Sustaining Faith Together: The Personality of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Nurturing Students’ Dependence on God - A Biblical Reflection on Exodus 17:12

Abstract

This study explores how the personality of Christian Religious Education teachers nurtures students’ dependence on God, drawing theological insight from Exodus 17:12-where Moses’ hands were upheld by Aaron and Hur as a sign of faith sustained through community and divine strength. Conducted at SD Swasta Anastasia Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang, this research examines the teacher’s personality as a form of spiritual pedagogy that embodies faith, humility, and compassion in daily classroom practice. Using a qualitative-expository method, the study integrates biblical exegesis with classroom observation and reflective interviews to uncover how teacher character functions as a living expression of God’s sustaining grace. The results reveal that the teacher’s calmness, empathy, integrity, and prayerfulness create a relational environment where students experience faith not merely as doctrine but as lived trust. The teacher’s personality mirrors Moses’ perseverance-demonstrating that dependence on God involves active faith, mutual support, and steadfast endurance. By modeling prayer and humility, the teacher transforms the classroom into a spiritual space where academic learning and faith formation coexist. The discussion emphasizes that teacher personality serves as an instrument of divine presence, guiding students to rely on God amid challenges. Dependence on God emerges not as weakness but as strength rooted in divine partnership. The study concludes that the personality of CRE teachers is both a professional and theological vocation-an embodiment of witness that sustains faith, fosters spiritual resilience, and turns education into an act of worship where human effort is upheld by divine grace.