S-T-R-E-S-S

In my last blog I listed 7 main faith integration topics without subcategories. The subcategories will be used to expand the list and show how it relates to scripture in all my future blogs.

Today's subcategory is S-T-R-E-S-S. Stress expands the topics of subject matter from a faith perspective, and Christian world view and life view. Below is what I found in scripture about stress, which every student deals with on a daily basis, and why it should be part of faith integration.

Stress was promised (James 1:2)
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials"

Stress has a purpose (james 1:3-4)
"knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurnace and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Stress leads to prayer (James 1:5-6)
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

Integrating Faith and Learning in Higher Education

As a student at Dallas Baptist University, I was told to create a blog and follow it up with 14 posts related to faith integration topics. I wanted to start of with Proverbs, a simple quote, and a list of faith integration topics. 

Proverbs says that the "fear of the Lord" - honor and respect for the Lord - is wisdom and it is the beginning of knowledge.

. . . Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom . . . (NASB) Job 28:28

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (NASB) Prov. 1:7

The fear of the LORD prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened. (NASB) Prov. 10:27

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
That one may avoid the snares of death.(NASB) Prov. 14:27

The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life. (NASB) Prov. 22:4

Thus we want to love God with heart, soul and our minds as well. Learning to think Christianly impacts our homes, our businesses, our health care agencies, our schools, our social structures, our recreation, and, yes, our churches too. For to love God with our minds means that we think differently about the way we live and love, the way we worship and serve, the way we work to earn our livelihood, the way we learn and teach, and to accept wisdom and instruction that is offered. It keeps us all in check with Morality and Discipline.


A Christian education must primarily teach people to be able to think in Christian categories/spheres:

• Strong cultural ties with sponsoring denomination/constituency
• Faculty and students conscious of denominational/constituency ties
• Board has strong tie to denomination/constituency
• Provides opportunity for examination of subject matter from a faith perspective
• Grace-filled context for education
• Approach to education grounded in Christian world and life view
• Education as a learning community—one sphere characterized by the integration of faith and learning and faith and living.