Morning Faculty Devotions
By: David Roth
At the core of every successful Christian school is a dedicated Christian faculty. Whether large or small, this faculty has the continual challenge of working together in their calling of molding young lives into the image of Christ. How then, does one mold a faculty into an effective team, cooperating, challenging and supporting each other in a true spirit of Christian meekness and unity? It is not our intent here to discuss the prerequisites for a good faculty, even though this is basic. Let’s assume that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as a Christian school administrator you have selected a faculty that is interested and capable of rising to the challenge, both spiritually and professionally, of teaching in a Christian school. In my opinion, a good starting place for developing that team is in morning faculty devotions.
It has been said that a family that prays together stays together. I believe that a faculty that really prays together can really work together. In order to understand the role morning faculty devotions can play in the life of the Christian school, we must define the purpose, discuss the attendance, decide on the leadership, study the format, consider some variations in our consistency, and finally look at the results.
Defining the Purpose
Just as we begin each day personally with the Lord, it is proper that we as a faculty begin our school day collectively with Him. The Lord said to Solomon, "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear form heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14. In faculty devotions, we are humbling ourselves before God. The Psalmist said, "Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice." Psalm 55:17. Dr. Luke quoted Jesus as saying that "men ought always to pray" …Luke 18:1. In Acts, the deacons who were the spiritual leaders of the people gave themselves continually to prayer. Every Christian school faculty should have as one of its key verses II Thessalonians 5:17. Have you ever memorized it? "Pray without ceasing." The purpose then of morning faculty devotions is to join together as a faculty and acknowledge sincere dependence on the Lord through sharing in His Word, share with on another in Christian fellowship, and come to God in prayer.
Attendance
Much verbiage has been heard over whether faculty devotions should be voluntary or mandatory. It seems to me that if they are important, all the teacher should be there and if they are to begin at 8:00AM, they should not begin at 7:52AM or 8:04AM but at 8:00AM. Being punctual as to the beginning and ending of devotions is important. There are exceptions, but as a rule devotions should not run up to when the students come into the building. It should be determined ahead of time that devotions will be 15 minutes, on-half hour or whatever. A few minutes preparation time in the room after morning devotions is important to the teachers, so devotions should be kept within a specific time frame. If the administrator gives his few announcements first, he can see that the devotions start on time and soon most everyone catches on. Just as a good student has a time and place to do his studying, it is important that it is very clear when and where the devotions will be held. In larger faculties, it may be good to have area or department devotions one or two days a week. However, one can thwart the unity for which we are striving by breaking the faculty up too often for department or area devotions.
Leadership
It goes without saying that the administrator should be the school’s spiritual leader. This does not mean, however, that he always has to lead devotions. We have found it helpful to type up a morning faculty devotions’ schedule on which each teacher and administrator is assigned two different weeks during the school year for which he is responsible for leading. Depending on the size of the faculty, assignments can be made in advance allowing time or anticipation and preparation. As Paul suggests in I Corinthians 12, we are a diverse lot, but as members of Christ’s body we complement each other. Therefore, it is very important to recognize and appreciate the leadership each member of the faculty can bring to the morning devotions through his personal relationship in Jesus Christ.
Format
If business must be transacted make it brief and to the point. A good rule of thumb is keep the announcements and business under five minutes. One should not get into the habit of turning morning faculty devotions into regular faculty meeting. Regular faculty meetings should be scheduled at other times. The morning faculty devotions is not the time to discuss the conceptional strengths and computational deficiencies of modern math, but rather the time to gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ in preparation for the day. it is a time of sharing concern and answers to prayer.
Reading God’s Word is basic to morning faculty devotions. Think twice before spending a week reading the "good Christian book." It’s the WORD which giveth life and light. It is often appropriate to comment on the reading of a various passage, interpreting and applying it. But there is much to be said for reading the Word without comment and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work in hearts. Systematic reading of a book or group of books of the Bible often adds continuity. We have already mentioned sharing following the reading of the Scriptures. Sharing request for prayer is perhaps the first thing that comes to our mind and that is very germane to the prayer time. However, the sharing of answers to prayers must not be minimized. Nothing raises the corporate spirits of a faculty more and binds them together closer than to learn of an answer to prayer request that they have shared over a period of time
Aside form the reading of God’s Word, prayer is the most important element in the format of our faculty devotions model. Praying in communication with God. Be assured that as long as our vertical communications (with God) are open, our horizontal communication (with man) will be what it ought to be! What a great prayer list each Christian school faculty should have. One begins by praying for oneself, getting our own heart right before the Lord. We are admonished in the Scriptures to pray on for another. That especially applies to Christian school faculties that are representing the Lord Jesus Christ to students and parents. If teachers are praying one for another, a lot of other things such as ill-feeling, won’t have an opportunity to develop. Faculties should pray for their students’ parents. Oh, the tragedy, the illness, the financial cries and problems represented by the parents of any Christian school. We can share with parents through prayer. In all of our praying, we must not forget the most important person in our school … the student. The student is our responsibility under God. AS the students bring to us their needs in Christ. An added dimension is to pry not only for your present student body, but for those who have graduated or left you school. Pray for EACH student, not just those who seem to "need it" more than the others. Teachers that pray individually for their students, love and work with their students individually.
Music
Have you ever considered the importance of including music in your faculty devotions? We are to "Sing unto the Lord a new song." Isaiah 42:10. That verse doesn’t exclude the use of musical instruments. On most Christian school faculties there is an abundance of musical talent. There are usually teacher who can sing, play the piano, violin and so on . This talent should be tapped for faculty devotions. Some of the sweetest times of fellowship that a faculty can have are time when they sing together. It is the spiritually wise administrator or teacher who can suggest the right song to relate to a passage of Scripture, a season of the year or the need of the faculty at a given point in time.
Variation in our Consistency
We must be consistent and persistent in maintaining the integrity of purpose in our morning faculty devotions. We must not let "other things" crowd out the reading of God’s Word and the time spent in prayer. These are basic and have priority. Keeping the above in mind, we need not shun some variety. Here are a few suggestions. Sometimes when a faculty grows, the larger prayer groups suffers from intimidation and feels much freer when the faculty is broken up into prayer groups of three or four. In the smaller groups, each person has the opportunity to pray each day. In larger groups, time often does not permit each person to pray. Having four or five smaller prayer groups allows for the distribution of a grater number of subjects for prayer. When we add our parents to our student body we have along prayer list.
Listening to good tapes once in a while can bring the best talks by the greatest men on any subject right into our faculty meeting. Just as anything else, the use of tapes should no be overdone. Filmstrips can be used effectively with tapes. One of our most exciting pre-Christmas faculty meetings was the study of a religious work of art combining filmstrips, tapes and the teacher’s explanation. Learning new songs together can be a rewarding experience. The revived interest in singing verses of Scripture using instrumental accompaniment or a record or tapes can inject some interest and enthusiasm into the faculty meetings.
Invite guest in who have something to share. Recently we invited a young evangelist by the name of Sammy Tippit to our morning faculty devotions. He has had more experiences serving the Lord in his 27 years than most people would have in 87. It was a breath of fresh air to our faculty devotions. We added Tippit to our prayer list and once again we are reminded that our ministry extends beyond our campus.
Although the variations are endless, let’s suggest one more. Consider having the faculty come a little earlier some morning, serve them a simple breakfast, read from God’s Word and then spend some time in prayer. It will be a memorable time of Christian fellowship.
Results
It is impossible to fully predict the results of morning faculty devotions where teachers are being "like minded, having the same love being of one accord and of one mind." Philippians 2:2. A faculty that is focusing its’ eyes on Jesus is going to overlook a lot of pettiness that can develop into major stumbling blocks. Inter-faculty relations have to improve because the faculty unity is not merely professional or social in nature, but it is unity originating in Christ Himself. When teachers are consistently praying for the students, i.e., the product of the school, a lot will see the results in the lives of the students. Students’ academic, social and spiritual problems will be resolved. Students will begin praying for teachers. This kind of reciprocity can do much for the teacher-student relations. We often think school spirit in relation to our basketball or baseball teams. The spiritual tenor of the schools relates to school spirits in our Christian schools. What better place for the school’s spiritual tenor to be infused with Divine life than in faculty devotions? Administrator-faculty relations can be strengthened in morning devotions. It is said that the ground is level at the cross. Real prayer involves honesty before the Lord. As the administrator and faculty through prayer come into the presence of an Almighty God, there isn’t too much difference in rank.
For unanimity and oneness of mind and heart that transcends any man generated bond among your Christian school faculty and will make your Christian school a viable force in your community, begin each school day with the Lord in faculty devotions.
About The Author: In 1975, when this article first appeared in Keys to Christian School Administration, David Roth, M.A., is the principal of the Wheaton Christian Grammar school, Wheaton, Illinois. Permission to publish this article by CSRnet was granted by Dr. Roy W. Lowrie’s daughter, Dr. Janet Lowrie Nason.
This page was last updated on: March 19, 2001