Through a challenging year, Professor Rachel Ferguson moves from an intellectual engagement with the Christian faith to a fuller understanding of discipleship, embracing new practices to truly dwell in Christ, leading to the spiritual transformation she needed, and that we all deeply desire.

 Listen to audio or video of guest speaker Gordon Smith at the online symposium, Prayer and the Academic Calling, co-hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the Society of Christian Scholars. The event was held in Coumbus, OH for faculty and grad students across the country and around the world on Saturday, February 2, 2019. We are excited to share the audio and video recording about Gordon Smith's new book, Teach Us to Pray (IVP, 2018).

What is the crucial contribution of Christian faculty to the university today? What essential gift does the university long for – even if only in an inchoate way? What unique offering can we make to the life of the academy?

Hope. Only Christians can offer hope.

Fellowship is essential for Christian graduate students, professional-school students, and faculty. Meeting regularly with like-minded people facing similar challenges encourages us to remain faithful in our calling as Christian academics and professionals. As we learn and grow together, we are transformed into Christ’s image and sharpened for witness and service.

But what if you can’t find such a fellowship on your campus? Is God calling you to take a step in faith to start a group? If he is and you are wondering how to begin, here are 13 Steps to Starting a Fellowship from InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries. May God bless and multiply your efforts!

From “Take a Long Walk: Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855),” an excerpt from Vintage Saints and Sinners: 25 Christians Who Transformed My Faith (InterVarsity Press, 2017) by Karen Wright Marsh

You Don’t Need to Know Everything. Perhaps you’ve seen the poster that proudly proclaims “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” This is a clever list of light-hearted observations that can remind us to slow down and not take ourselves so seriously. And yet, here you are in graduate school...

July assignment for GFM New Staff Training: Wolsterstorff discusses three pitfalls in how to integrate faith and research, and how to avoid them.

Misunderstood. Alone. Aliens in a strange land. These are apropos descriptors for how Christian scholars often feel whether in the academy or at church.

I had grand expectations of my life as a faculty spouse. I imagined lunch with Erik on campus, hosting students in our home, and—as a family—all enjoying his summers off. I expected to be closely connected to the university; attending events on campus and enjoying all that the university had to offer. Little did I know what was ahead. Continue reading...