The Christian Teacher in a Secular Society - the Challenge of Becoming, Being, and Living

What does it mean to be a Christian teacher? This is perhaps the foundational question for a Christian educator who operates within a secular society. This query, however, leads to at least two further questions: How does one become an authentic Christian educator? And, as a Christian teacher, how should one act in a secular postmodern milieu? This presentation proposes that the key tobecoming a Christian educator is found in forging a biblical paradigm for life and learning. This paradigm establishes the biblical basis for a pervasive spiritual perspective, the divine origin of truth, God-centered values, teaching as a divine calling, and living a Spirit-filled life. The consequent challenge of being a Christian teacher includes the manner in which we approach our disciplines, in which we view our students, and in which we model the Christian life. Finally, the matter of acting as a Christian educator involves intentionally reaching out to the secular postmodern person with salvation purpose. This involves creating community, recognizing context, validating emotion, respecting diversity, engaging in dialogue, and building faith bridges.