Theology of the Teaching Ministry

THEOLOGY OF THE TEACHING MINISTRY

The teaching ministry of the church is what makes the church stand

apart

from other institutions or organizations. Teaching is how we learn

everything about God and what He desires for and from us. Matthew

28:19-20

says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them

in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and

teaching

them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you

always, to the very end of the age." It is so easy for individuals and

churches to lose sight of their mission or calling to teach the gospel.

If

the church fails to teach, they fail to be the church.

Discipleship begins at the time a person first accepts God's gift of

salvation and should not end until that person has breathed his/her

final

breathe. Sometimes we forget how important discipleship is and let

other

things be simply enough, such as worship services and activities. There

are

so many ways that the church is equipped to teach believers and make

disciples. It takes the church, as a whole, with every individual gift,

to

carry out God's desire to reach the world. Teachers play a part in this

goal. Theology

Theology is the starting point. The desire to study who God is must be

our

priority. Ephesians 4:15 says, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we

will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ."

The

goal for Christian education is to grow into Christ-likeness. This

process

of becoming like Christ starts with a change on the inside. Christ-

likeness becomes a side effect, not the focus. The Bible is, or should

be,

the source of central teaching. Relationships, relating with other

believers in significant ways, are important in growing spiritually. A

goal

in teaching spiritual growth, is relating Bible stories to living

biblically. Teachers must apply biblical truths to life by asking

questions

and posing problems. With the Holy Spirit, God's Word, and a

relationship

with the learner, growth into Christ-likeness will be achieved.

Organization

There must be organization within church leadership, it is biblical.

Exodus

18:18b says, "The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it

alone."

God calls people to use their gifts in different areas of the church.

God

calls individuals to be teachers. The leader in the church must entrust

responsibility to others in order to focus on his/her called task.

There

must be qualifications for leadership/teaching roles in the church. 1

Corinthians 12 calls the church a body, with many parts working

together

for the same goal. The body must have organization, parts in proper

places,

to achieve its goal. One of the goals of a teacher is to make more

teachers

(Luke 6:40).

The result of organized ministry is stated in Acts 6:7, "So the word of

God

spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a

large

number of priests became obedient to the faith." God as Teacher

God is our model and our source for teaching. God desires to

communicate

with us because He wants a relationship with us. We cannot know God

unless

He reveals Himself to us. God teaches us of Himself through the Bible.

Therefore, the Bible must be the basis for our teaching. When God

teaches,

He expects us to listen and obey.

There are so many examples of how God communicated with His people in

the

Old Testament, such as the parting of the sea to deliver Israel and the

burning bush to get Moses' attention. It is so important that we

realize

God's message for us today. "God's teaching ought to relate to

everything

we are and do." (40) God still speaks to His people today and we should

desire to know what He is saying.

God teaches us in different ways today. John