Every student remembers a teacher who changed their life. At Southern Nazarene University, both students and professors are reflecting on why they chose education–and why they see teaching as a calling from Christ to serve the next generation.
Teaching today comes with significant challenges. Nationwide, fewer students are pursuing education degrees, and the shortage of teachers is continuing to rise. Within this context, the need for Christ-centered educators remains clear.
At SNU, future teachers, veteran professors, and even those who found their way into the classroom unexpectedly share the same conviction: teaching matters because it touches hearts as much as it teaches minds.
Freshman education major Logan Tapparo was drawn to teaching by the lasting impact a caring adult can have on a child. “Once I got older and I saw how much I could impact a child’s life by just being one person in their path, I decided that I wanted to be that one person–that one teacher who helped them be who they are,” Tapparo conveyed. She hopes to become someone her future students can always trust–pointing them toward growth, belonging, and Christ’s love.
That perspective resonates with Dr. Brett Bradley, Ed.D., SNU’s director of educator preparation, who has trained many of the university’s future teachers. Bradley noted that what makes great educators memorable is rarely the subject matter but the way they see and support students. “Every time I’ve had students write about their favorite teacher, it was never about how much math or science they learned,” Bradley stated. “It was about the impact that the teacher had on them as a person.”
For Bradley, teaching reflects Christ’s example of meeting people where they are and encouraging them to see their God-given potential. “Preparing teachers,” he mentioned, “is not just about lesson plans and test scores, but about equipping servant-leaders who can model compassion and integrity in the classroom.”
Even professors who did not begin in education find themselves drawn to the same truth. Chad Penner, who now teaches Christian Faith and Life, started his career in ministry before unexpectedly stepping into higher education. “At first, I was barely ahead of my students in the textbook,” he admitted. But he soon discovered teaching was not just about lecturing–it was about engaging students in conversations that mattered.
“I love to instill a new idea or challenge an existing idea in a way that helps people process what they really believe,” Penner expressed. For him, teaching is inseparable from faith: “To bore people with the story of Jesus is a sin.”
Together, these perspectives–a new student preparing for her first classroom, a professor who has spent years equipping teachers, and a ministry leader turned educator–highlight the same conviction: teaching is more than transferring knowledge. It is a ministry that shows Christ’s love in everyday interactions, helps students discover their identity, and builds foundations that last long after graduation.
Bradley explained that at a Christian university, preparing teachers also means grounding them in faith. “You get to teach them through a biblical perspective, and that is different from a traditional public university,” he voiced. For Tapparo, that faith foundation is central to her vision of teaching: being “the one person” in a child’s life who reflects God’s love. For Penner, it’s about sparking faith-filled conversations that lead students deeper into truth.
Though their journeys into teaching differ, their words point to the same truth: teaching matters because it shapes not only minds, but souls. At SNU, education is seen as more than a major–it is a calling that mirrors Christ’s example, leading, serving, and loving the next generation.
Photos by: Piper Stewart