Some Reflections on Some Reflections on Ministry in the Ministry in the

AcademyAcademy

Chris BarrettChris Barrett

Department of Applied Economics & Department of Applied Economics & ManagementManagement

Cornell UniversityCornell University

Prepared for the Upstate New York Prepared for the Upstate New York

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Faculty ConferenceInterVarsity Christian Fellowship Faculty Conference

April 5, 2003April 5, 2003

Discovery Zone MetaphorDiscovery Zone Metaphor

The Academic CallingThe Academic Calling

“Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:48)

We receive much from God and from other people – talents, education, love, respect, freedom, – and so we are required to give much back. We are also unmistakably flawed and must learn how to put our flaws to good use. (Parable of the cracked pot)

Our Baptismal Our Baptismal ObligationObligationProphet: We must accept our talents and use them wisely (Matthew 25), even if our labor is not always for righteous masters (1 Peter 2). We must serve diligently and humbly, speaking truth to power when needed and not indulging in self-pity, much as Daniel did in the court of Nebuchadnezzar.

Priest: Ever mindful of our sinfulness, we are called to contribute to the sanctification of the world from within, like leaven, to manifest Christ to others through teaching, forgiveness and reconciliation.

King: Serve God and one another (Matthew 20), providing for the public good and supporting/empowering those over whom we hold some dominion.

TeachingTeachingJesus’ disciples called him “teacher”. It is an extraordinary honor to get to shape young minds and hearts, to try to help young people discern God’s will for them, uncover the talents He has bestowed on them, and summon the courage to venture into a sometimes hostile and cynical world speaking truth and struggling to resist evil.

Ken Elzinga: http://www.people.virginia.edu/%7Ekge8z/teach.html

AEM 200: Contemporary Controversies in the Global EconomyBut also AEM 411, AEM 762, AEM 765, IA620 and others

AdvisingAdvising

Pushing undergraduates to experience Cornell fully: Parable of the rocks and the jar.

Acculturation of graduate students: the transition from student to scholar

Grace:Each student is special because they are created in God’s image, not because of what they can create. But need to help them seek out and identify God’s will for them, the special gifts they’ve been given.

DiscipleshipDiscipleshipWe must not only teach, we must continue learning.

When we grow too comfortable, too sure of ourselves, then we should grow worried.

Continually need to mature in our understanding of God’s calling for us and of our relation to His creation.

Hence the need for ongoing research, for updating our curricula, for taking on new challenges and for abandoning comfortable patterns

ResearchResearch

If we are called to be scholars, then we should embrace the call to scholarship and do it to the best of our God-given abilities.

Many parts of the one body: my research on poverty is no greater service to God than David Ng’s on finance. We each serve best by heeding God’s call to us.

Seek and profess the truth, whether or not it is popular.

Know your audience (speaking in tongues?)

Service and Outreach Service and Outreach

The The corporatecorporate project of discovering and being a project of discovering and being a witness to truth. This applies to mundane tasks no witness to truth. This applies to mundane tasks no less than to glamorous ones. We all stand on the less than to glamorous ones. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. The O-ring theory. shoulders of giants. The O-ring theory.

““The Ministry of Referees And Discussants” The Ministry of Referees And Discussants” ((Faith & EconomicsFaith & Economics essay with David Mustard) essay with David Mustard)

They’ll know we are Christians by our love … (but They’ll know we are Christians by our love … (but that doesn’t mean be a patsy). Service can be a that doesn’t mean be a patsy). Service can be a spiritual discipline, forcing us to put the common spiritual discipline, forcing us to put the common good ahead of immediate personal gratification. good ahead of immediate personal gratification.

Saying “yes” to God but not necessarily to every Saying “yes” to God but not necessarily to every person who asks. person who asks.

Public Profession of Public Profession of FaithFaith

Professional advantage or “martyrdom”?

There are both tangible costs and benefits to public profession of faith.

Each must choose his or her own path: there are many good ways through the Discovery Zone.

HolismHolism

Take care of your family and take care of yourself.

People and probabilities: whose lives can you must effectively touch in Christ’s name? Family, students, staff and colleagues. Take time with them, pray for them, treat them kindly and fairly.

Kipling: “If you can fill the unforgiving minutewith sixty seconds’ worth of distance runThen yours is the earth and all that’s in itAnd, which is more, you’ll be a man, my son”

Academic MinistryAcademic Ministry

We are called to an incredible privilege

Duty to seek out God’s will for us and to follow, to serve in our various functions with compassion, energy, and a thirst for His truth

Ministry as a prophet, priest and king