Category Archives: Teacher Roles

A disciplemaking teacher follows our Lord’s agenda in Matthew 28:18-20. We disciple under His authority with His presence a vital part of the process. We should find ourselves described in a variety of ways as we pull on God’s power as disciple makers.

An Acrostic Describing What a Disciplemaking Teacher Does as a Discipler

D – Demonstrator

… able to say “follow me as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1)

I – Investor

… take what we’ve been given and invest it in others (1 Thess. 2:7-8; 2 Tim. 2:2)

S – Supporter

come along side with feedback and encouragement (Heb. 10:25; 1 Thess. 5:14)

C – Challenger

… spur others on to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24)

I – Instructor

… teach others to not only know but live in accordance with God’s Word (Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28-29; James 1:22-25)

P – Prayer

… trust God to do the heart work (Eph. 1:15-19a; Phil. 1:4-6)

L – Learner

… show by example that the Christian life is a growth process, not an instantaneous arrival (Phil. 3:12-14)

E – Equipper

… prepare people to do their part in helping others grow as well (Eph. 4:11-16)

R – Reproducer

… invest in students who in turn disciple others (2 Tim. 2:2)

When we as teachers do these things, it leads to students not only knowing about God but growing in their walk with Him so they in turn serve others.

For a Training Resource, Check Out: DISCIPLESHIP: Isn’t teaching a lesson enough? Teacher Training Worksheet (Please note that the acrostic in this post is not included in this resource.)

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 we hope to accomplish as teachers. The greater the impact we hope to have, the more we’ll need to get beyond simply communicating. We 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). In addition to being a communicator, we may also be a conduit, disciplemaker, equipper, friend, model, motivator, and servant. To see lives changed we must do more than merely transmit information. (Check out this resource: Bible Teacher’s Role Download)

You’ll find two more questions about a teacher’s role in the Bible Teacher’s Handbook of Frequently Asked Questions.

• What’s more important, a teacher’s role or qualities?
• What kind of role should a teacher take if students are hurting or struggling?

The handbook looks at 48 other topics related to Bible teachers answering a total of 153 questions.

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)

Do 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.

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?

You’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.