As Bible teachers we need to get beyond the mere mechanics of teaching to “being” those whom God uses to make a difference in students’ lives. Devotionals can help us maintain the right focus.
(Check out the devotionals for teachers at Ministry Tools Resource Center.)
Devotionals Provide Encouragement that Helps Bible Teachers Maintain the Right Focus
As a means of teacher training, devotionals go beyond needed teaching skills to attending to hearts and our walk with God. They can provide reminders of our need to tap into God’s power. As such, devotionals can address some key factors related to Bible teaching.
1) The Practice of Accountability
James 3:1 says “… we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Teachers therefore need to be challenged to guard their words and examine their lives.
Devotionals will often help us look at what’s happening inside, at the core of our being, so our actions line up with God’s desires. “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). The heart, according to Proverbs 4:23, “is the wellspring of life.”
Encouragement: Focus on the heart and you shouldn’t have to fear accountability.
For more on accountability:
2) The Principle of Sowing and Reaping
“A man reaps what he sows” (Gal. 6:7-10). What a teacher sows into his/her own life will have a way of spilling out onto others. Those who do not take time for spiritual growth opportunities, or personal enrichment, will soon have little to offer.
Devotions should provide us with a time of reflection about what we’re sowing into our lives and teaching.
Encouragement: Focus on feeding your spirit and you will have something to share.
For more on sowing & reaping:
3) The Priority of Being Over Doing
God’s recruitment criteria is the person of the heart, not one’s skill or appearance. “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)
Devotionals can serve as reminders that who we are matters to God, not just what we do. This kind of encouragement spills over into what we do in the classroom.
Encouragement: Focus on what’s on the inside and you will soon be doing what you should do.
For more on “being”:
- Being Versus Doing: Which is most important in ministry?
- Teacher Acrostic – What’s in Your Heart?
- Bible Teacher Qualities
Using devotionals geared to Bible teachers can encourage and enrich but also provide challenges sometimes needed to move to the next level not only in teaching but especially in one’s walk with God.