Teachers Making a Difference by Rescuing and Guiding Lives with Love

The ministry of being a Christian teacher is more than just making sure that the students learn the required subjects. It is glorifying God and magnifying Christ by a biblically saturated life and testimony that challenges and molds sinners and saints eternally. Your love and joyful spirit, evidenced in actions as well as words, indicate the level of commitment to a vibrant faith-walk that encourages students to acquire what you possess.

Effective Christian teaching is accomplished only by a teacher who properly addresses the whole student—body, soul (mind), and spirit. A teacher naturally thinks in terms of imparting information to the mind and often concentrates on this to the neglect of the other parts.

Physical and Emotional Needs

A student who is not getting adequate nutrition, rest, and exercise or has health problems is hampered in concentrating on the assigned tasks. Likewise, an individual under stress from severe family disruptions, like divorce, death, or abuse, will not be able to use his mind effectively. The student may be emotionally upset because his pet died or he was not picked for the volleyball team or he just broke up a relationship. In these minor emotional upsets a sympathetic and listening attitude with suggestions for relieving or remedying the problem is appropriate.

Recognition and referral are the only recourse in more serious physical and emotional cases. A teacher is treading on shaky ground when he tries to handle family, physical, or emotional problems without the right training. Having a college course in counseling or one year of practical nurse’s training does not qualify you to counsel, diagnose, or give advice about medication.

Mental and Spiritual Needs

Speaking to the spirit and being concerned about the spiritual welfare of students is the privilege of a Christian teacher. You must speak to the heart, which contains the mind and spirit, including the conscience.

In the Old Testament heart is an inclusive term that refers to the inner core of a person, that is the self, and does not separate the mind, spirit, or conscience. "Out of [the heart] are the issues [outgoings] of life" (Proverbs 4:23). Sometimes heart does refer to the physical organ, and in several Bible passages it means courage and inner strength. The meaning in each passage is made clear in the immediate context.

In the New Testament heart conveys the same general meaning. However, in several places Paul refers to the heart as the mind. This was of great importance and a familiar term to Paul’s audiences (Romans 1:28, 7:25, 12:2, 14:5; I Corinthians 1:10, 2:16; Philippians 2:2–5, 3:19).

Help students learn to be discerning. When to challenge a point, idea, or action and when to remain silent is critical in the application of faith and a biblical value system. A "letter of the law" Christian or a pharisaical attitude does not help one’s faith-testimony to sinners or saints. The student must learn to trust and have faith in the wisdom of His Christian teachers if the teaching agrees with the Bible and the godly values he has received at home. If a point or idea given by the teacher or an individual merits a challenge or questioning, it must be done without arrogance, showing respect and humility.

Born-again teachers strive to help students internalize their faith, knowing that is the way to produce individuals who will live their faith. Bible principles and faith teaching are the foundation of Christian teaching and give learning permanence, leaving a lasting impression on the minds and lives of students.

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