FAQ about a Bible Teacher’s Role

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We’ve considered that who a teacher is matters. Now we want to turn our attention to a Bible teacher’s role … what they do.

Isn’t a teacher’s primary role to communicate God’s Word enough?

The answer to this question comes down to what you hope to accomplish through teaching. The greater the impact you hope to have, the more you’ll need to get beyond simply communicating. If you check out the Bible Teacher’s Role Download, you’ll see seven other roles in addition to communicator — conduit, disciplemaker, equipper, friend, model, motivator, and servant. A teacher who wants to see lives changed must do more than merely transmit information. Those who really want to go the extra mile may even find themselves taking on even more roles at times like that of a comforter, listener, counselor, encourage, and intervener as described in the Bible Teachers’ Many Roles in Times of Trouble Download.

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What’s more important, a teacher’s role or qualities?

We must remember that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7). A person “brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart … for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Lk. 6:45). Consequently, what we do needs to grow out of who we are — what’s in our heart. The various roles we might assume, to impact people’s lives in ways that count for eternity, need to be fueled by heart qualities that lead to effectively fulfilling that role.

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A Bible Teacher’s Role To Impact Lives

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If you teach God’s Word, you have an awesome responsibility for which God will hold you accountable (James 3:1). He wants to use you to impact lives, to make an eternal difference. Obviously that will involve communicating what the Bible says but it has to be more than that if you truly want to see changed lives. A Bible teacher’s role must go beyond the transmission of information to make a real impact. Knowledge alone will do little to bring students to spiritual maturity. Belief alone is insufficient as we read that “even the demons believe” (James 2:19).

To Impact Lives a Bible Teacher’s Role Must Be Multifaceted

To most effectively impact lives, you need to take on a multifaceted role that includes the following:

  • For students to grow in grace and their knowledge of the Lord, you need to be an effective communicator. (2 Pet. 3:18)
  • If you want their faith to rest on God’s power and not human wisdom then you need to be a conduit. (1 Cor. 2:4-5)
  • For your teaching to lead to fully devoted followers of Jesus, you need to be a disciplemaker. (Matt. 28:18-20)
  • To prepare students for life and service, you need to be an equipper. (Eph. 4:11-13)
  • In order for students to feel like you really care, you need to come alongside of them as a friend. (1 Thess. 2:7b-8)
  • For students to best understand how to walk with the Lord, model it for them. (1 Cor. 11:1)
  • To spur students on to love and good deeds, you need to be a motivator. (Heb. 10:24)
  • If you want students to become more selfless and willing to invest their lives into others then you must be an example for them of a Christ-like servant. (Phil. 2:5-7)

Bible Teacher's RoleDo you want to see these kinds of differences in your students’ lives as a result of your teaching? Take time to learn about each of the above roles you might need to assume to help your students get there. Check out the Bible Teacher’s Role Download.

If you’re a Christian Education director or other teaching ministry leader, this resource is available at a great discount to train your entire Bible teaching team. Think of the impact it would make in the lives of people in your church if all teachers took on these roles leading to such results as stated in the above bullet points.

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Servant Teachers Have Christ-like Relational Skills

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Servant Bible Teachers Have Christ-like Relational Skills
When we have the motivation and attitude of Christ, we come to serve and not be served (Mk. 10:45). Servant teachers demonstrate that through Christ-like relational skills. Remember that we are exhorted, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). Christ-like motivation and attitudes result in Christ-like treatment of others.

Ways Servant Teachers Demonstrate Christ-like Relational Skills

The real test of Christlikeness in how we treat students comes with those who seem to be more challenging. It’s easy to appreciate students who want to learn but what about those who don’t want to be there? We can graciously serve those who act the way they should but what about those who with bad behavior? And, we tend to respond well to students who respect what we have to say but what about those who are belligerent and disrespectful?

Bible Teacher's Role as a Servant and MoreYou’ll find some more thoughts about this in the Bible Teacher’s Role Download which also points to the Christ-like motivation, attitudes, and actions needed to be a servant teacher. In addition to being a servant, this resource also provides input on being a communicator, conduit, disciplemaker, equipper, friend, model, and motivator.

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Servant Teachers Have Christ-like Actions

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Servant Bible Teachers with Christ-like Actions

Bible teachers with hearts rooted in Christ-like motivations reflect His attitudes toward their students. What happens within the teachers then reveals itself outwardly in Christ-like actions of serving.

The Kind of Christ-like Actions Seen in Servant Teachers

Read through the Gospels and you will find Jesus meeting people where they were spiritually, sometimes helping them physically in order to meet what they viewed as their most pressing need. He modeled servanthood by washing the disciples feet, what would be considered a menial task. And, Jesus willing gave up the glories of heaven to come to earth as a man and ultimately sacrifice His life on our behalf in a cruel death. — being found in appearance as a man humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:8)

You’ll find three implications for teachers who want to follow Jesus’ example of servanthood in the Bible Teacher’s Role Download along with other aspects of being a servant teacher. This resource also provides instruction for seven other roles teachers might assume if they want to make a real impact on students’ lives.

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