I was forced out of my PhD program because of my open faith in Jesus Christ.

While as an undergrad at Salt Lake Community College in 1991, I gave a presentation in front of my humanities 101 class arguing Jesus Christ is the messiah, citing evidence for his resurrection.

My professor literally cut me off during my presentation and told me it was over, that I couldn’t proceed. He later informed me that I was no longer welcome in the course because of proselytizing.

Here’s the backstory. My professor had been teaching on myth for about six weeks, listing Jesus among them. So after he assigned a project in which students were free to present on virtually anything, I made my move with “when myth became fact, the fulfillment of Messianic Bible prophecy.”

Next I received an “F” for proselytizing. I called a lawyer, met with the college president to notify him that a legal letter was on its way, then waited to see who would flinch first. He persuaded the professor to let me back in the classroom so long as I would shut up.

I wish I could say things got better after that. But they got much worse.

Universities claim to prize diversity and inclusivity. But this means little more than a fixation with certain skin pigment and private parts. It doesn’t include viewpoint diversity—at least not if it is a conservative Christian perspective.

Fast forward several years. I was completing a time working in pastoral ministry with high school and college students. I was sick of seeing my students fall away from their faith whenever they’d attend the secular baptismal font: universities.

Then an idea struck.