A Body Life Community—The Educator’s Responsibility

Derek J. Keenan, EdD

ACSIVice President for Academic AffairsDerek_keenan@acsi.org

What are the aspects of campus and classroom culture that you would want students to experience?

How would you ensure that those things would be experienced on the campus or in the classroom?

How do teachers and administrators cultivate a biblical spirit of community ?

“Communities are collections of individuals who are bonded together by natural will and who are together bound to a set of shared ideas and ideals.”

–Thomas Sergiovanni (1996, p.48)

I Corinthians 13 Loving persons and loving

organizations are:

Patient

Kind

Protective

Trusting

Hopeful

Forbearing

Loving persons and loving organizations do not:

Envy others

Boast of accomplishments

Exhibit pride

Act rudely

Get angry

Enjoy evil

Hold a grudge

I Corinthians 12:12-26Biblical model of a loving community

Goal of biblical community is to exist as a setting in which all members

experience being loved unconditionally, so that they are accepted, fit in, and are secure

enough that they grow in their love of God, while graciously cooperating

with others.

Seven Qualities of a Body-life School Community1. Kindness-The joy of meeting

someone else’s needs before your own simply for the sake of relationship.

Small kindnesses-big impact

2. Patience-Accepting the imperfections of others.

Attitudinal mindset—habitualizing opportunity

Seven Qualities of a Body-life School Community

3. Forgiveness-Using honesty, compassion, and self-awareness to reconcile with someone who has hurt you or your organization.

Practiced peacemaking in relationships—loving the offender

4. Courtesy-Treating everyone as a colleague and friend.

Friendly minded—everyone is worthy of friendship

Seven Qualities of a Body-life School Community

5. Humility-A peacefulness of heart that allows you to stand aside in order to affirm the value of someone else.

Sacrificial friendship—exchanging self-value for relational value

6. Generosity-Giving your attention, time, abilities, money, and compassion freely to others.

Energizing acts of love—living the giver’s life 

Seven Qualities of a Body-life School Community

7. Honesty-Living out truthful transparency.

Growing trust and respect—genuineness and authenticity framed in love

(Gary Chapman, Love as a Way of Life, 2008)

A Body-life School is a Learning Community of Grace

“It is a community that is grateful, mission-driven, inviting, accepting, and loving.”

–Bruce Hekman

(Drexler, Schools as Communities, 2007)

Tests of Biblical Community from I Corinthians 12Unity test—How much oneness?

Humility test—How much unconditional regard?

Functioning test—How much role honor?

Joy or suffering test—How much empathy?

ConclusionIf Christian schools are serious about instilling in students a deep and vital love for God and for others, those will be most easily cultivated in an atmosphere where genuine faith abounds, where a hopeful spirit permeates, and where love is

pervasive!