Yann Opsitch worked at ACU for nineteen years as a missions coordinator and instructor for Bible and French. (photo by Hannah Johnson)
After 19 years of coordinating mission trips and teaching Bible and French classes, Professor Yann Opsitch will leave his full-time position after this semester.
Opsitch took three years of online classes to earn his master’s degree through ACU Dallas.
Mikee Delony, chair of the department of language and literature, said Opsitch is already using his new master’s degree for his passions of mission work and church building.
“He’s already told me about the travels he’ll be doing in the fall,” Deloney said. “It’ll free him up to do some other things, and I think he’ll leave with good memories.”
Opsitch said he wants to travel to French-speaking countries, perform mission work and write books. Otherwise, he said he would continue to preach at the Jim Ned Valley Church.
Since 2009, Opsitch has taught French at ACU. Opsitch said he hoped his teaching would encourage his students to become more interested in French-speaking countries.
Opsitch has written three books in French since 2013: “Le Coeur et L’Invisible”, “Le Dieu de la Création et de la Révélation” and “La Sagesse et L’Adversité.” Each book was published in France, and all of Opsitch’s work is centered on Christianity.
He was also an editor for the magazine Horizon Chrétiens for 16 years. The magazine can be found on the website for the Brown Library.
“I didn’t grow up Christian and I wanted to use the books as a way to reach out and help people understand faith and Jesus and the Bible,” Opsitch said.
Opsitch said his religious books were a part of his mission effort to France.
Opsitch said he thinks “Le Coeur et L’Invisible” is his most interesting book for French readers because he discusses his early life in the book along with him becoming a Christian when he was 21 years old. The book is also about the reflection of the religious, social and political situation in France.
He also wrote about the social and cultural changes between France and New York. Opsitch said he plans to translate the book to English.
Delony said the department of language and literature will continue to offer French classes. The position for a new French professor is now open.
“We’re actively searching for the right professor for this position,” Delony said. “And we’ve got another nine months, so I don’t see any problems with that.”
Applicants for the French professor are required to have a doctorate in French and a master’s degree in Spanish. However, a master’s degree in both languages will also be considered, Delony said.
“Because of the makeup of majors and minors, we’re reworking that position so that the professor will be able to teach all French and then some lower level Spanish as well,” Delony said.
