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.
