Relationships and Teaching (Part 1)

by Steve Huerd

Everyone wants to influence someone’s life when they teach.  Teaching is, after all, the passing of knowledge from one mind to another with the intent to help and improve another life.  But, what makes for effective teaching?  While there are many writings dealing with pedagogical techniques and tips out there, there is comparatively few dealing with how relationships affect teaching efficacy.

In my recently published dissertation, I argued that spiritual development occurs through personal, trusted relationships.  In other words, most people choose what to believe religiously through being influenced by those with whom they have personal trusted relationships.  These people could be their parents, extended family, key nonparental adults, friends, etc.  Thus effective transmission of faith and religious values, which most definitely includes knowledge, is passed along relationally from one person to another. 

This makes sense because we are all created in the image of God to be relational beings connecting with one another.  Even within the universe as a whole, truth is personal, found in the person of Jesus Christ.  This is in contrast to the notion that truth is merely a collection of facts or knowledge that fit reality that must be drilled into every young mind. Even Jesus noted that, “this is eternal life that they might KNOW you” (John 17:3 emphasis mine) implying relational knowledge as being the highest form of knowledge for eternity.

Thus there appears to be an inseparable link between knowledge and relationship as God created them.  Knowledge can exist outside of relationships, but it gains its full meaning and significance through relationships.  Indeed, even the entire universe has a relational connection to Jesus being created “by Him…through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:17).

This truth has profound implications for how we teach in Christian education.  For if knowledge is best communicated via relationships, then the types of relationships we have with our students will affect how they interpret the knowledge we are attempting to teach them.   In fact, I would argue, that the healthier and stronger our relationships with students are, the better they will receive and hear what we have to say.  This has been true in my experience in ministry all these years of working with students and I believe it is core principle essential to pedagogical efficacy at every level.

Internet Accountability

by Sharon Warkentin Short

            I was shocked and horrified recently to learn that a highly esteemed academic colleague of mine had been arrested. Ripples of damage continue to spread to the institutions where he taught; the professional associations to which he belonged; the publishers of his writings; and students, faculty, administrators, and friends with whom he worked. If he is convicted, his career will be destroyed and his reputation ruined. Much is still unknown and the legal processes have barely begun, but even in these early stages it appears that illicit internet use brought about this dreadful downfall.

            This tragedy serves as a sobering reminder that not one of us is immune to the insidious lure of sin. If “the last person on earth” whom we would expect to commit a particular crime is found entangled in it, then we too could fall. Therefore we must all be aggressively intentional about avoiding even the appearance of evil and about building reliable warning and accountability structures into our lives.

            Specifically with regard to online practices, many of us are still far too naïve about the potential dangers of internet involvement and about the addictions that can result. We might think that we are safe because we are perusing sites and sending messages from the seclusion of our own homes or offices. The reality of course is that, in spite of all those “privacy policies,” the internet is anything but private. It quite literally is a worldwide web through which anyone in the whole wide world can potentially find out what any other person has been up to. The obvious application is to never view, post, download, “like,” or forward anything that we would not be equally willing to print in a newspaper, preach from a pulpit, paint on a billboard, or publish in a book, nor to say or do anything via the internet that we would not want anyone else in the whole world to know about. Recognizing the internet for the totally public information-sharing forum that it is will go a long ways toward deterring usage that could lead to immoral or illegal behaviors.

            Many of us are also unaware of the excellent safeguards that are currently available. It is possible to install software on our personal and work computers that records and reports to our designated accountability partners every image we view and every word we write. The prudent move of voluntarily submitting to accountability and surveillance software now—well before we encounter any actual temptation—could spare us, our families, and our associates incalculable grief in the future. 

Does Research Really Make A Difference?

By Steve Huerd

This morning I found myself trying to comfort a mother who was very concerned about passing along her faith to her emerging adult-aged children.  Fortunately, I knew that the latest research indicated that emerging adults are the least religious adults in the United States today due in part to all the transitions they encounter in the 18-23 year age group.  She and her husband had walked faithfully with the Lord and done everything they could to pass on their faith to their children, yet she had still had a sense of uncertainty.  Having just completed my dissertation examining the social factors affecting adolescent faith development, I was in a great position to speak of the latest social research findings to her.

Being three months down the road from finishing my research has given me opportunity to reflect back upon how research has shaped my thinking.  I’ve come up five observations as to how my life has been influenced thus far from engaging in scholarly research. 

First, I’d have to say is that the value of research has greatly increased in my thinking.   Coming from a highly pragmatic ministry background, I was steeped in the practical approach of “if it works, then let’s use it.”  Though well-intentioned and trained in successful ministry practices, I confess to rarely understanding or often even considering they “whys” behind why a certain practice was effective.  All one had to do was simply do it and you would get results.  Yet, now because of my research, I am able to explain why certain practices and effective and others are not, why many people respond the way they do, and others do not.  I can even suggest shortcomings in our understanding of certain phenomena which eventually could lead to new tools and strategies designed for greater effectiveness. 

Second, research helped reaffirm truths I‘ve lived by for years.  For example, the old saying, “students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is really a popular phrasing of the recent empirical findings indicating that the quality of relationships between a mentor and a mentee are of primary importance to mentoring effectiveness.

Third, research confirmed some foggy ideas floating in my thinking.  Research clearly spells out that programming in youth ministry is not nearly as important as developing relationships with the students.  I had essentially “come to the same conclusion,” years ago in my field ministry of trial and error, but no one had ever really confirmed this truth to me.

Fourth, and maybe the most profound, is that research helped me explain my own experience.  Let me explain.  One of the most important findings of my research dealt with how attachment theory related to adolescent spirituality.  Attachment theory is the emotional bond formed between a child and their primary attachment figure, a parent/guardian, etc. who cares for them.  If a child, for whatever reason, forms an insecure attachment with their parent/guardian, then they are more likely to experience a sudden conversion in adolescence.  If a child forms a secure attachment with their parent/guardian, then they more likely to become socialized into their parents’ religious views.  This helped me, in part, to explain why I experienced such a strong conversion to Christ in high school while others, who are brought up in Christian homes, often do not experience such sudden changes in their religiosity.

Finally, knowing the latest research findings liberates me from the false claims of others.  For example, many who claim that we are “losing our kids” or that this generation may be the last “Christian” generation may mean well, but research reveals that American teenagers largely adopt their parent’s religious views and are not dramatically less religious than former generations.

To someone who was initially somewhat skeptical of the value of empirical research toward ministry practice, I’ve come a long way in my thinking.  And while others may find many more compelling reasons justifying the value of empirical research, at least I know of one person’s thinking who has been changed.

On Not Quitting

by Sharon Warkentin Short

            Seven years ago, on my first visit to the campus where I eventually completed my Ph.D., I had the opportunity to sit in on one of the classes. It happened to be the first session of the term, and in his introductory remarks to the students the professor offered this simple counsel: The key to getting a Ph.D. is to not quit. I reflected on that bit of wisdom many times throughout my journey to graduation, and it occurred to me that it is equally valid advice for recent graduates like me who are in the process of building their academic careers. 

            Following graduation a little over a year ago, I launched a personal campaign to determine exactly what I wanted to do with my shiny new Ph.D., and to develop a plan for making my vision happen. After only a few months of concentrated full-time effort, my spouse was unexpectedly unemployed, and in order for us to make ends meet I had to take a wage-earning job immediately. I was frustrated and disappointed that so many hours of my days suddenly had to be devoted to work other than my academic career, and I was anxious for the day to come when I could get back to what I really wanted to do. The months wore on, and nothing changed.

            I finally realized that I did not need to, nor should I, wait until our lives were “back on track” before continuing to work on my own future career. Even if I could work on career development for only an hour a day—even if it should take two years instead of one to get started in a teaching job—even if my situation never returned to the ease that I had enjoyed before—even then, I could continue to build toward an academic profession. The key was simply to not quit. It sounds easy and obvious, but for me that realization was a terrific breakthrough. It freed me to stop waiting and get moving, to stop being discouraged and start being hopeful, to get excited again about the work I want to do.

            Now I am back in the process of creating a comprehensive plan for finding potential schools and programs, identifying and initiating contacts with key people at these institutions, preparing job search documents, and establishing my professional reputation through publications and presentations. The circumstances within which I am working on all these projects are not ideal, but then circumstances rarely are. The point is to keep moving forward in spite of setbacks and complications. This perspective carried me through a six-year doctoral program, and I am confident that it will bring me to a satisfying teaching career as well.

            Footnote: As part of my career development plan, I have joined the first cohort of The Academii, and this online mentorship is giving me great inspiration, support, and guidance!