More traits of a Bible class teacher
1)
A firm warning is found in Jas. 3:1 – “Be not many of you teachers.”
2)
A good friend of mine used to think this verse warned
people against becoming a Bible class teacher.
3)
Over the years he came to realize this is not what
James’ meant.
4)
James meant that teaching is a very serious matter; it
is not something to be done carelessly.
a)
What James said about teachers is true for any type of
teacher.
b)
If we are careless with teaching in the secular world,
a person may be injured.
c)
Failing to teach children correctly can have some
life-changing and very negative consequences.
d)
Failing to be careful with our teaching in the church
may cost a student (or the teacher) his soul.
5)
We want to be the best teacher we can be, and this
means we seek certain qualities.
6)
Many of the characteristics that make for good teachers
are part in the basics of Christian living.
7)
Tonight we want to list several things that will help
us be good teachers in and out of the church.
8)
One important and necessary quality is a willingness to
study so we are prepared to teach.
a)
We cannot teach what we do not know.
b)
If we learn a certain amount of information and no
more, we will be limited in what we can teach.
c)
There are preachers who develop somewhere between
100-400 sermons.
d)
They move to a congregation and they begin to preach
the sermons they have previously prepared.
e)
The men who operate in this way may have 400 great
sermons.
f)
When they come to the end of their stockpile, that is
all they have.
9)
They have failed to continue to learn, grow, and
mature.
10) Their
stockpile of sermons is gone so they looking for a new place to go and preach.
11) They
find a new congregation and start again with all their ready made sermons.
12) Some
teaches have developed some great material and it is perfectly right to use
that material.
13) In
the life of Jesus it seems like the Lord preached the same basic sermon more
than once.
14) Using
some of the same material from time to time is okay, but it is wrong to stop
studying.
a)
2 Tim. 2:15 says “give diligence” as far as Bible study
is concerned.
b)
If we are a teacher, we want to continue to soak up
knowledge.
c)
One task of the Bible class teacher is to always be on
the lookout for things he does not know.
d)
We may look for illustrations. There are dozens of good illustrations around
us each week.
e)
Illustrations are in our local community, the national
news, the work place and schools.
f)
We have illustrations in nature and even from within
our own families.
g)
We must also look for a deeper understanding of the
scriptures plus way to apply what we know.
15) Most
congregations meet three times a week and instruction is offered during each
assembly.
16) We
can also grow and learn outside our assemblies.
17) There
is a ton of information on-line; there are e-mail devotionals that help people
grow and learn.
18) We
may subscribe to a religious journal such as the Gospel Advocate.
19) There
are magazines specifically for Bible class teachers.
20) There
are good books to help us become more effective teachers.
21) If
we are a teacher, we need to always be ready to “search and study” the
scriptures.
22) One
of the struggles that elders have in finding teachers is locating members with
adequate knowledge.
a)
It is unwise to put people into a teaching position if
they do not know much about the Bible.
b)
How can a person really teach about the church if they
do not understand what the church is?
c)
How can proper instruction be given about salvation, if
one does not know the steps himself?
d)
How can a teacher instruct children about music in
worship if they themselves do not understand?
e)
Peter said (1 Pet. 3:15) that Christians need to be
ready to “give an answer” to people with questions.
f)
We do not expect teachers to know everything about
everything.
g)
They should be familiar with the basic facts of the
faith and Christian living.
h)
If Christians are not well grounded in the faith, they
are probably not going to be effective teachers.
23) A
good teacher, as we think about needed qualities, will exhibit some interest
and enthusiasm.
a)
Think of the woman Jesus met up with in Jn. 4.
b)
Jesus was “tired” (Jn. 4:6).
c)
When we are really tired, there are a lot of things we
may not want to do.
24) For
many Bible class teachers, Sunday means they have recently put in a full week
at work.
25) On
a Wednesday night, many have put in a full day at work.
26) On
Wednesday night, people come home, get supper, and quickly head to the
building.
27) At
this point the energy level may not be all that high for lots of people,
including teachers.
a)
It can be tempting to not have much enthusiasm.
b)
Jesus knows what that is like (Jn. 4).
c)
The Lord was very tired, but He engaged this Samaritan
woman in a conversation.
d)
Jesus taught her and He had some enthusiasm even though
He was exhausted.
28) Sometimes
it may be difficult to draw from down deep from inside and be excited about
teaching.
29) A
person may be thinking “I would prefer a nap right now or I would just like to
go home and go to bed.”
30) Bible
class teachers realize that being a teacher is not always convenient.
a)
Teachers sometimes teach when they are tired.
b)
Teaching responsibilities may at times conflict with
other work we need to get done.
c)
Teachers are excited about their work and they teaching
as a priority in their lives.
d)
Being a teacher means commitment and that commitment is
to things like enthusiasm.
31) Speaking
of tired teachers we come to a related thought:
timeliness.
a)
A teacher should be at the building (and hopefully
ready to go) when Bible class starts.
b)
Many congregations struggle with teachers being on time
(or even showing up for their class).
c)
Teaching is a responsibility and it is a responsibility
we want to take seriously.
d)
When we become a teacher, we are making a commitment.
e)
We want to be present, visible, and ready to teach when
it is time to offer instruction.
32) Part
of our commitment to teach means a commitment to students in our class.
33) Part
of this commitment can come in the form of prayer.
a)
Adults and children like to know that their teacher is
praying for them.
b)
This is often a small but important part of teaching.
c)
Teachers may pray for some of the difficulties their
students are facing.
d)
They may pray that their students will be strong in the
faith.
e)
They can pray that their class goes as it should and
grows numerically and spiritually.
f)
Teachers are often encouragers and part of that
encouragement can come through prayer.
34) Teachers
have a function that causes them to interact with other people.
35) Teaching
and praying are two of the ways teachers connect with their students.
36) There
are other things that occur in the life of a teacher.
a)
Most teachers who are involved with children will have
contact with some parents.
b)
During the teacher’s workshop it was suggested that
teachers have a “parent teacher conference.”
c)
This is not a bad idea; such would probably not be
quite like what parents receive in the secular world.
d)
It would likely be a lot less formal and not take
nearly as long.
e)
In principle this is a very good idea.
37) Teachers
can open the lines of communication with parents.
38) Teachers
can convey what is being studied in class and show parents how they can help
outside of class.
39) Parents
should feel free to ask questions of the teachers.
40) Teachers
should welcome questions from parents.
a)
Teachers and parents should form a type of partnership.
b)
This is what every congregation should seek, but it is
not what every congregation experiences.
c)
There are times in virtually every congregation where
parent/teacher communication is not smooth.
41) Parents
may be angry with a Bible class teacher or a teacher gets upset with some
parents.
42) It
can be tempting for teachers or parents to run to the elders and say, “I have
this problem.”
43) God
tells us some things about communication and these things are important in the
area of teaching.
a)
Col. 4:6 says “let your speech be seasoned with salt so
you know how to answer each one.”
b)
Eph. 4:29 says “let no corrupt speech proceed out of
your mouth, but such as is good for edifying.”
44) Some
congregations have lost good Bible class teachers because they were attacked by
parents.
45) Some
classes have lost students because a Bible class teacher spoke harshly to
parents.
46) Parents
need to seek to support Bible class teachers and teachers support the parents
of their students.
47) Teachers
and parents need to have the sense to pull together, not have a tug of war
contest.
48) Part
of this involves being very careful in what we say.
49) We
want to communicate, and we want to communicate with speech seasoned with salt.
50) This
is true for everyone involved in any environment that relates to teaching.
51) Teaching
is one of the places where we can and absolutely must apply the golden rule.
a)
Teachers should try to understand the difficulties
parents have with their children.
b)
Parents should try to understand the problems teachers
can have in a class.
52) If
a teacher says to parents, “We have been having some problems with your child
in class.”
53) There
are parents who recoil and may shout, “MY CHILD WOULD NEVER MISBEHAVE.”
54) “YOU
ARE A BAD TEACHER – SOMEONE ELSE IS AT FAULT.”
55) A
parent may rant and rave at a teacher when the teacher is simply trying to
correct a problem.
56) Teachers
can be just as unkind to parents.
a)
Jesus said in Jn. 7:24, “judge righteous judgment.”
b)
Teachers need to know and apply this verse. They cannot play favorites in the classroom.
c)
Parents also need to know and heed what the Lord said.
d)
If a teacher comes to a parent and tries to discuss a
problem, listen.
e)
The principle from Jas. 1:19 is “be swift to hear and
slow to speak.”
f)
If a Bible class teacher is asking for help, listen and
see what can be done to aid them.
g)
We should also apply the golden rule. What if we were the teacher asking for help?
h)
How would we want to be treated? We would want help, so we aid the teacher.
57) At
times parents may have some questions about the classes their children are in.
58) If
we are teaching and a mother or father has a question, do not regard it as
criticism.
59) So
many times a question is asked and a teacher regards the comment as a put down.
60) See
questions for what they are: Questions.
61) There
may be cases where we, as a teacher, are criticized.
a)
Criticism is rarely fun; in some cases criticism needs to be offered
and it can be quite helpful.
b)
Many years ago I picked up a bad expression and used it
from the pulpit.
c)
At various times I said “I don’t care.” These words were used in a good way, but they
sounded bad.
d)
A lady who was about 50 years older than me one day
said she wanted to tell me something.
e)
She said she knew I cared and I might want to strike
this little phrase from my vocabulary.
f)
She was offering criticism – it was done in a kind way
and she was absolutely right.
g)
Unless I slip up, those words have been pretty much
banished from my vocabulary.
h)
Her observation and her courage to share it with me was
a good thing.
i)
Teachers need to realize they do not know it all.
j)
Others may have suggestions or ideas that can help us
improve.
k)
From continued study to careful interaction with
students and parents, we can be good teachers.
62) Tonight
we hope that each one here is a Christian and trying to teach in one way or
another.