Professional Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Developing Prayer Perseverance Lessons: An Exegetical Reflection on Genesis 24:63 at SDN 173169 Tapian Nauli

Abstract

This study explores the professional competence of Christian Religious Education teachers in developing lessons that cultivate prayer perseverance, drawing exegetical insight from Genesis 24:63 and contextualized at SDN 173169 Tapian Nauli, North Tapanuli. The verse portrays Isaac’s meditative prayer, symbolizing steadfast communion with God amid uncertainty. This biblical model provides a theological foundation for teachers to nurture persistence, faith, and attentiveness in students’ spiritual lives. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) combined with exegetical analysis, the research integrates theological reflection with educational theory to examine how professional competence functions as both pedagogical skill and spiritual vocation. Forty academic sources were reviewed, categorized into themes of teacher professionalism, prayer formation, and biblical interpretation. The findings reveal that CRE teachers’ effectiveness in teaching prayer perseverance depends on four interrelated competencies: pedagogical clarity, spiritual authenticity, theological literacy, and contextual sensitivity. Teachers at SDN 173169 Tapian Nauli embody these competencies by linking prayer with daily learning experiences, promoting patience, humility, and trust in God among students. The study concludes that professional competence in Christian education is inseparable from spiritual depth; prayer perseverance must be modeled, not merely taught. Exegetically grounded in Isaac’s contemplative faith, this research proposes a holistic framework where teaching becomes a ministry of prayer, reflection, and character formation. By integrating faith with pedagogy, CRE teachers transform classrooms into sacred spaces where students encounter God through the living testimony of their teachers.