others’ experiences
  • Clarify misperceptions (1 Peter 3:13-18) → Know Him, know His Scriptures

How do you apply your faith/Christian values when building relationships with students?

  • Be prepared for spiritual conversations. Not IF but HOW. John 20:19-21 → “Peace be with you… I’m sending you.”

5 Foundational Principles

  1. You are a “sent” one.
  2. He invites you to work WITH Him, not FOR Him.
  3. Everyone is on a spiritual journey.
  4. God is already at work in the lives of people around you.
  5. It is okay if discussions happen over time.

Approach

  • Discover a person’s spiritual journey
  • Discover good questions (past experiences, present attitudes, future directions)
  • Listening (listen for and with) → inviting more, defending less
  • Ask permissions
  • Share your story
  • The “sometime” invitation → “Sometimes” I’d love to hear …
Questions: Past Experiences
  • Where did you grow up? What did you like or not like about growing up there?
  • How would you describe your family experience? Close-knit? Distant?
  • Did you grow up with any sort of spiritual or religious background?
  • Was that a positive, negative, or neutral experience for you?
  • Has there been anything in your life that has moved you toward belief and trust in God, or away from belief and trust in God?
  • Would you say you have generally had positive or negative interactions with Christians?
  • What words come to mind when you think about Christian/religious people? (Feel free to be honest.)
Questions: Present Attitudes
  • On a scale of 1-10, how important is spirituality to you?
  • How would you describe your spirituality now?
  • What do you believe happens to us after we die?
  • What do you think is the main message of Christianity?
  • Do you believe it’s possible to have a personal relationship with God?
  • If you don’t believe in God, do you have any other core beliefs that guide your life?
  • What do you think is the purpose of life?
  • On a scale of 1-10, how close do you feel to God right now?
  • If you could ask God one question (knowing He would audibly answer), what would you ask?
Questions: Future Directions
  • Would you say that you are currently moving toward a greater belief and trust in God, or would you say that you are moving away from a greater belief and trust in God?
  • Are there future events that could happen that would cause you to take a closer look at spiritual beliefs?
  • If you could have a personal relationship with God, would you be interested?
  • If God asked you, “Why should I let you spend eternity with Me?” what do you think you’d tell Him?
  • Thanks for sharing that. Based on your answer, on a scale of 1-to how confident are you that He would welcome you? Why?

Book recommendation

  • God Has a Name (John Mark Comer)

    “What we believe about God will shape the person we become.”

    This book is a simple yet profound guide to understanding God in a new light–focusing on what God says about himself.

Rick Hove

Executive Director, Faculty Commons at Campus Crusade for Christ

Our Identity in Christ

We are not our own → we belong to Christ. The sentences about “you belong to yourself” are the biggest lies, because if we believe them, we will always ask, “Am I enough?” and get trapped comparing ourselves to others. The Heidelberg Catechism asks, “What is your ONLY comfort in life and death?” That I am not my own, but belong to Christ in life and death. This belief allows us to avoid an obsession with identity-making, and it should be the foundation of a Christian professor’s heart.

Academia presents a unique challenge: respect and achievement are closely tied to performance, which makes academics highly inclined to compare themselves to others. However, God made us His own. There are two biblical images:

  • We are His treasured possession (He treasured us! → Exodus 19:3-6)
  • We are adopted as His sons (and daughters. Our Father is the one who created everything! → Romans 8:14-15)

Belonging to God should be the foundation of our calling.

  • Matthew 4:19: “follow me” (“belong to me”) and I will make you fishers of men.
  • 1 Peter 2:9: a people of His own possession → that you may proclaim excellencies of Him who called you out.

Academia is a community of people and resources that shape the world. Because we belong to God, we are free to love people; we represent Him and bring hope to the world.

Matt O’Brien (and Dr. Lisa Beymer)

CRU Director of Graduate Student Ministry

Discipleship to grow Healthy Believers

Healthy believers

  • Walk by faith
  • Communicate their faith
  • Multiply their faith

To grow healthy believers, we need discipleship that studies the Word, deepens relationships, and does ministry together.

Build Word
  • Join a CRU Faculty Commons group or an online bible/book study group
  • Pray for each student by name each week
  • Jewelry, stickers, or other “notes” of Jesus
  • Attend a Cru Weekly Gathering
  • Bible studies with students
  • Content-specific Christian book studies with students
  • Invite students to attend Cru Weekly Gathering or other events
  • Ask what God is teaching them and share what He is teaching you.
  • “Happy Thoughts”
  • One-on-one discipleship
  • Sprinkle Scripture into your class lectures and discussions
  • Offer the gift of a book (e.g., More Than a Carpenter)
Build Relationships

How do you apply your faith/Christian values when building relationships with students?

  • Community Builders at the beginning of class
  • Memorize students’ names (Yes, all of them.)
  • Greet them at the door
  • “Get to Know You” slides
  • Send an email or a postcard to students out sick
  • Offer groceries for students out sick
  • Individualize and personalize your grading
  • Invite them into your home (Thanksgiving, Christmas)
  • Bring snacks to class
  • Go into their world
  • Write individual cards at the end of the semester
  • Go to class early to engage in casual conversation
  • “You are a person first, a student second.”
Build Ministry
  • Pray, pray, and pray some more. With your students, for your students.
  • Attend a Cru outreach event with your students
  • Ask a student to deliver Cru mugs to new faculty
  • Create opportunities to serve together
  • Cru mission trips for faculty and graduate students
  • Prayer walks around campus
  • Fast with one another
  • Gather the first names of Professors they are praying for, and pray alongside them
  • Encourage (and join!) them in evangelism and spiritual conversations
  • Join their gatherings that already exist
  • Thank you notes to Professors
  • Pray over your students at the end of your last class session