Pedagogical Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Cultivating the Value of Persevering Faith: A Study Based on Genesis 49:18 at SMK Negeri 3 Gunungsitoli

Abstract

This study investigates the role of pedagogical competence of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in cultivating the value of persevering faith among students, grounded in the theological perspective of Book of Genesis 49:18. The research was conducted at SMK Negeri 3 Gunungsitoli, involving 453 Christian students guided by two CRE teachers. Employing a qualitative case study design integrated with a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), data were collected through classroom observations and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that pedagogical competence significantly shapes students’ understanding and internalization of persevering faith as active hope, patient endurance, and sustained trust in God’s salvation. Teachers’ theological depth in interpreting Genesis 49:18, combined with narrative-based, dialogical, and contextual teaching strategies, enabled students to connect biblical truth with their lived experiences. Relational pedagogy and consistent spiritual modeling by teachers emerged as the most influential factors in nurturing students’ spiritual resilience. Students demonstrated growth in cognitive understanding of faith perseverance, affective commitment to God amid personal struggles, and behavioral consistency in spiritual practices. The integration of empirical findings with the SLR confirms that faith perseverance is most effectively cultivated through pedagogies that are biblically grounded, relationally authentic, and contextually adaptive. Despite structural challenges such as large student numbers and limited instructional time, competent pedagogy proved capable of generating meaningful spiritual formation. This study contributes theoretically by integrating Old Testament theology with contemporary Christian pedagogical discourse and offers practical implications for CRE teachers in vocational education to intentionally form persevering faith amid the complex challenges of adolescent life.