Teachers Who Impact Lives

Written by Wayne Poling

 

Recently, waiting in an airport for my next flight, I met a man who in the course of a few minutes became a huge blessing to my life. As we visited with great excitement he shared about his pilgrimage with the Lord and the Lord's blessings on his life. With special joy he shared about a teacher who had not only taught him, but in his own words also discipled him. The teacher had taken a special interest in him both inside and outside the classroom.

 

The man went on to tell about the influence that teacher had on his whole life. This teacher had caught the true meaning of teaching: to see lives transformed. He went beyond merely relaying information and facts. His desire was for those he taught to integrate into their minds and hearts biblical truths that set the course for living. He had discovered the importance of not only communicating Bible truths but also living them.

 

Are you merely communicating information and facts, or are you truly investing in the lives of your members both in and out of class? Take a look at these characteristics of teachers who teach to transform and see if they are reflected in your own life.

 

• They teach with the awareness that God's calling to teach.
• They love and affirm the people they teach.
• They are aware of the needs of those they teach and are concerned about their spiritual growth.
• They believe in the transforming power of the Word of God and the importance of every teaching session.
• They seek the best ways to communicate the truths of God's Word.
• They teach in a variety of ways and use those approaches that best suit their students.
• They are experiencing the truths of God's Word in their own lives and teach from that personal experience.
• They are committed to personal preparation, which includes preparing their own hearts and minds to teach and preparing to lead each teaching session.
• Their lives "teach the lesson" by example.
• They realize that regardless of how skilled they are, their true power comes from the Holy Spirit.
• They believe that Bible teaching is not an end in itself and must lead those they teach to continue learning and living the truth beyond the classroom.

 

Don't settle for merely getting through your lesson each Sunday. Instead, resolve that you will teach in a way that impacts people for eternity. Make the necessary investments. Someday, one of your students will sit in an airport telling a new friend about a teacher that changed his life.

 

Wayne Poling is Sunday School/FAITH ministry specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, Tennessee.