Personality Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Responding to God’s Call: Insights from Exodus 3:4 - A Study at SMAN 4 Laung Tuhup

Abstract

This study examines the personality competence of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in responding to God’s call, drawing theological insight from Book of Exodus 3:4, within the context of SMAN 4 Laung Tuhup, Murung Raya. The school includes 38 Christian students and three Christian teachers, including the CRE teacher, forming a small yet significant faith community within a public senior high school environment. Exodus 3:4, which records Moses’ response “Here I am” to God’s call from the burning bush, provides a biblical framework for understanding vocational responsiveness as attentiveness, humility, and availability to divine purpose. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The findings reveal that personality competence is expressed through spiritual attentiveness, moral integrity, emotional maturity, humility in leadership, and relational presence. The CRE teacher’s consistent character and authentic faith practice significantly influenced students’ understanding of vocation and responsibility. Students reported increased awareness of life purpose and a deeper willingness to interpret their academic and personal aspirations as responses to God’s invitation. The study concludes that personality competence in Christian education functions as embodied theology, where character becomes a formative pedagogical instrument. By modeling a lived “Here I am” posture, the teacher cultivates an environment that encourages students to discern and respond to God’s call with confidence and integrity.