Christian School Faculty as the “Living Curriculum”
How Christian school faculty teach through their walk with Christ—modeling a kingdom life students absorb and imitate.
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1
One of the most humbling questions we could ever ask in light of Paul’s words is this:
Am I worthy of being imitated? Do I want others to follow my example?
In Christian education, our influence extends far beyond lesson plans or learning objectives. Students don’t just absorb information — they absorb us. Our tone, our habits, our character, our joy (or lack thereof).
That’s why I keep coming back to this phrase:
Christian school faculty are the “living curriculum.”
It’s not a metaphor — it’s reality. Our lives are teaching every day, whether we realize it or not. And in a Christian school, that’s not a side effect. It’s the point.
They’re Watching Our Walk
We can build the best curriculum, win state titles, launch great programs, and deliver strong instruction. But if our students aren’t seeing Christ reflected in us, we’ve missed the boat — big time.
They notice how we speak about others — not just in class, but in the parking lot, in the hallway, and certainly on social media. They pick up on our tone when we respond to a frustrated parent or when we talk about administration behind closed doors.
They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for authenticity.
And authenticity doesn’t mean trying to be “relevant” to a younger generation. We don’t need to mirror culture to reach them. That’s a losing game.
We live our lives in Christ — humbly, joyfully, faithfully — and we invite them to observe and ask questions.
“He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” – Colossians 1:13
This transfer changes everything. We no longer live for ourselves — we live as citizens of a different kingdom. A kingdom life looks and feels different. It’s marked by humility, hope, and holiness, with Jesus as the king of this kingdom. And that kind of life isn’t produced by willpower. It’s born from above.
“Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3
Dallas Willard once noted that “we pick up our beliefs the way we pick up lint on our shirts”— easily visible, even when we don’t realize it. Our students are always picking up what we’re carrying — our attitudes, our tone, our pace, and our reactions.
What They Remember
Long after students forget their classroom experiences, they will remember our presence. Even well into adulthood, students never forget their best teachers and coaches. That’s why many of them boomerang back to say “thank you.”
Did we see them?
Did we care?
Did we model what it looks like to follow Jesus in real life?
That’s the legacy of Christian education. And it’s why the greatest curriculum any school can offer is not a textbook or a program — it’s the faculty and staff who show up every day, full of the Spirit and ready to serve.
So the question remains: Am I worthy of being imitated?
By God’s grace, may we step into this high calling—not to create our own following, but to point them to the only One worth following, full of power, humility, and brilliance: Jesus Christ.
Good… good… good…. good stuff. Arrow to the hearts core🍑.