The One Percent

The other day while I was riding on the Wolfline (NCSU bus system) I noticed this sign. It read, "Easter: Jesus in my Place, For a complete listing of NC State Faculty and Staff who sponsored this ad and who believe that Jesus died in our place, visit: ncsufaculltyCommons.org" 

Naturally, as a follower of Christ, I immediately got excited! I very quickly posted  it on twitter and texted a picture of the sign to many of my friends. All the responses were similar to mine as everyone said in many ways, "Praise God!" Soon, I saw this link making its way around social media as people got excited!

Like me,  everyone got a excited that there was believers on our campus. This simple website caused such a positive reaction for me and among many of my peers.

A few days later my view of this drastically changed. As I read through the list of faculty I meditated on the large amount of professors I have had in the past four years. Not one of those professors were on that list. More so, I didn't actually know any of the names on the list.

I then began to meditate on the amount of faculty listed.  There are 111 listed and over 8,080 faculty members on campus. That means that only one percent of them are proclaiming Christians. (Disclaimer: I am aware this list doesn't determine salvation. There are probably many not on the list and even people on the list, that maybe shouldn't be.)

Should we be excited? Yes, absolutely! Praise God for that one percent.

But we should let it motivate us. For me, it was convicting. Not one of my professors for the past four years, which is approximately 40  people, are on that list. Almost all of them I feel pretty certain do not know the Lord. How many of those 40 have I shared my faith with? How many cafeteria workers,  janitors, advisers, secretaries, and T.A.'s have I shared my faith with? The answer to these questions is embarrassing. Nauseating really. The answer is none of them. Not even one.

I am heart broken that there are only 111 faculty members who claim to know Jesus. I am heart broken that I have taken advantage of this amazing mission field God has placed me on, right here at North Carolina State University. 

Praise God for the one percent, but let us be prayerful and intentional with the other 99.9 percent.

Lets make His name known on this campus. Lets pray that list is substantially larger by next Easter.

"And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike." -Ephesians 6:19