Join a thoughtful conversation about finding purpose and joy as faculty in Christian higher education. 

How do Christian higher education faculty navigate their careers well? Despite common assumptions, Christian faculty, in fact, face considerable headwinds in their work. For example, a recent Best Christian Workplaces survey found that comparing all sectors, those working in Christian higher education reported the least satisfaction. Christian higher education was also the only sector in which the average employee engagement score fell within the "unhealthy" range. As BCW summarized in its report on Christian colleges and universities, "This data should rightly sound an alarm." 

Purpose and Joy addresses faculty longevity and thriving over the course of their careers, providing better support as faculty make decisions and navigate academic life: determining when and how to seek promotion; stepping into department, program, and college leadership; pursuing research opportunities that take them out of the classroom or the academy, or conversely, worrying about research trajectories that have stalled; pursuing meaningful professional development opportunities; acting as faith leaders; and balancing important responsibilities related to family and community with their own needs for sabbath rest.

This volume draws on a vibrant collection of personal essays focused on navigating varied pathways within, through, and beyond Christian higher education. Written by and for faculty, this book features engaging stories, cultivates a conversation rooted in care for fellow academics, and provides support for those seeking to pursue purpose and joy in their careers.

Dr. Elisabeth E. Lefebvre is Associate Professor at Bethel University. Elisabeth taught in Louisiana and Morocco before earning an MA in Global Studies at the University of Oregon and a PhD in Comparative and International Education at the University of Minnesota. Elisabeth's research focuses on the mutually constitutive relationships between schooling, history, and culture. She has published in Comparative Education Review, Journal of Education Policy, and elsewhere. She has also written about education, justice, and community. Elisabeth lives in Minnesota with her husband and two children. 

Dr. Kristin VanEyk is Assistant Professor of English Education at Hope College. After graduating from Calvin University, Kristin taught high school English for ten years while also completing her MA in Educational Leadership. In 2021, Kristin earned her PhD in English and Education at the University of Michigan. Kristin's scholarship about teaching, education, and language studies appears in Daedalus, Pedagogy, Christian Educator's Journal, and elsewhere. Kristin lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. 

"With warmth and wisdom, Purpose and Joy guides us in discerning new paths, nurturing joy, and cultivating sustainable rhythms of work, rest, and renewal- a hopeful resource for flourishing in every season of academic life. A wise companion and practical resource for professors at various stages of their vocation, this book explores how purpose and calling are shaped through spiritual mission, meaningful community, and the lived realities of Christian higher education."

-Karen An-hwei Lee, Provost, Wheaton College

"This remarkable collection of essays offers compassionate, hard-won advice from Christian faculty members who have lived with a sense of vocation and call. Their stories meet the reader at multiple life stages and career conflict points. Individual essays provide honest guidance. Collectively, they exhibit the virtues of purpose and joy named in the title. The inclusion of study questions and the editors' integrative comments make the book ideal for small group engagement as well as personal development. I will recommend the book widely to those teaching and leading at Christian Colleges but also to any educator who seeks to connect soul work with the work of teaching and research.

-Dr. Marjorie Hass, President, Council of Independent Colleges 

"I simply loved this book. First, the individual chapters are consistently well written. This is not always the case with edited volumes. It is a delightful read. Second, the topics are essential. I can see this book being used repeatedly throughout one's career. Third, the book contains so much wisdom that is transferable to other vocations outside of education. I'd recommend it for anyone who serves on a board of trustees. Understanding the faculty life will make trustees better."

-Shirley Hoogstra, JD, President emerita of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, nonprofit board member, and advisor to leaders

"Purpose and Joy is a remarkable gift to our academic community. This volume brings together a chorus of wise voices who speak candidly about the challenges and opportunities of faculty life in Christian education. At a time when our institutions face cultural, financial, and spiritual headwinds, these essays offer clarity, encouragement, and practical guidance for sustaining purpose and joy. I recommend this book to faculty, administrators, and emerging leaders who seek not only to excel in their work but to embrace their calling with resilience, faith, and hope. The collective wisdom of its contributors makes this resource indispensable for anyone committed to shaping lives for Christ and his kingdom."

-Dr. David A. Hoag, President, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

"While not ignoring the larger structural issues that impact faculty work lives, Purpose and Joy provides both a roadmap and a Sabbath space for reflection on how to cultivate depth of meaning in the academic vocation. In this Sabbath space, the authors call us to develop habits within a community of learning that inculcate the sense of joy and purpose that can be so easily displaced by the meritocratic ideals and individual competition that mark professional advancement in the academy. "

-Joe Creech, Executive Director, Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities

"Amid widespread concern about educator burnout and demoralization, a resource that focuses less on how to somehow be even more productive and more on how to stay whole and perhaps even flourish in the academic pilgrimage is welcome indeed. Take the time to let an array of wise voices point you down straight paths."

-David I. Smith, Director, Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning, Calvin University

"Purpose and Joy offers the wisdom every new faculty member needs to navigate the ins and outs of the Christian academic vocation, yet rarely receives.  But this book offers much more than practical career advice; it invites readers to come alongside the vocational narratives of seasoned professors as they reflect on their identities as Christian scholars: what went well, what would they do differently, and how their desire for a long obedience to Christ has shaped their academic careers. Their honest stories depict the challenges of the academy while still conveying an orienting, purposeful hope. Together, these voices reflect the body of Christ in academia, with all its moving parts, aches and pains, and the joy that comes with being part of a community that, regardless of its flaws is still wonderfully and fearfully made. I highly recommend this book to new faculty and those responsible for mentoring them."

-Dr. Margaret Diddams, PhD, Editor, Christian Scholar's Review, Christianscholars.com

ISBN: 9781684264629

Pages: 304

Dimensions (inches): 6 x 9

Weight (pounds): .5