The Value of Faculty Service in a Christ-Centered Institution
NATHAN A. FINN
Most academic institutions evaluate faculty performance in three areas: teaching, scholarship, and service. How a faculty member performs in these areas plays a major part in whether or not the professor receives rank promotions, merit-based raises, tenure, etc.
IACE is an alliance of teaching institutions. We want a defining characteristic of our faculties to be excellent classroom teaching, as well as activities that enhance teaching, such as student advising, mentorship, etc. Understandably, in most of our institutions teaching is normally weighted the heaviest when considering a faculty member’s professional advancement.
Much could be said about the role of scholarship in Christ-centered teaching institutions, but I will save that topic for another day. In this post, I want to address the value of faculty service, which in my experience is the factor most likely to be overlooked, or at least undervalued, in the work of a faculty member. I contend that faculty service is one of the most important responsibilities a professor undertakes, especially in the sorts of schools that are part of IACE.
Scripture refers to Jesus as a servant, whether prophetically (Isa 49:3-7; Isa 53) or when interpreting his earthly ministry (Mark 10:45; Phil 2:7). He commands us to serve others as part of our Christian discipleship (John 13:14-15; Gal 6:9). In fact, Jesus’s paradigm for Christian leadership is being a servant to others (Matt 20:27-28; Luke 22:26). When we serve others, we are reflecting his ministry (Phil 2:3-5). Our service of others is motivated by love for God and neighbor (Matt 22:37-38), with special attention to those with the greatest need (Matt 25:40; James 2:14-17).
From a biblical standpoint, faith-motivated service to others is of paramount importance. As Christ-following faculty members in Christ-centered institutions, our service matters—to God and to those whom we are serving. Administrators in IACE institutions should put greater emphasis on faculty service when defining and evaluating the work of a professor.
I suggest a paradigm where faculty service is divided into three categories: campus, church, and community. The first category is service to the campus. It takes into consideration committee assignments, official administrative roles, participation in short-term task forces, assisting with recruiting and fundraising events, sponsorship of student organizations, as well as anything done “above and beyond” the faculty job description that helps the institution to flourish. This category reflects the traditional way most academic institutions conceive of service and is the most likely to already be required, if not always adequately valued.
The second category is service to the church. Most of our institutions expect faculty members to meaningfully participate in the lives of their local churches. While this should include at minimum regularly worship attendance and hopefully involvement in a small group or Sunday School class, many faculty members are exemplary members of their churches. They serve as elders or deacons, lead small groups, teach classes, volunteer with one of the church’s ministries, mentor young people, or serve on church committees. Some faculty are also ministers, serving as part-time church staff, teaching pastors, interim pastors, or evangelists. When faculty are committed “churchmen” (to use an old-fashioned term), they both serve their churches and demonstrate a tangible relationship between the institution and the churches around it.
The final category is service to the community. Many faculty members give some of their time to the community. Some are invested in parachurch ministries. They work shifts at the soup kitchen, or volunteer at the pregnancy center, or help with the community evangelism initiative. Others are involved in secular civic organizations, serving as a Big Brother, or a Scoutmaster, or a little league coach, or a board member for a non-profit. Sometimes, a faculty member may even serve in an elected office such as the school board or the county commission. This sort of service matters because faculty are being “salt and light” in their community (Matt 5:13-16), bearing witness through their words and deeds. They are also demonstrating that the institution employs the sort of faculty who are committed to human flourishing in the community, doing their part to help push back against the too-common mistrust between “town and gown.”
IACE institutions should be intentional about encouraging, celebrating, and incentivizing faculty service to campus, church, and community. Faculty should know their service is valued by the school, including their service to church and community. Furthermore, administrators should recognize that some faculty are exemplary in their service, just as others are exemplary in teaching or scholarship. So long as their service does not become a distraction from the professor fulfilling all of his or her faculty responsibilities, it should be seen as a key part of that professor’s kingdom work as an academic disciple-maker.
Nathan A. Finn serves as Provost and Dean of the University Faculty at North Greenville University in South Carolina.