FM INTERNATIONAL INC. SEMINARS CHRISTIAN TEACHING
“We have not balanced our preaching with adequate teaching, and have consequently given people half the Gospel which has produced many half-baked Christians” —-Sam Kisseadoo
A) WHY WE TEACH
It is a Command of the Lord Jesus to His disciples— Math. 28: 20
Jesus, our Leader and Example, was primarily a Teacher — St. John 3:2;
11: 28. He told His Disciples in St. John 13: 13: “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.”
Math. 4: 23 — He was Teaching (first), and to get converts to accomplish His teaching task He was Preaching, and to complete His work and be absolute Lord He was Healing as well. These three form the package of the Full Gospel.
Math. 11: 1 — After Jesus sent out His Disciples, He went to teach and preach in their cities. Do what He tells you to do, and he knows how to take of yours for you.
Mark 6: 34 — When Jesus saw the multitudes like sheep without a shepherd (leader or guide), He had compassion for them, and the best way He expressed it was to “teach them many things” (lead and guide them).
Mark 8: 31 — When Jesus realized that His Followers had not clearly understood His impending Trial, Death, and Resurrection as inevitable necessity for the salvation of mankind, He took time to teach them these truths. This is what every Leader must do for those he is leading. Fathers must take time in this way to teach their families.
Jesus used His chances in the synagogue on the Sabbath to teach. Many who heard Him were astonished at His teaching, wisdom, and works — Mark 6: 2
Without teaching we cannot make any Disciples of Jesus for God’s Kingdom —
Math. 28: 19, 20. This is the only way to “present very man perfect (mature) in Christ” — Col. 3: 28. People will only remain converts who cannot bear fruit if we do not make them Bible students who know God’s ways.
Preaching or proclamation (declaration) of the Gospel must be accompanied by sound Biblical teaching, otherwise we do not give people the Full Gospel that fulfills God’s will for mankind, and we cannot be full Disciples ourselves.
God’s truths will be lost to us, and we cannot know Him deeper or understand our relationship with Him. We would not inherit His promises by having faith in Him, or use His gifts correctly, and we cannot receive any more revelations from God.
B) WHAT WE TEACH
We must be fully aware of the fact that it is God who does the teaching through us. We are only His channels for the distribution of His truths to men. The Holy Spirit was given to us as our Helper to “teach us all things and bring to our remembrance all things that Jesus says to us” — St. John 14: 26. Paul emphasized to the Corinthians that “we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” All teaching must be based on the Bible (God’s Word) and should be applicable to daily living. “The Word of God is spirit and life” — St. John 6: 63. If we do not base our teaching on scripture, we would end up feeding people with human wisdom that cannot give them victory over the devil and his works. Fleshly teaching will produce works of the flesh. It must ultimately help the learner to draw closer to God and make Jesus Lord of his or her life. Observers should clearly recognize that we are teaching powerfully in the Name of Jesus — Acts 4: 18; 5: 28.
We need to focus our teaching on the following:
The importance of “all that Jesus commanded us”, and how to observe them — Math. 28: 20.
Teaching the fear of the Lord — Psalm 34: 11.
Teaching transgressors God’s ways — Psalm 51: 13.
The assurance that God guides the humble in Justice and teaches the humble His ways — Psalm 25:9.
Just as Moses did for Israel, we should teach God’s people the Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments. The Statutes or Decrees are laid down to address the principles by which they are to be governed; the Judgements or Laws do address the specifics. The people are to be shown the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Then they can live and possess their inheritance, when they observe them — Exodus 18: 20; Deut. 4: 1 & 5: 31.
Teaching God’s people to know war (how to fight spiritual and social battles and win) — Judges 3: 2; Eph. 6: 10-18.
Teach the good and right way (making right decisions, honest dealings, looking out for the interest of others, acts of holiness etc.) — 1Sam. 12: 23. In Solomon’s prayer
for Israel, he asked God to forgive the sins of the people and teach them the good way in which they must walk — 1Kings 8: 36
Teach them to number their days (realize how short their life on earth is, and how they should make good use of their time and opportunities to do good to their fellow men and serve the Lord faithfully) — Psalm 90: 12.
Teach them to pray as Jesus taught His Disciples — Luke 11: 1. Prayer seals the word in the heart and spirit. After meditation, they should learn to pray the Living Word’s response in their spirits
back to God. The Word is Light (Psalm 119: 105, 130), and will show us what to pray for in accordance with God’s will.
C) HOW WE TEACH
The Church of Jesus Christ is required to proclaim (declare) the Gospel in public, and teach the believers from house to house (family to family) — Acts 5: 42 & 20: 20.
A real Teacher sent from (or led by) God is unique in style, character, authority, content of message, and works. This was true of Jesus; the results of His teaching were unique, especially because “He taught them as one having authority” — Math. 7: 28, 29; Mark 6: 2. This should be true of His followers. Our authority is based on obedience to God’s commandments, the power of God’s Spirit in us, the convictions that have been deposited in us by God concerning His truths, the infallibility of the Bible, and the excellent results of the teaching we impart.
Some essential points are as follows:
Be absolutely convinced in your mind and heart about what you say. “Whatever is not from faith is sin” — Romans 14: 5, 23.
Like Ezra, “study God’s Word, do it (obey), and teach it” — Ezra 7: 10.
Build a personal relationship (fellowship) as a teacher with your student. As you teach, aim at making a Disciple or Follower of Christ. Look out for those who will genuinely receive the teaching, and build them up to become teachers themselves. “Anyone who is fully taught (trained) will be like his teacher (Luke 6: 40). The principle is for you to “entrust the truth to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” — 2Tim. 2: 2.
Learn to go to people in their homes as follow-up of public meetings, in order to obtain the appropriate evaluation of things and teach them on personal level.
In-depth teaching can only be done very effectively by the Church “from house to house” — Acts 5: 42; 20: 20.
Teach no other doctrine, except what is Biblical —1Tim. 1:3. The doctrine must “agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to Godliness” — 1Tim. 6: 3.
Encourage them to trust the Lord and have a deep personal relationship with Him themselves, and not be dependent upon you or others. Just as Paul did for the Church in Ephesus, “commend them to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build them up and give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” — Acts 20: 32.
Aim at the highest standard and “set the believers an example” (1Tim. 4: 12) in the 5 areas of: speech, conduct, faith, love, purity. Your students will be like you. Teach them by your obedience and example.— Titus 2: 7.
Feed them the right food at their level, at the right time, which will make them grow up and be useful for the Lord. (Math. 24: 45; 1Thess. 5: 11).
Be focused and targeted, using wisdom in your teaching. Be a “wise steward” (Luke 12: 42)
Aim at presenting them before God as mature Believers in Christ — Col 1: 28.
Feed them patiently, and tend (care for them) to be productive. — St. John 21: 15-17; 1Peter 5: 2. Speak clearly and systematically. Get a feedback and repeat if necessary.
Show seriousness in your teaching. — Titus 2: 7, 8; Mark 1: 22.
Put in the required time, and be committed.— 1Thess. 5: 14; 1Tim. 4: 15.
Remain faithful to God, the truth, and the people you teach. — 2 Tim. 1: 13, 14; 2Tim. 2: 15; 1Tim. 6: 2, 3; 1Tim. 5: 21; Luke 12: 42-44.
D) KEY ELEMENTS OF BEING A GOOD TEACHER
Know the subject matter.
Take time to prepare for it.
Make it relevant and interesting.
Give the students everything you have.
Decide to do your very best.
Care for the students you teach.
Live an exemplary life according to what you teach
“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”— Mark 7: 6, 7.
May the Lord help us to teach as doctrines, the true commandments of God, so that God will not consider all of our worship and religious activities as vain efforts.
Copyright March 2002, revised June 2008 Rev. Dr.Samuel A. Kisseadoo (Professor of Biology, Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, USA)
Founder and President, Fruitful Ministries International Inc., 6 Red Robin Turn, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA.
Ph 757-7289330 Fax 757-7289335 E-mail: [email protected]
