Bible Teaching Requires the Personal Growth of the Teacher

Bible Verses for Teachers to Grab Hold of Regarding Their Own Personal Spiritual Growth:

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Col. 3:16)

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deut. 6:6-7)

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:12-14)

The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. (Lk. 6:40)

How the Word is Central to Spiritual Growth:

Bible teachers need to keep the Word central in their teaching but also in their personal lives. The following phrases from the above verses depict how much of a part Scripture is to have in our lives:

“dwell among you richly” – This phrase suggests the concept of the Word taking up residence which implies that it is a regular part of our lives.

“to be in your heart” – This phrase promotes not just knowing what the Bible says but truly believing it to the core of your being. The importance of having the Word rooted in our hearts becomes clear in verses like Proverbs 4:23. — “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

How Spiritual Growth is Ongoing:

The Apostle Paul, though a great teacher and leader, made it clear that even he hadn’t arrived. Bible teachers would do well to remind themselves of their need to keep learning and growing as seen in the following phrases from the above verses:

“Not … obtained all this”

“I press on”

Why Bible Teachers Must Keep Growing Personally:

As seen in the following phrases, we can only pass on where we have personally been:

“student is not above the teacher”

“everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher”

Bible teachers need to keep growing in their own walk with the Lord so they have something to teach, somewhere to take their students so they keep growing. For helpful resources, go to: Spiritual Growth Resources