MTP 59: Jane Zhang Part 2, God & Government Policies for Colleges, Faculty Prayer, & Natural Witnessing

In this inspiring second part of our interview, Dr. Qiong “Jane” Zhang, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida, shares her thoughts as a Christian professor about governmental policies affecting colleges and international students. She shares how she initiated a faculty prayer group on campus, offers prayer to students without rejection, and shares Christ naturally through daily conversations. Jane reflects on the importance of Christian faculty seeing their role as a strategic calling, her family’s salvation story, and her current season of discerning God’s next step as her husband pastors in New Hampshire.

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Transcript

 Qiong Zhang (00:00) Every time when I offer to pray for the student, they accept it. No, I don't remember there's one. time student rejected, they always welcomed and that means they really need help and they want someone to care for them and pray for Spence Hackney (00:18) In the States, we're often so worried about what's going to happen if we offer to pray. And I love what you said where nobody's ever denied this when I've offered it. Qiong Zhang (00:25) Yeah, nobody ever turned me down. yeah, I think we just need to kind of offer. Yeah. Spence Hackney (00:30) Yeah. Yeah, that's great. Thank you for sharing that so much. Shane, we've got a couple more questions from the chat or you can take over. What would you like to? Shane Hartley (00:42) that's great. Now let's hear from the chat. And thank you, Marcus and Alana for your previous questions. Spence Hackney (00:46) Yeah, very much. Deb wanted to know what your thoughts are on the growing challenges internationals face when trying to study in the US, especially in some of the more conservative states. Qiong Zhang (00:58) that is something actually, we are facing because in Florida is a conservative state. And, I think for me, there are two parts. One part is like, we have a lot of Chinese students come in like before this, this time, and that is the opportunity God brought to us. So it's like we are not going to other countries to minister and God brought them here. so in no matter what time, even in this time, God is still in control and we still have people like around us. so I felt like in term of foreign policy, Spence Hackney (01:25) Mm-hmm. Qiong Zhang (01:41) it's more like the government and they have that policy. And for me, as a citizen, we just kind of obey the policy and the government and knowing that God is still in control and knowing whatever opportunity God gave to us, and we just as a servant, be faithful to share the gospel. Spence Hackney (01:58) Mm-hmm. Qiong Zhang (02:07) And the other thing also, I felt like a lot of time we felt is challenging, a challenge or difficult, but God use it for his purpose. Like now in a lot of US university is like a lot of challenges for faculty, the funding, all of those, the the project kind of terminated. But when I saw those, also I felt like those are the opportunity God gave to us as higher education. Also, think about what is the purpose of higher education? And really, This is an opportunity for God to work and redeem higher education back to God himself. Because that's when the higher education like those, for example, Yale, Harvard, those, know, when they start, the purpose is to know God, right? So when I see all of those challenges, I know God is still in control. Spence Hackney (02:57) Hmm. Mm-hmm. ⁓ Qiong Zhang (03:17) and challenges always are the opportunity for us to reflect and also to pray and see the purpose of God, like God use those times or those moments and always like see who are the people God put in our life and have the opportunity to share with the people who are around us. Spence Hackney (03:45) Hmm. Shane Hartley (03:45) That's a helpful perspective. Spence Hackney (03:47) for sure. Shane Hartley (03:48) Well, Jane, I'm really curious now. You've talked some about your students, but can you tell us how you have encountered any other Christian faculty on your campus and any things you have done to gather together? Qiong Zhang (04:00) Yes. So again, that is like God's working, at least on the campus of USF. And that is back in 2018. And God just put a burden in my heart because I felt like I'm a Christian faculty. I really want to know other Christian faculty. And I wanted to have this kind of a community because we are in the same profession and we share the same burden, challenges. So I long to have a community like that. And I search the website and see if there is any kind of faculty fellowship on campus and I didn't find. so basically God just a put that burden in me and I start to ask the students, the Christian students, I know, do you know any faculty who are Christian? And I got some names and also shared by other people. So I just send a blank email to those faculty. I don't know them. And this is not like normal me because I'm, I'm an introvert and usually it scares me to approach to like stranger. But I just send that email to those group like the list and I did got response and especially one faculty is saying it is so encouraging to receive your email because this is what I want and I see how God works. So that is the response to the prayer and And then we start a monthly faculty prayer meeting that is back in 2018. And until this day, we have this kind of a monthly faculty prayer meeting, support each other and encourage each other and also share like our life with each other. Shane Hartley (06:00) What does that prayer time look like? Is it virtual or in person? Are you all quietly praying the whole time? What's it like? Qiong Zhang (06:04) ⁓ So back in 2018, we have it in person. And monthly, I reserved the conference room and they brought lunch and we just, the first half hour, we have some sharing about our devotion, the Bible. And the last half hour, we shared our burden and pray for each other. So it's not in silence. We pray like a... everyone pray for another person. It's like that. then I think in 2020, starting in 2020, after COVID, after COVID, we get as like online. And once you get online, and even after COVID, it's just more convenient. until this day, we have it online. Yeah. Yeah, it's very hard. The faculty are just busy. It's hard. Shane Hartley (06:58) A easier to fit in people's schedules too. They can hop on that easier. Yeah. That's exciting. Qiong Zhang (07:07) Yes, yes it is and it's also encouraging and now I think it's starting this spring semester and actually changed through you. I know there's another group like many other extra Christian faculty on campus and that's how I got connected with Marcus and also Denis, the other people and now We have like every week, half hour prayer, but then once a month, we have that like a one hour prayer meeting. So that is really encouraging. And especially like during the busy time, taking that half hour out weekly and just to pray, it's encouraging to me. Shane Hartley (07:55) Yeah, that's encouraging to me too. Well, so you received one question in the chat earlier from Alana and she is a grad student at USF and she actually submitted a question earlier by Qiong Zhang (07:57) you Shane Hartley (08:08) So take a listen to her question here. Qiong Zhang (08:27) So I think no matter for students or for us as a faculty sharing the gospel, I felt like it's not just to share the message is more like our life with other people. If gospel is the center of our life or Jesus is like our life. this is how we live then have those in the conversation is just naturally it's very natural like when I talk with people people will ask how is your weekend and I will just say this Sunday I went to church because this is this this is the life and when people ask about How, for example, how do you manage your time with all of that? And I just share, I have those, but I have my priority and in my priority, God is always the first. And so I start with my day with devotion. And so I felt like it's, it's not just a sharing. the message itself, it's more this is how gospel has shaped our life. This is how we live. And if this is how we live, then when we talk with other people, it's just a sharing of life. And naturally, it will flow to like, the message itself will comes out. Shane Hartley (09:54) And you've lived the battle, you know, of do I have Christ as my life versus other things? What do you see as being the biggest distractions for faculty from having Christ at the center of their lives? Spence Hackney (10:06) you Qiong Zhang (10:09) I felt like the the biggest distraction is doing at least for me, because I felt like as a faculty, there are just so many responsibilities like teaching, doing research and my students, all of those. And for me, if I don't intentionally spend time or knowing or really kind of have the time of solitude, just the time I'm with God, I tend to get into the mode of finishing tasks and just get into that mode. That's what I'm saying. the most challenging part is doing instead of realizing who I am. I'm already complete in Christ. This is like just yesterday when I talked with my husband, I said, Spence Hackney (11:02) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Qiong Zhang (11:17) like really guard my heart. I tend to get into that doing mode and I even feel guilty if I'm not working. Like I felt like I have to accomplish. I have felt like I have to get things done. ⁓ Yeah. And I just forgot exactly like a Bible verse said, be still. Spence Hackney (11:28) you Shane Hartley (11:34) I relate. Qiong Zhang (11:41) knowing I am God. So if I don't guard my heart, I lose that capability just being with him. the irony is, if I really kind of spend time just being with God, then God will give me the strength to do what I'm supposed to do. But if I just rely on myself just trying to finish everything and to a point I will feel exhausted and I just don't feel I have energy or strength to continue. Shane Hartley (12:21) That's so helpful, even for me. Thank you, Jane. And I can tell that you have a real heart to minister to your faculty out of what you're learning So I'm imagining you praying regularly for years now with these faculty. Do you have any stories about when you've seen God really work in the life of another professor there on campus? Qiong Zhang (12:44) not like a specific faculty, but first, like I said, even have this faculty prayer group, I felt like I can clearly see God's work. And also every time when we have time, like in those prayer meeting, and when I hear sharing from other faculty, like, the faculty who is working on a proposal and how God link other faculty in what he needs. And I can see how God work in other faculty's life. But it's not like I can see one specific faculty and how that faculty grow. It's more like as a community, I see how God works. Shane Hartley (13:30) Yeah, yeah, no, that makes sense. We're a body and you're seeing the body grow that way. Qiong Zhang (13:37) Yeah. Shane Hartley (13:38) Spence, let me turn it to you. What do you have for us now? Spence Hackney (13:40) We had one last question from Denis. He was curious how your family had reacted to your faith. Qiong Zhang (13:48) So I'm the first one trust in Jesus and after that at that time we still kind of communicate through writing the letter physical letter because like a phone call is very expensive that call back to China so I write a letter Spence Hackney (13:58) Yeah. Qiong Zhang (14:06) to my husband and my parents. And the first thing is my husband felt like I'm just, I was crazy and I lose my mind. So at that time he's still in China. He was still in China. So he decided to come early to rescue me. Yes. Shane Hartley (14:26) Really? You've got to save my wife from these Christians. Qiong Zhang (14:31) And if you listen to his kind of testimony, that's what he shared, what he thought about it. So he came, that is 1998, March. Yeah. But after five months, I think it's five months, and he didn't rescue me out of this and he became a believer. same thing. And for my mom and my younger sister, and eventually my dad, they all trust in Jesus. that's why I think, like Paul said Spence Hackney (15:04) you Shane Hartley (15:05) That's amazing. Qiong Zhang (15:10) When the people ask, how can I be saved? And Paul said, believe in Jesus, you and your household. So God's intention is not just to save us, like one person is through that person, God save a household. Spence Hackney (15:15) Mm-hmm. Hmm. Shane Hartley (15:26) What great reminder for us Americans who are so individualistic and the beauty of the body of Christ, God's heart for the family. What a beautiful picture. Thank you, Jane. Spence Hackney (15:26) Yeah. So. Qiong Zhang (15:36) Thank God. Spence Hackney (15:37) Wonderful. Shane Hartley (15:37) Well, so we're going to ask you some quick questions now, just things that we call lightning round questions where we like to get your advice on some things. So, first one is, what advice would you give to other Christian professors who are wanting to have influence for Christ on campus? Qiong Zhang (15:55) My advice is to really have Christ as the center of our life first. And it's really we have to give ourselves to God first so he can really work in us and through us. God uses us on campuses more through us. But if God cannot work in us, it will be difficult to work through the other thing I can think is more for me at least is saying our profession, it's not just a profession, it's more as a platform for God to use. So God strategically put us in faculty position and through us so we have unique opportunity to interact with other faculty and students. So if we have a close relationship we gave ourselves to God then we develop this intimate relationship that God will help us to see who are the people he put in our lives to have influence. Spence Hackney (17:05) Great answer. So what advice would you give to a student who is struggling with doubts about God? Shane Hartley (17:05) That makes sense. Qiong Zhang (17:12) I think not just a student have doubts, I think for faculty and in our growth, we all have doubts. And I felt when we struggle with doubt, we have to be honest and just to share our doubts and to for the discussion, for example, for students who have the doubts I encourage them to share their doubts have open discussion with someone who know the Bible and who really care about their spiritual growth or spiritual health and similar for faculty. like in our student fellowship, students have doubts and we always initiate discussion and try to understand what's their doubts and why they have these doubts and have the open discussion. Shane Hartley (18:05) What advice would you give to parents who are sending their kids off to college? Qiong Zhang (18:10) So I'm a parent. I have two kids, my son and my daughter. so for me, like which university I will send them to, I felt like for me, at least we know more about their maturity. And if they are mature, we felt they can, they should, they can and they should go to secular university, because there, there are many unbelievers. So they can, they're mature, and they can really kind of share their faith with the other students. But for us, When we send them, we go with them and to explore like churches and help them find the church who stands like a form in the truth of the Bible. And we pray for them. We pray every day. And that is one for my son, like what we did. And for my daughter. We felt she is not like she probably it's better for her to go to a Christian university. At least we thought she is not as mature as my son, but it ends like they have one year. My daughter has one year overlap with my son. So we also gave her like this Because this is not our decision, it's also her decision. But we gave her, like, this is how we make this decision. The most important thing is wherever we go, we grow closer to God. And so you have to see what environment will you go astray or you will continue on your faith and the environment will bring you closer to God. Spence Hackney (19:40) Hmm. Qiong Zhang (20:02) She ended up deciding to go to the same college with my son and they had one year overlap. she go on like a several medical mission trip and have a very strong community, a Christian community Shane Hartley (20:15) Really? And I'm reading between the lines another piece of advice in there that we may be surprised that our kids can find great Christian community at secular schools. It's great. Qiong Zhang (20:28) Yes, yes. Spence Hackney (20:28) Yeah. That's great. So personally, what do you think is your next step of faith on campus? Qiong Zhang (20:35) That's a good question and also a challenging question because my answer is I don't know. Why? right now I'm at USF, but my husband moved to New Hampshire. That's why I'm here in New Hampshire during the summer. Spence Hackney (20:43) You Hmm Qiong Zhang (20:56) My husband moved to New Hampshire to pastor a small Chinese church. It's kind of a new chapter for our life. It's a step of faith. so for me, what's the next step? Well, I came here and find a faculty job here and continue work in a capacity as a faculty on campus or in other capacity. I don't know. But I have a heart to work with students and faculty and I know the strategic position as like I said, higher education, because that's the place for young kids like students to form their like mindset. Spence Hackney (21:39) Thank Qiong Zhang (21:45) how they see themselves and how they see the world and how they see others around them. if we are able to bring them early to Christ and see, and we can imagine like, what is the impact on the whole society and who are Spence Hackney (22:00) Mm-hmm. Qiong Zhang (22:07) influencing those students? It's faculty. That's why I always felt like a faculty is a strategic position God put us in and how I can be better used by God to serve this. And I don't know at this point. I'm still praying for that. And I would appreciate if you Spence Hackney (22:14) Yeah. Qiong Zhang (22:28) pray for me and to know how God lead me into the next step. Spence Hackney (22:33) I love, love, love what you said about you being in a strategic position. I hope everybody listening heard that. know, because I know it's got to be discouraging sometimes being a professor. Like, there's some rough stuff, but you're in a strategic position for the gospel. Shane Hartley (22:33) Absolutely. Qiong Zhang (22:45) Yeah. Shane Hartley (22:47) And Jane, we will pray for you. And I can't wait to see how God leads you and your husband, because I have no doubt whether he keeps you in Tampa at USF or if he calls you to move up in New Hampshire or somewhere else that he's going to make you fruitful. So I'm excited to see what he has for you. Spence Hackney (22:57) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Qiong Zhang (23:06) Thank God. Yeah, I know God will lead me and I just have to wait patiently. But I'm excited to see what's next. Spence Hackney (23:16) Hey, you have been a breath of fresh air too. We have loved having you on this show. I can just sense the Holy Spirit when you speak. So thank you for sharing with us today. Shane Hartley (23:17) Thank you. Qiong Zhang (23:25) ⁓ Thank you for the opportunity to share. Shane Hartley (23:25) Yeah, thank you, Jane.