Professional Development

Biblical Integration is… Personal

What does the term “Biblical Integration” mean to you?

“Structural integrity” is used to describe a building, ship or other structure that is whole. It has no cracks or weak points that threaten to split it apart under pressure.  An “integrated system” is one that seamlessly combines different functions into a single, centralized system so that they work together.

Biblical integration is also about wholeness.  God, through Jesus, has created a whole, inter-connected world, which He continues to hold together.

“For in him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:16-17

It is not our job to create integration in the world.  That is God’s job and He has done a marvelous job of it.  It is our job to discover the integration that God has built into the world, to live in accordance with it, and to point our students towards it so that they too can discover it and order their own lives by it.

This makes biblical integration a deeply personal issue. The starting point for Biblical integration is the teacher’s relationship with Jesus, who makes them whole and lights up the wholeness that God has built into the universe.  We can only be integrated in our teaching by coming constantly to Jesus the living word through God’s written word and prayer.

What other words would you use to describe Biblical integration?

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Comments

  • Paul Madsen

    Paul MadsenPaul Madsen

    Author Reply

    It’s been quite a while since I’ve taken any Bible courses. This would certainly be a big help in getting fresh insight and inspiration in my understanding of the Bible.

    If you would like to invest 3-4 hours each week in a professional course, take a look at the ACSI Europe online options. The course “God’s Unfolding Plan” is taught over 8 weeks beginning on February 4, 2019 and gives teachers an overview of the biblical narrative, providing a platform for further Bible study and integration with classroom practice.

    Find out more at: https://acsieurope.org/cms/news_635