Bible teachers from nine Mennonite high schools visited Hesston (Kan.) College and Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) April 12 and 13. Hesston College Bible instructor Michele Hershberger devised an interesting method to introduce the Bible teachers to Hesston’s program. She invited a group of students to share their Hesston Bible course experiences with the teachers in the format of speed dating. The teachers made their way around the room with about three minutes to interview each student. Hershberger invited a broad range of students to participate, from conservative to progressive in theology and including some who identify themselves as agnostic.

“Students got to honestly share about their experiences in our Biblical Literature course,” Hershberger said. “It sparked conversations among the Bible teachers and Marion (Bontrager, also a Hesston Bible instructor) and me. The teachers loved interacting with our students and were impressed with their openness, and it provided each of us an opportunity to reflect on our teaching ministry. After the students left, our discussion focused on teaching methods using digital technology in the classroom as well as the challenges of teaching Bible to students with a broad range of Bible knowledge bases and faith experiences.”

In addition to Mennonite Schools Council teachers meetings, the group spent a day on Hesston’s campus and a day on Bethel’s campus. They met with administrators and Bible faculty, attended classes and convocation and took campus tours.

At Bethel, the visit coincided with “live music night” at the campus coffee shop, Mojo’s, which happened to feature Christine Crouse-Dick, Bethel associate professor of communication arts, and her husband, Christopher Dick, professor at English at Tabor College, as The Misguided Professors. The pair played and sang with Bethel junior Landon Bartel on string bass, Jesse Graber on fiddle and local pastor Eric Massanari on percussion.