The Pedagogical Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Cultivating Worship Spirituality: A Reflective Study of Exodus 29:45 at SD Negeri 176365 Janji Maria - Balige

Abstract

Religious education in the Christian tradition is not limited to cognitive instruction but encompasses spiritual formation that nurtures students’ relationship with God. Exodus 29:45-“Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God”-reveals the theological foundation of worship spirituality as divine indwelling. This verse emphasizes God’s desire for presence, holiness, and covenantal relationship. In the educational context, this theology becomes a pedagogical imperative: teachers must cultivate learning environments where worship becomes a lived experience of divine presence. At SD Negeri 176365 Janji Maria - Balige, Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers are challenged to guide students beyond ritual knowledge toward spiritual intimacy and ethical worship practices. This study employed a qualitative reflective approach combined with an expository hermeneutic of Exodus 29:45. Data were obtained through classroom observations, interviews with CRE teachers, and document analysis of lesson plans and worship activities. The interpretive framework connected biblical theology, pedagogical competence, and spiritual formation, analyzed thematically following Creswell’s qualitative procedures. Findings show that teachers’ pedagogical competence manifests through three integrated practices: contextual interpretation of Scripture that links worship with daily life, experiential learning that invites students to encounter God through song, prayer, and service, and reflective mentoring that models reverence and holiness. Worship spirituality, when taught pedagogically, transforms students’ understanding of faith from obligation to communion. This study concludes that Exodus 29:45 provides a theological and pedagogical framework for Christian educators to cultivate worship as spiritual formation. Pedagogical competence rooted in divine presence enables teachers to make classrooms spaces of encounter-where learning becomes worship and worship becomes life.