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Communications Principles ManualHow to Set Up Classroom Meetings |
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I. Objectives. A. To expose students and faculty to Christian perspectives through classroom speaking. B. To build Christian faculty and students and equip them to take a bold stand for Christ in the academic community. C. To make Jesus Christ the issue in the college classroom. D. To help fulfill the Great Commission. II. How to line up the meetings. A. Pray. 1. Ask God to open the professor's heart. "The king's
heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; 2. Pray for boldness. "Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be 3. Encourage others to pray. "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much" (James 5:16). B. Drop in to see the professor (this is usually the most successful approach). 1. Secure lists of professors and their offices and drop
in to speak with those you find in. Professors are 2. Consult course schedules, catalogs, lists on
departmental bulletin boards and from department offices for 3. Often department secretaries will give you a list of
professors to contact about a "classroom lecture 4. Go first to professors who teach courses most related
to our topics, but do not limit yourself to them. 5. If a professor is not in his office, write down his
office hours (usually posted on the door). This will save 6. Keep good records of the response of the professors. a. For example, if they say, "no,"
try to find out tactfully why. C. Possibly make an appointment to meet with the professor. 1. Use this approach mainly for hard-to-reach professors.
Students contacting their own professors can use 2. Here is what you might say over the phone: "Dr. ___________. This is ________
__________. I am in your class (if applicable). I am active with a 3. If you make an appointment, be on time! D. Communicate clearly when you meet with the professor. 1. Be courteous and respectful. 2. Establish rapport, asking questions about his field, background, etc. 3. For best results, memorize what you will say so that
you will present a sharp image of the program you "Professor __________, as I mentioned, I am
active with. Let me tell you about our movement." (Briefly, "I became involved as a freshman and..." (if possible, take about a minute to share your testimony). "Let me describe the program I am speaking of. One
thing we've been doing recently is lecturing in "We don't offer a religious meting (no hymn books or
collections!), but simply present Christian (As he reads topics) "We usually speak for 30-35
minutes and allow a time for questions. I thought that Note: Suggest a couple of topics, but let him
choose. Sometimes professors let us in for the most unusual
a. The biggest selling points seem to be friendliness, interesting topics and letters of recommendation. b. Have resumes available,
but don't worry if speakers lack extensive academic credentials. Often our III. How to deal with questions the professor might have. A. "Can it be done in less time?" 2. You might say: "Dr. _________, the speakers have
indicated that they need a minimum of 30 minutes to B. "This conflicts with the separation of church and state." 2. Explain that the speaker will not be conducting a
worship service, but rather he will be giving students the 3. For further information on this issue, see the section
in University Classroom Lecturing entitled, "The C. "If I open my class to you, I will have to open it to every group." 1. This would be true if we were "taking over" the
class rather than "relating" to it. We are offering a 2. The university is a place where a free exchange
of ideas can take place, and students can evaluate D. "Do speakers represent a particular denomination?" Explain that the
lecture program is non-denominational E. "Has the program been approved?" 1. If applicable, mention administrators, faculty,
student leaders, groups, etc. who approve of or have 2. On most campuses it is up to the individual professor
to decide on outside speakers. F. "Can the speaker alter the presentation of his topic to give it a slant that would incorporate material we are presently studying?" 1. Get the professor's ideas and then ask the speaker if this would be possible. 2. Do not commit a speaker to this without consulting him first. Call long distance if you need to. IV. How to schedule the meetings. A. If the professor agrees to have a speaker, secure the following information: 1. Class day, time, course subject and lecture topic. 2. Professor's name, phone number (home and office) for confirmation. 3. Classroom location (building and room number). 4. Special instructions or comments (i.e., full or partial class period, etc.). 5. Ask if you can bring a few guests to sit in and observe. Deter- mine how many. 6. Number of students in the class. B. Explain use of comment cards. "Usually we bring along some 3 x 5 cards to ask the
students to evaluate our lecture. Often we find that C. Set up an appointment for the speaker to meet briefly with the professor
before the class period. (If D. Ask the professor if he would like speakers for his other classes and, if possible, schedule them, too. E. Inform the speaker of the details. (Note: If speaking is in conjunction
with a "Christian Awareness Week"
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY September 25,1974 Mr. Rusty Wright Dear Rusty, At long last, I am getting around to thank you for your visit here last Spring, and for your lectures to my classes as a part of your work in behalf of the Campus Crusade for Christ. Your devotion to this program and its higher purposes stimulated a great deal of interest among my students. I am deeply appreciative of the time you spent with us. As you know so well, a University classroom cannot become a pulpit for the advocacy of any particular religious sect or belief. I greatly admired your sensitivity to this problem. You handled it remarkably well, while at the same time got your message through. From a Historian's point of view, it is obvious that the Christian faith is one of our major cultural attributes, is the major determinant of our moral standards, and a great influence in our lives. You made all of these points with telling logic and persuasive discussion. I might add one little note. The Department conducted a Student Evaluation of Courses project at the end of the semester last spring. There were several expressions of appreciation from my students in the two courses to which you spoke for the opportunity of hearing a modern viewpoint on the continuing relevance of Christianity in our lives. Rusty, I sincerely look forward to seeing you the next time you are in Chapel Hill. I hope you will be able to meet with my classes while you are here. Very sincerely yours,
Jim DinUIlick
CLAYTON JUNIOR COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA March 13, 1975 Dear Linda: I want to take this opportunity to again offer my personal thanks to you for sharing your personal experiences and speaking to our students on "Anxiety.” The students were deeply touched. I feel they, as future nurses, have gained insight and a better appreciation for those who are entrusted to their care and are experiencing anxiety. Thank you again for an hour well spent. Sincerely yours, Jimmie R. Coffey JRC:mdp
SELECTED TOPICS FOR UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS
1. Unlocking the Secrets of Love, Sex, and Marriage: In today's world of varying views, do the biblical documents have anything of practical value to say on these important subjects? Includes secular research as well.
2. A Christian View of Sex: Is the Bible down on sex? Why wait until marriage? A look at the practicality of a Christian position and its implications for a dynamic sex life. 3.A Biblical Therapy for Anxiety: Four major causes of anxiety are considered. A biblical solution is examined to determine if it can demonstrate valid therapeutic merit. 4. Above Beyond Freedom and Dignity: An analysis of psychologist B.F. Skinner's view of human nature (as presented in his book, Beyond Freedom and Dignity). His perspective will be contrasted with a biblical view of human nature, and comments on the validity of each will be presented. 5. A Biblical View of Human Nature: What is a human being? An insignificant automaton in an infinite universe or a creature of dignity and worth? A Christian concept of this basic issue will be presented. 6. A Christian Perspective on Racism: Does Christianity promote racism? Is it a "white person's religion?" This consideration will deal with the perspective of biblical Christianity on these issues. 7. The Psychological Influence of Poverty on the Individual: How does material poverty affect one psychologically? An analytical look will be taken at some of the data. Solutions to the psychological problems of poverty from a Christian perspective will be discussed. 8. Is There Life After Death? Philosophers, scientists, theologians, and others have struggled with this question for centuries. This lecture will examine evidence for the possibility of life after death and will include an analysis of "out-of-body" and near death experiences. 9. Miracles and Science: Are miracles and the supernatural possible even though science may never have observed them? An objective look at some of the evidence and its implications. 10.Atheism: A Realistic option? A careful look at the presuppositions of atheism to determine if it is philosophically tenable. Evidence for the theistic view will also be considered. 11. Basic Misconceptions of Christianity: A brief look at some historical, philosophical and scientific misconceptions of the Christian faith which are often raised as objections to its validity. 12. The Uniqueness of the Bible: An investigation of the composition, continuity, circulation, survival, and message of the Bible to determine what makes it unique among literature. Emphasis will be given to factual credentials. 13. Are the New Testament Documents Reliable? Is the New Testament that we have today worthy of consideration as accurate history by the intelligent observer? A look at the bibliographic, internal, and external evidence, using accepted methods of historical analysis, demonstrates the reliability of the existing documents. 14. The Quest for the Historical Jesus: A historical analysis of some evidences for His true identity, including implications of the significance of these findings. 15. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Fact or Fiction? What is the evidence behind the assertion that Jesus Christ rose from the dead? This analysis will survey the confirmed historical evidences. 16.Old Testament Prophesy Fulfilled in the New Testament: A look at some of the prophetic statements in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah and their fulfillment in the New Testament. Could they have come true by chance? 17.The Theology of the Born Again Movement: A survey of the general beliefs of this movement that has taken place among Americans in recent years. 18. The Difference Between Christianity and Religion: Is Christianity "just another religion" or is there something unique that sets it apart from all others? 19.The Born Again Movement as a Modem Phenomenon: An examination of some of the distinctives of this current movement. Basic beliefs, behavior, and socio-cultural aspects will be discussed. 20. Characteristics of a Successful Leader: Some of the factors that bring about strong leadership will be discussed. The contribution that faith can make to leadership will also be considered. 21.Secrets of Successful Humor: How to use humor effectively in public speaking. Why do people laugh? How can you tell humorous stories with a punch? What do you do when it bombs? This lecture, by the author of the book, Secrets of Successful Humor, covers these topics and also deals with a crucial ingredient to effective humor (and all public speaking)...a healthy self concept. 22. Persuasive Speech: A speech from a Christian perspective in persuasive style. 23. *Women: A Biblical Approach: Is the Bible against women? What did Jesus have to say about women and their role in society? Does Christianity view women as inferior or second-class citizens? This lecture examines these and related issues. * Linda's topic RW:nz
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