George Yancey has been involved with the Christian faculty group at UNT for many years, speaks at our meetings and leads a fellowship for Christians in graduate school. In his early years as a sociologist he studied racial diversity -­‐-­‐ or the lack of it -­‐-­‐ in Christian churches, and wrote several books including United by Faith, and Beyond Racial Gridlock.

Several years ago he felt a need to address what he saw as a growing bias against Christians on America’s university campuses. His survey of academics confirmed his suspicions, and resulted in several books documenting this: Compromising Scholarship, and So Many Christians, So Few Lions.

One conclusion from his research: “A small, but growing body of work indicates that in certain social areas Christians face real discrimination. Recently in the United States overt hostility toward certain Christians has been greater than overt hostility toward Jews.”

How should we respond to such hostility? That is the reason for his latest book Hostile Environment:
“An important challenge for Christians is to convince such individuals that they have the same rights to influence the public square as anyone else. Learning how to communicate, and hopefully find ways to co-­‐exist, with them will help determine whether there will be a persistent cultural conflict or if a truce is possible.”

Cru has Spring Break trips each year that involve faculty; other locations in 2015 were university towns in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. On some campuses, faculty present guest lectures and speak to local student groups.

Thursday, Jan 29
8am – 9am
Goolsby Chapel

Doc is a graduate of Dallas Seminary. He pastored for many years in Lubbock, Texas before leaving the Red Raiders and moving to Austin, where he also pastored. For nearly a decade he has spent time in East Asia, (shown here with friends in Beijing) mentoring both undergrad and grad students who are interested in knowing Christ.

Music was provided by Josh Drew, Emily Davis and Drew Zamremba from the Village Church — Denton.

While sponsored by the Christian-Faculty-Administrator Group*, this event was open to the entire UNT community.

Ray is Vice President for Enrollment at TWU. He and his wife Anita came to Denton four years ago, having previously served as Vice President for Administration at faith-based Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Serving

“I had worked at faith-based institutions my entire adult life,” Ray explained. “I decided it was time to look for ways to serve those outside the faith community. When TWU initially posted the position, I elected to not apply for the position, but later I ran into a member of the search firm at a national conference and realized that I needed to reconsider.

“At a public, secular institution I had to learn to operate within new boundaries,” he said. “Hopefully my faith comes out in how I serve others. I lead a large team of very hard working and gifted people, but I see my role as serving them.”

The Power of Education

Ray also talked about some of the current trends in enrollment. “Across the nation, the number one criteria for education is affordability. The quality of education is second; parents are very focused on the increasing cost of education, and what they get for their investment.” College costs since 1991 have nearly tripled. (source: NCES)

“Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty, and I see it as my ministry in Texas,” Ray concluded.

They are students from foster homes, now enrolled at UNT. Often, they have no connection with parents, no “family” in the sense that you and I have. Now there is PUSH: Persevere UNTil Success Happens.

Brenda Sweeten, (UNT, Social Work) is their faculty sponsor.

Sweeten spoke on Thursday, October 25, to a group of UNT Christian faculty. She explained that students raised in foster homes are not always forthcoming about the unique challenges they face. The group allows them to find others “that can watch their back,” she said.

“Some of these students do not have cars; for others, the greatest challenge is navigating their way through the first year as a college student. They don’t have parents who can back them and provide guidance; they don’t really have the typical of safety net that comes with having family back home.”

“For those students, PUSH helps them unite with more than a group,” Sweeten said. “This is their family; people who understand them and the life they lived, and now live today.”

Here is how PUSH describes its mission:

“PUSH was created to raise awareness in the public and university communities about the experiences of youth in the child welfare system and to promote excellence, positive support, resources and fellowship to foster care alumni and students.”

Sweeten worked for CASA of Denton County for 12 years before entering academia. CASA has both fulltime staff and volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children removed by the home and whose parents are currently involved in judicial proceedings.