The Teaching Ministry

The three most critical principles that guide my educational practice is to ensure that the educational material is sought through prayer. All teaching in ministry should always be theologically correct. Thus, Christian educational teaching and the spiritual realm can not be separated. Bloesch wrote, "Theology that is biblical and evangelical will always be nurtured by prayer." (1) Prayer is the first element that should always be sought in Christian education and with plenty of it.

The second element that a teaching ministry should always encounter is the Holy Spirit. Esqueda stated, "The Holy Spirit helps Christian teachers by giving them discernment of Gods truths and empowering them to instruct students in a way that produces spiritual transformation." (2) Although, Christian educators seek the Holy Spirit's guidance through prayer, it is the Holy Spirit that gives the discernment of what material to teach and if the material is theologically based to ensure that transformation will take place.

The final critical principle that guides my educational process is to ensure that the biblical curriculum is historically correct. When I study the bible privately and for teaching I use a variety of outside sources that give great insights to the Scripture that I'm learning. There are a lot of theologians from the last century, but I also look into older theological works. In speaking of early doctrine and theology Lawson wrote, "Apologists were church leaders who wrote in response to persecution and to counter false accusations regarding Christian beliefs." (3) Those apologists who lived nearer to the time of the New Testament era and the Councils really ensured that Scripture maintained its Truth. Since those earlier apologists the Scripture has gone through scrutiny and liberal theologians have done their twisting of it. Therefore, I always look back to earlier outside sources as well.

Through prayer, guidance of the Holy Spirit, and Biblical Study is also the way that I anticipate the discoveries to influence and impact the instructional practice of a local ministry. Each teaching ministry is often different and have different "types" of groups. It is important to seek God's truths and guidance for each teaching ministry. As stated in the presentation the educational process involves: People, Processes, Products, and Preparation. These people, processes (different venues), products (the teaching) will vary widely therefore, the preparation may be different for each. However, prayer, guidance of the Holy Spirit, and rigorous Bible study never changes.

 The seven activities template that is most commonly used are: preparation, empower the leaner, lesson focus, message selection, assemble the material, communicate the lesson, and evaluation. The template seems to be a good template to use when preparing for a teaching ministry. Jesus states in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." The seven processes are great a way to know the "way" and the "Truth" to empower students to receive the Father and life. This is basically the process that I have used through my teaching ministry with much evaluation at the end of the teaching. Often I am too critical however, I must remember that is God that is illuminated and not me.

 

References

1. D. G. Bloesch, Prayer in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, (Gand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2001), 946.

2. Octavia J. Esqueda, The Holy Spirit as Teacher in The Teaching Ministry of the Church, edited by William A. Yount, (Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing, 2008), 75.

3. Kevin E. Lawson, Historical Foundations of Christian Education in Christian Education: Foundations For the Twenty-first Century, edited by Michael J. Anthony, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2001), Kindle Loc. 300.