Reflections from a Teacher

On Monday I had a rare opportunity to go to a conference. It was rare because 1) I don't get to go to conferences often, and 2) I don't get to listen to sermons or talks without interruption anymore, due to small children fighting in the cry-room. At least, not in the flesh. There are some podcasts I subscribe to so that I can hear talks while houseworking...

The talks were on 2 Timothy, and they were very refreshing. One of the things that I've been challenged about recently is teachability. As a teacher, I have become accustomed to several things that aren't helpful for Christian growth (or the long-term spiritual health of those I teach!):

1. The bible becomes a textbook. In the rush of modern life, our bible reading time can become our preparing-for-the-next-lesson time. When this happens, we look to the passage for what we can tell other people, rather than what God is trying to tell us. It's a subtle shift, but it ends up making us somewhat immune to God's voice. We become the authority over God's word, rather than God's word being the authority over us.
   
2. People become students, rather than fellow-journeyfolk. In pastoral ministry, if teachers aren't able to be taught themselves, they begin to treat other Christians as projects, rather than fellow believers. This can be exaggerated by the congregation - they see the pastor or teacher as invulnerable, and the teacher begins to believe it. We feel unable to share our vulnerability with those around us, and that makes us even more vulnerable to pride, arrogance, and the big crash into sin that creeps up ever so slowly.
   
3. We struggle to hear other teachers. At college, you're taught how to critique other students' sermons in order to help them get better at preaching. It's a good idea to work as a team, but it's an unhelpful habit that we don't lose once we leave college. Instead of sitting under someone's teaching on a Sunday, we can quietly think about alternative illustrations that would have worked better, or better ways to put the point. The word of God remains an intellectual exercise. It's the most dangerous position for it to be, for when we cease to allow our hearts to be challenged and changed by God's spirit, we are like the false teachers in 2 Timothy, "having a form of godliness, but denying its power."
   

I was reminded this morning of an old Petra song (showing my age!):

Don't let your heart be hardened
Don't let your love grow cold
May it always stay so childlike
May it never grow too old

Don't let your heart be hardened
May you always know the cure
Keep it broken before Jesus
Keep it thankful, meek and pure

Or as Jesus said:
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

I need to keep on reminding myself to be humble, teachable and open-hearted, like a child meeting their saviour for the first time.