ABSTRACT:

This blog entry in the “Christian Factors of Research” series explores discipline as a virtue that transforms research from mere information-gathering into an act of discipleship for faithful librarians. Drawing on Herman Bavinck’s questions about the relation between thinking, being, becoming, and acting, it presents disciplined research as a spiritual posture that moves learning toward Christlike transformation rather than simply academic output. Biblical texts (Proverbs, Hebrews, Titus) frame discipline as accepting correction, cultivating self-restraint, and embracing God’s formative guidance, while professional standards such as the RUSA behavioral guidelines illustrate how submitting to appropriate authorities can serve discipleship within librarianship. Through personal narrative and examples from LIS literature, the entry shows how critique, communal engagement, and focused, reflective integration—similar to Scripture reading practiced as a spiritual discipline—enable research to become a communal, worshipful practice that shapes who librarians are before Christ, not just what they know.

FULL ENTRY:

This blog has discussed “Christian Factors of Research”—qualities helping research become transformative. Earlier entries considered truth, integrity, and humility. This entry turns to a fourth: discipline. Discipline is a virtue that plays an essential role in conducting quality research. In academic research, one defines discipline as perseverance in the research and writing process or as maintaining a spirit of inquiry throughout the research journey. While discipline as persistence should be developed, sought after, and practiced, perhaps a Christian worldview can offer insight into how faithful librarians practice and teach discipline.

In his discussion aiming to define a worldview, Herman Bavinck (1913/2019), an early 20th-century theologian, noted: “problems that confront the human mind always return to these: What is the relation between thinking and being, between being and becoming, and between becoming and acting?” (p. 29). Bavinck’s statement assumes a connection between thinking and living, between learning and research, and the development and practice of a worldview (cf. Knight, 2006, p. 214). For a faithful librarian, discipline in the context of research entails such a connection: using the learning one experiences as an instrument of transformation (cf. Meek, 2011). Discipline in research connects virtue with outcome, academic persistence with spiritual posture. Discipline is an act of discipleship that connects learning itself with transformation and sanctification (cf. Meek, 2011), drawing the learner closer to Christ.

Applying discipleship to research and learning raises questions. Discipleship is an identity, a relationship, and a mission that is covenant‑rooted, future‑oriented, cross‑shaped, and outwardly directed (deCampos, 2025). Discipleship does not refer to a “professional vocation or apprenticeship, but describes the believer and the process of them being conformed to Christ and his own image, which ultimately pictures the Father” (Newton, 2020, p. 111). Can research, done with discipline, play a role in forming identity, building relationships, or establishing a covenant-rooted, future-oriented, cross-shaped perspective of life? I answer, resoundingly, yes, particularly if we agree that learning and research involve transitioning from thinking to acting and using the learning one experiences as a transformative instrument (cf. Bavinck, 1913/2019, p. 29).

Proverbs 12:1 states: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (ESV). One demonstrates discipline by accepting critique, even when it is delivered with malice (Longman, 2006, p. 269). Discipline also plays a crucial role in implementing the necessary changes to correct errors. Longman (2006) states, “true learners, sagacious persons, are those who desire to know when they have done wrong so that they can change their behavior” (p. 269). Faithful librarians embrace discipline in all its facets: staying focused on the task at hand, using sources appropriately, and an eagerness to receive correction, because they understand the growth opportunities such a posture offers. Research, when done with discipline, can foster discipleship.

Scripture provides yet another nuance for discipline: eagerness to accept correction. Proverbs 3:11 states, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof…” (ESV). Do not despise the remorse when the Holy Spirit brings conviction from Scripture, realizing previous actions or attitudes were wrong because such correction leads us towards God’s abundance and joy (Longman, 2006, pp. 134–135). When the author of Hebrews uses this passage in Hebrews 12, scholars note a reference to God’s provisional and corrective guidance through discipline (Lane, 1982, p. 419).

Titus 1:8 lists discipline when referring to elder qualifications; they must be: “hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined…” (ESV). Discipline in this verse carries the idea of self-restraint or composure, the ability to control oneself (Towner, 2006, p. 690). Composure constitutes a critical piece of discipline. These scriptural nuances point beyond momentary benefits and invite us to consider the larger goal of discipline: transformation.

Such biblical correction also resonates in the academy, where critique can serve as a redemptive instrument for growth. Early in my work as an academic librarian, I began writing book reviews. After putting considerable effort into my first review for a particular journal, I submitted it with a sense of accomplishment, an achievement overflowing with pride. A few days later, my gratification shattered like precious pottery falling on concrete: the editor returned the review to me, covered in corrections—virtually every sentence had been marked. Initially, my indignation compelled me to ask, “What makes this editor so great to challenge my work so thoroughly?” But as my initial pride gave way, peeling back my wounded ego, I began working my way through the editorial comments.

Though the editor’s comments revealed my weaknesses, discipline turned them into a pathway for growth. The criticism urged me to weave together my love for writing with the humility needed to accept critique. As a result, discipline drove me to see the requested revisions as a compassionate and caring act on the part of the editor. What began as a chance to get free books and publish grew into an integrated learning practice in which enjoyment, correction, and growth converged. I wrote reviews for the same editor for nearly four years, and through his consistent slashing, my writing improved significantly. On a small scale, my experiences with book reviews illustrate the discipline that results in transformation. Holding together seemingly opposing experiences—delight and difficulty, affirmation and correction—produced a better writer.

While the virtue of discipline can yield great fruit in various contexts, does this virtue have an ultimate objective? If discipline’s ultimate objective is transformation, then the learning process of a faithful librarian effortlessly intertwines with intentional discipleship. For a faithful librarian, discipline plays a formative and personal role in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ (Smith, 2009, p. 232; Wilkinson, 1992, p. 188). Subsequently, discipline does not merely shape what we know, but it also plays a crucial role in shaping who we become.

For a faithful librarian, discipline involves a simultaneous eagerness to learn and a fervor for transformation. Higton (2013) proposes an intriguing relation between learning and being a disciple: “…learning—all learning worthy of the name—is a matter of being invited as disciples to know God and the fulfillment that God has for God’s creatures; that it unavoidably involves being crucified and raised with Christ; that it requires the bringing together of learners in the Body of Christ; that the knowledge to which it leads takes the form of wisdom and delight; that it is part of the work of the Spirit making us holy; and that it nevertheless takes place both in and beyond the church and sometimes more truly beyond the church than in it” (pp. 120–121). If, as Higton infers, learning fosters discipleship, what would research (a key tool in any learning endeavor) look like as a discipleship tool?

Discipleship takes place in a community of believers. Similarly, research for faithful librarians has a strong social component, shaped by communities and particular societies that foster learning. As noted earlier, knowledge also has strong social components that play critical roles in creating a transformative learning experience. Subsequently, to grow in knowledge, we must participate; we must become a pupil in a community dedicated to learning (Johnson, 2014, p. 210). Likewise, disciplinary participation is critical in a research endeavor. Disciplinary participation enables one to read a scholar’s article, know when to listen to its guidance (and when to ignore it), and engage with the insights of the community of practice (cf. Johnson, 2014, p. 210).

As I write these blog entries, most of my work takes place quietly at my laptop, shaping ideas in solitude. At first glance, this setting might appear to contrast with my earlier claim that disciplined research requires community. Yet genuine scholarship arises in a communal context. For a faithful librarian, the body of Christ plays a critical role in authentic research and scholarship. Just as each member of a body depends on the others, my own work relies on shared intellectual and spiritual labor—drawing on the research of my peers, inviting critique of my colleagues, or engaging in a lunch conversation that sharpens thought. Authentic and faithful research flourishes only through community.

For example, the “Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers” (2023), produced by the Reference & User Services Association (RUSA), provides authoritative guidance on best practices for reference interviews. For librarians to grow in knowledge, we have to submit ourselves to certain authorities, such as the Guidelines. Though RUSA Guidelines are not divinely authoritative, they are ultimately derived from God because all truth is God’s truth. Therefore, the Guidelines model how professional standards can function in a derivative way—regulative within their proper sphere, librarianship, under Christ’s ultimate authority. Professional development for librarians involves a fiduciary commitment to standards such as RUSA’s (2023) Guidelines, with discipline playing a key role in translating these guidelines into action. Yet even as we participate in a particular field’s standards and authorities, discipline leads faithful librarians to remain accountable to a higher authority, calling for discernment by envisioning Christ’s lordship over every sphere (including the reference interview).

If discipline in a research endeavor resembles becoming a disciple, does this imply that when I apply discipline to my LIS research, I am also acting as a disciple or learner under someone more experienced in the field? Abraham Kuyper’s sphere sovereignty acknowledges LIS with its respective authority, while simultaneously recognizing the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and Scripture over all spheres (Kuyper, 1988, p. 468). Subsequently, one can simultaneously be a disciple of LIS and a disciple of Jesus Christ, provided one acknowledges the Lordship of Jesus Christ over LIS (i.e., all spheres). This broader vision expands our concept by reminding us that, since all truth is God’s truth, any research arena can foster intentional discipleship when pursued with faithful discipline.

But, how can one become a disciple of LIS? Could part of being a disciple of LIS involve studying key works to discover how they might shape our understanding of faith integration? For example, a general premise of John Budd’s (2001) work, Knowledge and Knowing in Library and Information Science, is that LIS should be grounded in deep reflection on how the profession values personal experience and how people understand and apply what they learn from their experiences (pp. 41-80). Budd (2001) thoroughly critiques the claim that science alone can explain everything and advocates a more thoughtful, human-centered approach to knowledge (pp. 208, 245). With discipline, one can investigate Budd’s work through a Christian framework to determine where his arguments align with and differ from a Christian worldview. Doing this with discipline and humility can be an incredible research endeavor. While a faithful librarian may initially disagree with Budd’s premises, after a thorough investigation of his argument using a Christian theological framework, one may well find that Budd’s understanding aligns more closely with God’s revelation than their own. Because all truth is God’s truth, even truth in Budd’s works can help us further understand God and his creation.

What’s missing from this context to make it like a group Bible study? Entries in this blog note the strong social component of knowledge. What would it look like if faithful librarians gathered monthly to critique Budd’s work using a Christian framework? Perhaps in this context, a research endeavor empowers spiritual growth, similar to a spiritual discipline (cf. Beach, 2024, para. 25). Of course, recognizing this potential raises a caution. Like other spiritual disciplines, such as Scripture reading, research only bears fruit when practiced with intentional discipline, openness to transformation, and in a communal context.

One often considers reading Scripture to be a spiritual discipline. However, simply because an individual opens up a Bible to read a chapter daily does not necessarily imply that discipline produces the desired results. An individual reading Scripture hopes God will use the time to speak to them, and Scripture reading can be a communion with God. However, it takes more than a cursory Scripture reading amidst a busy schedule for the discipline to be beneficial. Developing Scripture reading as a spiritual discipline requires focus, an eagerness to hear Scripture’s teachings, a readiness to be transformed, and the support of a local church community. Even persistent reading of Scripture may result in static information. Discipline is also needed to integrate it into our lives to transform us. Discipline in discipleship and the discipline of research bear similarities. Both take place in many different contexts, and a faithful librarian’s engagement with either one does not necessarily mean that such an engagement constitutes a discipline that provides spiritual nourishment. However, discipline in both can bring transformation when pursued in a communal context.

Discipline is necessary to integrate information into our lives, which is necessary for our transformation. Integration enables learning to transform us. While doing research, integration can transform static information into something deeply transformative. I find it easy to learn about a topic, read a book, or listen to a podcast simply because I am curious or feel the need to know more. I can easily leave what I learn at “thinking,” with no effort to transform it into “acting” (cf. Bavinck, 1913/2019, p. 29). Likewise, I can easily get caught up in information lust (cf. Groothius, 2011, loc. 1536). While I may possess discipline in the research process, I often overlook its communal aspects and limit its potential to be a spiritual and deeply transformative discipline. Thankfully, there have been moments when God has graciously allowed my research to move beyond mere information-gathering and actually become deeply transformative through both insight and reflection.

A few years back, I worked on an article related to my experiences with epilepsy and seizures (Trott, 2024). In my work on that essay, I came across an article that surveys the social impacts of epilepsy. One comment made in this article moved me. For some individuals who have epilepsy, epilepsy is not simply a component impacting them; epilepsy becomes the key component by which they define themselves. This led me to prayer, reflection, and sharing what I learned with a community. In this context, discipline brought me back to the text, again and again. Not content with the few drops of water I got as I speedily read the text, I read it over and over again, each time increasing the flow from a drop here and there to a steady flow. Discipline led me to take time to focus on ideas that moved me, transitioning from thinking to being, from being to becoming, and from becoming to acting. Discipline empowered my research to be profoundly transformative. It became clear that for faithful librarians, discipline—perseverance, persistence, and focus—is actually the fruit of a deeper intentional discipleship.

Discipline in research is not merely academic persistence but a spiritual posture that moves learning from thinking to being, from being to becoming, and from becoming to acting. When such discipline arises from intentional discipleship within a Christian community, learning endeavors become truly transformative rather than remaining static information. In this way, disciplined research becomes an act of worship, as curiosity is patiently and communally transformed into communion with Christ.

Works Cited

Bavinck, H. (2019). Christian worldview. (N. Sutanto, J. Eglinton, & C. Brock, Trans.). Crossway. (Original work published 1913).

Beach, L. (2024). Research as discipleship: Spiritual formation as the reason for professional doctoral studies. Journal of Christian Ministry, 13. https://journal.dmineducation.org/2024-research-as-discipleship-spiritual-formation-as-the-reason-for-professional-doctoral-studies/

Budd, J. (2001). Knowledge and knowing in library and information science: A philosophical framework. Scarecrow Press.

de Campos, M. (2025, November 20). Reframing Discipleship. TogetherPDX Gospel Gathering. https://www.togetherpdx.org/gospel-gatherings

Groothuis, D. R. (2011). Christian apologetics: A comprehensive case for biblical faith. IVP Academic.

Higton, M. (2013). A theology of higher education. Oxford University Press.

Johnson, D. (2014). Biblical knowing: A scriptural epistemology of error. James Clarke & Co.

Knight, G. R. (2006). Philosophy and education: An introduction in Christian perspective (4th ed.). Andrews University Press.

Kuyper, A. (1988). Abraham Kuyper: A centennial reader. Eerdmans.

Lane, W. L. (1982). Hebrews 9–13. Word Biblical Commentary. Word.

Longman, T., III. (2006). Proverbs. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Wisdom and Psalms. Baker.

Newton, J. (2020). Measuring the effects of discipling relationships on the spiritual formation of international students on Corban University’s campus. [Doctoral Thesis Project, Corban University].

Meek, E. L. (2011). Loving to know: Introducing covenant epistemology. Cascade Books.

Reference & User Services Association. (2023). Guidelines for behavioral performance of
reference and information service providers. https://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesbehavioral

Smith, J. K. A. (2009). Desiring the kingdom. Baker Academic.

Towner, P. (2006). The letters to Timothy and Titus. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans.

Trott, G. (2024). Epilepsy, librarianship, and leadership: How challenges build character. In K. Henrich & C. Ippoliti (Eds.), Critical library leadership: Managing self and others in today’s academic library (pp. 47–60). ACRL.

Wilkinson, M. J. (1992). Discipleship. In J. B. Green, S. McKnight, & I. H. Marshall (Eds.), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (pp. 188–190). InterVarsity Press.