MTP 55: Jeff Colbert Part 2 on Classroom Debates, Praying for Students, and Professors’ Faith Steps

Jeff Colbert, Political Science professor at UNC Greensboro, shares wisdom on how Christian professors can be a godly influence without dominating classroom debates. He talks about praying for students, encouraging respectful dialogue, and building Christian faculty community. He also offers heartfelt advice for parents, students, and faculty—and shares how God is prompting him to re-engage in leadership on campus.

Read more about Jeff Colbert online:
 https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/jeff-colbert 

Campus email: mjcolber@uncg.edu

Main Takeaways:

• Professors can model respectful disagreement without always “showing their cards.”
• Mutual respect and understanding are core to good political discourse.
• Prayer for students matters, even if done imperfectly.
• Faculty groups help overcome fear and build courage.
• Professors play a key mentoring role—students should reach out more.
• Many parents over-manage their college-age kids—let them grow up.
• University resources are paid for—students should take advantage of them.

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Transcript

0:14

Hey everybody, welcome to Meet the Prof. My name is Shane Hartley and my friend, Spence Hackney and I interview Christian professors and we use questions like you just heard from Sophia and our hope is to encourage Christ-centered conversations on the college campus. So thank you for joining and listening to us as we start into part two of our interview with Jeff Colbert. and Jeff teaches political science at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. And we talk about should Christian professors even reveal their personal beliefs during classroom debates on things like abortion or politics? We also talk about how you can quietly encourage mutual respect in class, how he prays for his students, what he wishes parents knew about college life, and the next step of faith that God may be calling him to take on campus. This was a special interview because we opened it live for call-ins. And so we receive a chat from one professor named Chris, and then we got a call-in from another professor also named Chris. And so please don't forget to like or subscribe even if your name is not Chris. And let's jump in. Here is part two of our interview with Jeff Colbert. Jeff, can you ever foresee having a class of students, where you were talking about some controversial issues and that it would actually be helpful for you to show your cards, let students know this is where I'm coming from? I would hope not because I, and the reason for that is I would hope that if we're having a class discussion about a controversial issue, that there are already people on both sides and that they are making the point that maybe if I agreed with this group, I would make that point, but they're already making it. So then when I jump in, then that sort of, I mean, I learned a long time ago that when I jump into that kind of conversation, that really changes the classroom. because now you're now you're arguing with the teacher. think. I did have a class one semester actually was the same political issues course a different class. And we're having discussion on abortion. And most of the room was was very pro pro pro choice. I mean, excuse me. And I knew there are pro lifers in the room, but they they were very timid and I couldn't I was trying to make it comfortable for them to talk. And I said, well, let me tell y'all what I know at least are some pro-life arguments. And so I went through some of those, you know, and that encouraged another student or two from the pro-life side to speak. But for the most part, was a pro-choice crowd. And then I did have a couple of students come out and say, you know, nobody's ever just sat down and said, here are some reasons why. And in your reasons, I may not accept all of them, but they're rational. They make sense. It's not like just because I said so it's more of, okay, I see. I see the logic that you're using with that. and so that was, you know, that was a, a win, if you will, in terms of them recognizing not that they necessarily changed your minds. Cause I'm pretty sure they did not, but at least understanding that the other side has a point. And that's something emphasized in all of my classes that the people you disagree with do not hate you for the most part. And so trying to get them to see that the other side is not the enemy. The other side has reasons for their views that you don't have to accept them. You don't have to agree with them, but they're not idiots. know, they're not harm typically not harmful people. They just have a different set of values or see the issue differently from the way you do. And so let's talk about some of those values and what they are and how we might could at least quit yelling at each other because our generation we have you guys are close enough to me. Our generation has totally screwed this up. We have taught two generations. The only way to talk politics is to yell, be abusive, be ugly, never let anybody complete a sentence. If you're in fact talking to somebody who disagrees, you can normally just talk to people you agree with, right? We have totally ruined two generations and it's all our fault because we did this. And I tell my students, please be better than my generation. Please learn how to talk to people. And if the person you're with starts to get angry and starts to yell ... walk away, nobody, you're not glued to the chair. Just walk away. It's all right. Yeah. You can come back later and talk again. But you don't have to yell back. So we'll see. Hmm. I think everyone on the chat has been really impressed with how you've woven your faith and expression of it into kind of your daily life as a professor. a lot of conversation about that. Somebody asked, do you pray for your students? And then how does that look or what does that look like when you pray for your students? I do. I will confess. I said to be honest, I hate that word. I confess that it is more sporadic than it should be. And so I might pray as I walk into the classroom. I sometimes pray coming in. I had an interesting conversation. had, yeah, March of last year, just before spring break, I had had torn meniscus from December. We scheduled surgery just before spring break. And it was a Friday before spring break. So I went in that morning and we were talking to him about surgery. when I said, I need to tell you one quick thing. He said, what's that? So I'm not asking you anything. I'm just saying I'm a Christian and I have lots of friends on Facebook. And as this morning, 312 people are praying for you. as you're the surgery. He said, really? I said, yeah, that's cool. Because I pray for all my patients as I drive in every morning. thought, well, we're having another conversation in the follow-up meeting. I know where he goes to church, and I how many kids, whatever. Hopefully, I'll never see him again the rest of my life. But it was So I think, frankly, I should be more like the knee surgeon, and I probably should pray every day on the way in. but it is more sporadic. But I do highly encourage it. think that's something I could be much, much better at. now you give me a challenge. OK, And I'm being challenged by this Shane. I know, we all need input and the audience is being helpful here too. did have a really nice

for you: 6:01

"So inspiring. Already you've given me some great ideas to practice with my students." It's what we're about. I think he's a friend of yours from way back if I'm not mistaken. he he's a faculty here at UNCG and he is he is a godly man he truly is if I said something beneficial to him that is the blessing absolutely. great. Thanks for that, Chris. Well, Jeff, let us shoot some questions to you now. They'll be like our lightning round. So what advice would you give to other Christian professors who are looking for a way to have a godly influence on campus? I had to get to a point where I really wanted to do it because I think some of it might've been lip service for a while. I had to really hunger to do this. And I think if we really hunger, then I think that's, and I think he'll probably give us some opportunities. Certainly, if you have other faculty on campus, faculty or staff that you can talk with, know, Shane, we had a group here on campus and I'm hopeful that we'll reignite it in this coming fall. And then we were a lot of encouragement to each other about what we would do and what worked, what didn't work, things that sometimes were challenging each other. You want to give this a try, don't be quite so timid. And I think we don't always recognize the value of community. when we're doing this. And so I think certainly working with others and the other, and I said this earlier, just don't be afraid. You know, there's a really a limited number of things that can happen to you if you offend somebody. and most of those are not all that bad. and I don't want us to, don't think we should try not to, but as we talked about early in the, in the session, we can't let fear run our lives. We've got to try to be, you know, thoughtful about what we do, but then we got to go out and do it. So that would be my advice. Yeah. Hey, we do have a call in question. Chris wants to call in and talk about your Meet the Prof profile. So this is going to be great. Okay. Hey Chris. welcome to the show. Hey, Shane. Hey, Jeff. I was just curious, when did you start your Meet the Prof profile? And have you gotten any feedback from students or coworkers? Probably two years ago, maybe two or three years. and actually, I got feedback from, another faculty member at a different university, about seeing Meet the Prof, but Ashlee's piece last week really prompted me to consider at the end of my syllabus or either in a canvas module one or the other put both my my Facebook page and then my Meet The Prof link as well I tell encourage students to go there there's also a picture of me on the on the front page in a Christian role I played in my church at a musical years ago so I know they'll ask about that what was that picture about so I get telling that But if I put both of those there, so probably in the fall I'm going to start doing that. But I have to confess, I've not ever gotten any feedback from students because they frankly most of them don't know this here and I need to change that. But I have from a couple of faculty folks. Great, thank you. Cool, thanks for being on. I appreciate you being here. Chris, what's some of your motivation in asking about meettheprof.com? well, I learned about it from A Common Call conference a year ago in Raleigh through NC State. And then I had been emailing back and forth with you about including it at the end of my signature page. And Jeff, I'm one of the guys who emailed you about your profile because I was looking through different profiles and just getting inspired from it. So I had read your page. I graduated from UNCG. That's why I was searching that. Yeah. Yep. Okay. my gosh. Well now I can put a face on it. Good deal. Good to see you, Chris. Sure. Yeah, A Common Call is a great conference. so much, Chris. Appreciate you being on. Yeah. Well, so Jeff, so what advice would you give to students if you only had one piece of advice for them? one that's on a day in day out basis outside of faith issues, the person who can help you the most is your professor. We know more than you do, just because this is our field. We write the tests, we grade the tests. And in fact, I was talking to a group of high school counselors a couple of weeks ago and they asked, what would you, if I could tell you one thing. And I said, please, if you're doing this and you may not be the ones who do it, but please quit telling your kids that university professors don't care about students. That in high school, we love you and take care of you, but when you get to university, they don't give a crud. You you're on your own. Good luck. Go for it. And I said, I can't speak about other schools, but I've been in the school for 38 years and that is not how we treat our students. can come see us. If, you get a jerk, okay, it happens. If you get somebody who's not helpful, okay. It happens. But the most likely person to be helpful to you is the teachers of each one of your classes. And most of us, I tell them, I've been here for so long. I know a lot of folks on campus and the vast majority of people. And I will say this frankly, including myself can make a lot more money someplace else. My wife sometimes. So, you know, if you were city manager today, how much money? Yeah, I know, I know, know, I know. But I might also be fired because I'm not sure I'd be a good manager. but Most people teach at universities, especially the ones who are teaching classes, because this is what we want to do. We want to be around young folks and even some of the students who are not that young. Yeah, we want to do this. So that would be my one talk to your teachers. Don't be afraid of. Jeff, what is one thing you think people in general would be most surprised to know about the life of a professor? Most people for normal professors who are the tenure, tenure track folks, don't have an idea of how much research they do and how much time it takes. know, those books that people read did not, were not written in a week. They take years sometimes to put together and all the research required. And I sometimes I'm pretty amazed by my colleagues who are tenured, tenure track faculty and just how much work they have to put into getting that done. But also for those of us who only teach how much work we put into our craft as well. I'm always trying to find a new way to present something. There are new wrinkles with every president, every Congress, every Supreme Court. So trying to stay current is a challenge for the, even if we just teach, you always have to stay on top of your craft, on top of your material. What advice would you give to parents of college students? I've been waiting for that one. You Leave them alone. What do mean? Kids have got to grow up and you need to be available. You need to be a resource. But, and I'm making it a general statement here, but it's supported by most everybody who knows what's going on. This generation of students who are coming into university now, most of their problems have been solved for them. These parents who lovingly took care of their kids and God bless you all for doing such a good job. But part of that was handling problems the kids should have learned to handle on their own. I think this generation has got to learn the material they need to learn in college, but they also have to learn how to grow up. They've got to make their own choices. So be a resource, be nearby, be close. Lord knows pray for them, but don't solve every problem. The phrase "Well, honey. You got to solve this" is something that needs to come out a lot. I shared this with, with actually one of my classes just the other day. Um, and I said, I want you to go back and think mentally, go back to your hometown and go to the store you most like to spend money. It could be electronic store, it be clothing store, restaurant, you know, whatever, go to the place that you were, you would most like to spend money that you are you there. Okay. Imagine this walk into that store lay $50 on the counter and walk out the store with nothing in your hands Is there anybody in this room who thinks that would be a smart thing to do and they all go no Cool, if you don't access the university resources available here for you at UNCG That's exactly what you've done because we've already taken your money. You've paid the tuition and fees and we're not giving any of it back a Lot more yes So if you don't go to a ball game, if you don't go to a concert, if you don't go to an art display, if you don't go to the writing center or the speaking center, you don't go to the math lab for help with math, you have laid down 50 bucks and walked out the door with nothing in your hands, which you already have said would be a goofy thing to do. Jeff, what do you think might be the next step of faith God would call you to personally at UNC Greensboro? You know, sometimes I think we get really comfortable where we are doing what we're doing. Yeah, I shared earlier that we we had and this is a lack of leadership on my part. I take blame for it. That group that we had on campus that met pretty regularly and that's sort of fallen off. I definitely in the fall one of my jobs is to get that back going again and get that group. Yeah, exactly. because we had a pretty decent group at one point. And unfortunately, it came out of COVID and I just did not pick the ball up the way I should have. And then, you know, some things you and I have talked about, about expanding the group and reaching out to new faculty and so forth. That might be the, you know, that might be the next new phase after we get sort of the troops back in line again. Well, I appreciate you wrestling with it because I agree with you. Like myself, I can get very comfortable and it's helpful for me to hear others that are taking steps of faith. So not only so I can pray for you in what you are looking to do, the audience can pray for you as you are gathering, but it's accountability for me. So I appreciate you going there. Sure. Yeah. It's easy to get comfortable. You know, we always have to be thoughtful about that. Well, Spence, on your end, do you have any thoughts or questions before we close it? It's been great fun. I've enjoyed it. Fun here as well. Enjoy doing this. This is cool. Thanks for letting me do this. Well, that was really fun to have that interview with Jeff. I love that we could take some chat questions coming in and as well as take that call from Chris at AppState. So we look forward to doing that more in the future. until then, if you please remember to like or subscribe wherever you're listening or following, it's free, but it helps us get the word out more. If you're a Christian professor and you might be available to share some of how you came to know Jesus, please go to meettheprof.com and you can easily create a profile there. If you're a college student and you have a question you would like Christian professors to ask, just find us on Instagram at meettheprofofficial and you can direct message us question and just make sure you say your name and your college campus and then what your question is for a professor. And lastly, if you're interested in supporting this ministry financially, thank you very much and you can give online at give.cru.org, cru is C-R-U, .org. And so until next time, really hope this encourages you to have a Christ-centered conversation on your college campus.