Page 5 - Teaching Principles and Methods Student Textbook short

Becoming a teacher is a noble calling. A teacher gleans truths from God’s Word and shares those truths
with others. What could be more important than that? A teacher takes a situation in someone’s life
and gives that person guidance based on the Word. A teacher brings light into the lives of people where
there may be darkness.

However there is a catch. Because of the grave responsibility a teacher has in their influence in the lives
of others, God says they will be judged at a higher level than if they remained silent.

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will
be judged with greater strictness.

A teacher will be held accountable for what they share, the guidance they give, and the direction they
lead. The reason is that a teacher has to be able to carefully understand and know what the Scriptures
teach about a subject and carefully communicate TRUTH to others. If the teacher slants the truth or
perverts it in any way, then that teacher will be judged accordingly. That means a teacher MUST KNOW
the Word and accurately interpret God’s Word exactly as God has written it for us.

What this means is that a teacher has to be a student in God’s Word. He must daily seek to study and
understand the Bible so that the information He learns can then be accurately passed on to others. The
more time he spends in the Word and in fellowship with Christ, the better teacher he will be. So you
see, one of the KEYS to becoming a great teacher is to immerse yourself in God’s Word on a daily basis.

II Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to
be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (NIV)

Note: Sometimes a teacher of a class is given a Sunday School book to read and then teach to a class.
Reading over someone else’s commentary of a passage of Scripture and just reiterating that information
to a class IS NOT studying God’s Word. If you don’t dig directly into the passage yourself, you are not
assured that the person who wrote the commentary accurately interpreted the passage. Secondly, you
need to be the person of original source. The Word needs to come from your diligent study, allowing
the Holy Spirit to make the lesson real to you. Then, you are ready to teach the passage. Later in this
study we will learn how to do the original study in the Scriptures rather than present someone else’s
information or misinformation.

2. Have the right attitude.

Becoming a teacher, especially of a class or group of people, is a lofty position.
People will look up to you for guidance and information. People will even make
changes in their lives based on what you have taught them. Sometimes people
teach classes just to be recognized as one of the “elite” group in the church who
knows a lot about the Bible. Becoming a teacher can be a source of personal pride.

The greatest teacher of all times was Jesus Christ. He amazed the crowds that
followed and heard his discourses. He was God in flesh. If anyone would be considered deserving of
admiration and praise as a teacher, it would be Him. Let’s read these verses to find out His attitude in
life and in dealing with others.

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