One of the missionaries Madeira-Silverwood supports, Jamie Noyd, visited our church this past month and shared a couple of pieces of the exciting work she is now doing with InterVarsity's Graduate and Faculty Ministry.
The first was The Emerging Scholars Network (ESN), of which Jamie has been the director since September 1. ESN is a support network for individuals on the academic pathway. It assists them in determining how their academic vocation serves God and others. It encourages and equips undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty as they navigate each stage of their educational vocation.
ESN supports Christians pursuing an academic life by providing emerging scholars training and opportunities to grow as public intellectuals and bless the church and the world through blogging and speaking opportunities. ESN also builds and publicizes networks of Christians within academic fields and provides opportunities to connect with peers and mentor figures online and at conferences.
The second was InterVarsity's Faculty Ministry. This group's unique challenge was summed up quite nicely in a short video Jamie shared by Kenneth Mill, Associate Professor of Government: "We are all as academics constrained somewhat by the boundaries of disciplines. So, I think for a lot of us, we really struggle to find how to integrate in a meaningful way Christian faith or worldview into our disciplines."
InterVarsity's response is to bring Christian faculty together to have fellowship and community with one another. This can combat the “double loneliness” that Christian faculty members often feel. They also provide resources (prayer guides, meeting guides, bible studies, reading lists, and more). The vision of Faculty ministry is faculty following Jesus together and practicing what they refer to as the four faculty loves.
Love God and one another.
Love your campus.
Love your academic discipline.
Love our world.
If faculty, staff, and administrators respond to God's love with these four loves, then imagine what God might do. Thank you, Jamie, for faithfully continuing to do this good work.
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