The answer to the title of this post seems obvious. Yes, Bible teachers should have the goal of advancing God’s work. We must take the question a step further and ask if it is really happening. Are your Bible teachers truly advancing God’s work?
Advancing God’s Work Needs to be a Conscientious Goal for Bible Teachers
How easy it can be to get off on tangents that merely reflect people’s opinions rather than what the Bible says! How quickly discussions about certain issues can turn into arguments! How subtly our focus can turn from that which builds up — the essentials of our faith, to that which divides — the controversial issues that often tend to be inconsequential to our faith. When these scenarios describe our classes, little happens to advance God’s work.
It’s a Bible teacher’s responsibility to keep the class from going that direction. To help us grasp how this objective needs to be a conscientious goal, we’re going to look at what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about his pastoral and teaching responsibilities in Ephesus. 1 Timothy 1 provides some understandings Bible teachers need if they are going to reach the goal. This post will look at how it’s a stewardship Bible teachers have to advance God’s Work. Consequently it should be their goal. Future posts will consider how the advancement of God’s Work can be hindered and how it can be promoted by Bible teachers. (You can subscribe to be notified of future posts.)
Understand the Stewardship of Bible Teachers to Advance God’s Work
The Greek word for “advancing” God’s work in 1 Timothy 1:4 is “oikonomia” which is the same word used for overseers who have a stewardship to manage or administrate God’s work. As good stewards of God’s work, we mustn’t allow it to get into “meaningless talk” (1 Tim. 1:6), arrogant pushing of one’s own agenda (1 Tim. 1:7), or misused and misdirected doctrine (1 Tim. 1:8-11).
Rather, we must keep bringing people back to the essentials, with alignment to the Gospel a primary concern (1 Tim. 1:12).
Notice how Paul told Timothy to “command certain people” not to go down that path. He wasn’t to merely make a suggestion that they stop. This lets us know how harmful “controversial speculations” are to the advancement of God’s work. And, it also shows us that the teacher or leader must take an active role in setting parameters to safeguard the environment so it builds up rather than tears down.
