Tom Postema and Michael Essenburg, missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions, serve at the Christian Academy in Japan. During their 9:30 meeting today, they talked about helping students understand and apply a Biblical perspective. Then Michael started asking Tom questions. (“As he usually does,” says Tom.)

Michael: God provides for us, so I think you have what you need to help your students understand and apply a Biblical perspective. I’m going to ask you some yes-no questions to verify this, OK?

Tom: OK.

Michael: Does God, your school board, principal, and colleagues support your students understanding and applying a Biblical perspective?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: As a Christian math teacher, can you think one thing that you want your 10th graders to see from a Biblical perspective?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: Can you ask questions?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: Can you identify content?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: Can you identify skills?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: Can you make assessments?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: Can you identify and meet student learning needs?

Tom: Yes.

Michael: You answered “yes” to all the questions. I think there were 7, right? What do you think?

Tom: Those weren’t hard questions. I could easily answer “yes” to all of them. That’s all there’s to it?

Michael: Yes. But let me ask these questions another way, just to double-check that you have all you need.

Tom: Sure.

Michael: How does God, your school board, principal, and colleagues support your students understanding and applying a Biblical perspective?

Tom: God wants people to view the world as God’s world. The school board has policy that supports this. My principal wants students to apply a Biblical perspective. My colleagues and I talk about this.

Michael: As a Christian math teacher, what’s one thing that you want your 10th graders to see from a Biblical perspective?

Tom: The universe. That God made it to work well.

Michael: Can you think of a question about that?

Tom: Yes. How well does the universe work?

Michael: Can you think of course content and Bible content that you can teach your students to help them answer your question?

Tom: Dimensions, vanishing point, perspective in art, and Bible verses about God making the universe and the universe working well.

Michael: Can you think of i or more skills that students need to answer your question and apply a Biblical perspective?

Tom: Drawing, writing, and discussion.

Michael: Can you make an assessment that requires students to respond to your question?

Tom: Yes. I could have kids make a perspective drawing and have them connect the information on perspective in art to what the Bible teaches.

Michael: Can you identify and meet one of your students’ learning needs regarding understanding and applying Biblical perspective?

Tom: My students need practice in intentionally connecting course content and Bible content through writing.

Michael: You responded positively to all 7 questions. What do you think now?

Tom: Well, the questions covered support, unit plans, and lessons plans. That’s what I need. That’s what I already have. I guess helping kids with Biblical perspective is not as hard as I thought it’d be.