Personality Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Teaching Faithfulness to the Word: A Reflection on Exodus 20:3 in the Context of SD Negeri 054884 Tanjung Gunung

Abstract

The quality of Christian Religious Education (CRE) extends beyond cognitive instruction, encompassing the personal and spiritual formation of students through the modeling of teachers’ character and values. This study investigates the personality competence of CRE teachers in fostering faithfulness to the Word of God, drawing inspiration from Exodus 20:3, in the context of SD Negeri 054884 Tanjung Gunung, Langkat. The school community comprises 73 Christian students and 8 Christian teachers, including the CRE teacher, making it an ideal setting to explore the intersection of professional, personal, and spiritual dimensions in education. Utilizing a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, the research measured students’ perceptions of the CRE teacher’s personality competence, operationalized through indicators such as integrity, consistency in moral behavior, empathy, and role-modeling of faith-based principles. Data were collected via a 30-item Likert-scale questionnaire, validated by experts in Christian education and educational psychology, and analyzed using regression and correlation techniques. Results indicate a strong positive relationship between the teacher’s personality competence and students’ engagement with biblical teachings, with approximately 48% of variance in students’ faithfulness to the Word explained by teacher competence. Findings underscore that CRE teachers’ personal integrity, ethical consistency, and authentic demonstration of faith significantly influence students’ internalization of biblical principles. Integrating empirical evidence with theological reflection, this research emphasizes that effective Christian education requires teachers to embody the values they teach, fostering a learning environment where faithfulness to Scripture is both taught and lived.