Join the Emerging Scholars Network

It’s free, and your membership includes access to our members-only mentor directory, discounts from Christian publishers, and a subscription to the quarterly Emerging Scholars Review. Join online at www.emergingscholars.org.

Find or start looking for your mentor(s).

Don’t limit yourself to preconceived notions of the “perfect mentor.” Some mentors might provide just a few key conversations. You may also need to find different mentors for different areas of your life: one for career advice, another for family life, another for spiritual formation, and so on.

Tithe Your Study Time

Set aside 10% of your study time – in addition to your quiet time or personal devotions – to read challenging books from a Christian perspective.

Form a “Dead Theologians Society.”

Dead Theologians Societies are groups that read books by, well, dead theologians. Your spiritual growth will be influenced by their theology, but it’s also a cross-cultural experience. What does it mean to follow Christ as a 4th-century African (Augustine)? A 20th-century Albanian living in India (Mother Theresa)? An 17th-century French mathematician (Pascal)?

Subscribe to a Christian Publication

If you feel like your church avoids hard thinking, or that your university ignores Christian perspectives, be encouraged and enlightened by publications like Books & Culture, the Christian Scholars Review, Mars Hill Audio, First Things, Touchstone Magazine, or Comment. (There are others that I’m sure I missed.)

Join a Christian Professional Society

In most academic disciplines, Christians have formed Christian societies that parallel the standard professional groups. Some of these are quite well organized, with annual conferences, robust websites, regular publications, and grant opportunities. Even if they are nothing more than a mailing list, though, Christian professional societies can provide invaluable connections to fellow believers in your discipline. You will find a list of societies here.

Attend Emerging Scholars Network Events

Visit the Emerging Scholars website often to stay current on events sponsored by the Emerging Scholars Network of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as well as Graduate and Faculty Symposiums that may be taking place in your area. Come meet Christian faculty, InterVarsity staff, and fellow students interested in higher education. If you haven’t seen an event posted in an area near you, consider hosting one. The Emerging Scholars Network often helps to sponsor such events that (do we want any criteria here? ie address a Christian topic in academics)….