Why Do We Teach?

This is a guest post from my friend Dale Hill...I've invited several people to provide guest posts because I want give you excellent information. -- Glenn

My dad taught me that if I don’t know ‘why,’ then I do not fully understand a thing. Though that may not apply to all situations and things, the principle has served me well through my life. Not being gifted with a purely logical mind, I have been able to use that mindset to move me to the core of much of my thinking and understanding about life.

Let’s apply that philosophy to what we do—why teach? More specifically, why do we teach? More pointedly, why do YOU teach?

There are many reasons why someone teaches, and we will outline some of them in this post.

1. We teach because we want to. This is a purely surface reason, but it is a necessary one. If you don’t want to teach, don’t do it—no matter who has asked you to fill a position. It is a grave mistake to fill a position with just a warm body, simply because the spot is empty. (Of course, I am not speaking here to those who are just getting started teaching. Maybe someone has called on you because they see something in you that needs to be developed. At this time, you may not ‘feel’ that you want to do this.)

2. We teach because we feel called to do so. Some of us simply cannot help ourselves—we teach all the time. We can’t hardly get into a conversation before an opportunity comes along to “lay something out more plainly” and off we go.

Those first two reasons can be summed up in the verse from Paul to the Corinthians: 1Cr 9:17 ESV - For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

3. We teach because it is a gift God has entrusted to us to build up the Body of Christ. Eph 4:11 ESV - And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

4. We teach because it is a part of the Great Commission. Mat 28:19 ESV - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." The phrase “make disciples” carries within it the idea of teaching, for it means “to enroll as a learner.” We enroll them as a learner and begin to teach them all that the Lord has commanded us.

However, it is my conviction that everyone is to be a teacher. While we each may need a Paul in our life to help us along the way, we each should also have a Timothy to whom we can impart the things the Lord is giving us. If we are not teaching someone, then we are only taking in; and we become like the Dead Sea with nothing flowing out.

I base this conviction on Hebrews 5:12 ESV - For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. That word was written to all the Hebrew Christians. It is a word that we take to ourselves as being for us. There comes a time when everyone should begin to teach.

Teachers, it is your responsibility to make sure that happens.

Glenn Brooke is on a quest to see 400,000 Bible teachers raised up. You can help by identifying those who are ready (or should be ready) to begin teaching at least one other person. Because of your gifting and calling, you are in a unique place to see this. In fact, you should be able to see the qualities in someone before the pastor does, and you can bring this person to the mind of the pastoral leadership in your church.

We teach because it is our passion to see the Kingdom of God and His glory fill the whole earth.

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Dale Hill has been a Bible teacher and pastor since 1970. He currently resides in central Pennsylvania with his wife, Gracie, a dog and two cats, and a bear from the mountainside that frequents the back yard. Dale maintains a blog for teaching, a FaceBook presence, and a website for his books. His most recent publication is Basic Bible Teachings, which is an interactive Bible study for personal use or evangelism. The book is free of charge, and you are encouraged to see if it is something that will work for you.