TEACHER’S SELF-DEVELOPMENTIN THE YOUTH MINISTRY

Children Bible Fellowship

Isaac Choi

OVERVIEW

The future of our children is our hope. Their visions are our hope and their possible dream will be our joy and delight.

Teacher who teaches and takes care of them is to design their hope and joy like an artist. Through teacher’s devotion, faith and tearful prayer, their hearts are molded, and their hope and joy are completed. Then, the question is how to maximize teacher’s capacity to fulfill this tremendous task which God has given. This lecture is a preparation for our hope and joy. The main points are what the definition of self-development as a teacher, what they are, how do it and how to utilize these in our youth ministry based on the word of God.

YOUTH MINISTRY(BBF, CBF, JBF, HBF)

Children

Teachers Parents

Triangle relationship in youth ministry

TEACHER’S SELF-DEVELOPMENT

I. Hook (Observation and hint)

There was a theology professor at the Dallas seminary Howard Hendricks Ph.D. who was renowned world-wide as an educator. When he gave a lecture to his students, he often talked about his professor while he was a student who influenced him a lot. Mr. Hendricks used to pass through his professor’s house many times in a day. He always saw his professor’s room’s light on and his shadow on the table through the light. One day Mr. Hendricks asked him, “Teacher, how could you study all the time? I couldn’t see your room’ light off.” What a surprised answer he had. “I don’t want to give non-flowing-water to my students, but fresh and flowing water from river or fountain.”

“FLOWING WATER AND NON-FLOWING WATER”

Comparison between flowing and non-flowing water

The State of Illinois has a law that every driver must renew one’s driver license every 5 years up until 70 years old. After that, they must go through every 4-3 years. Based upon their individual ability, driver must take the road test or written test, some case both tests for the sake of safety.

Generally school teachers take many on-going trainings and proper educations in order to maintain their job.

More than that, every teacher in our youth ministry has 3 roles as a teacher: teacher, shepherd and parent (according to my CBF lecture).

TEACHER

Shepherd

Teacher

Parent

*** What kind of water (flowing or non-flowing) do you want to give to your students?

In other words, we are taking care of young souls. So we must do our best to develop ourselves as teachers.

Let me ask you with 3 questions this time (fill out answers).

1) How many hours do you prepare for student Bible study lesson in a week?

2) How long (minutes) does your class last?

3) Do you try to practice what you taught to your students?

II. BOOK (MAIN SUBJECT FROM BIBLE STUDY)

***Bible passage: 1 Peter 5:2-4

2 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them -- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;

3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

1) What does it mean “Be shepherds of God’s flock under your care, watching over them”? (2a) 

2) Whose sheep are they?

Based on this passage, God raised and appointed us as teachers. And he entrusted his beloved children to us. Even though he entrusted them to us to take of care, but they belong to him, not us. So we must teach them with God’s word and take care of them in God’s way.

Then, we come to know what kind of attitude we need as teachers for this task which God has given.

3) What are the bad attitudes that we have to get rid of as teachers? (2b)

The attitudes of “you must” and “pursuing dishonest gain” are not God’s will, but those things belong to my will and my way. In other words, we are using God’s word and name for our own glory and benefit.

So we must examine ourselves whether we are looking for other’s recognition or praise as teachers. Our purpose of serving God’s children should be for God’s glory and pleasing to him.

4) What are the good attitudes that we must have as teachers? (2b)

Bible passage encourages us to serve God’s flock with willing heart and joyful heart. ***How can we have such willing heart and joyful heart when we serve students as teachers?

ⅰ) We have to have right relationship with God. Dt. 6:4-5 ------Relationship begins with love each other. Jn. 21:15-17---When Peter loved Jesus, he asked him to feed sheep. 

ⅱ) We must know our Lord Jesus’ heart and will.

When an employee hear and understand his boss’ instruction well, his job will be easy and productive work. Jesus wants to save all people from their sins by any mean. When we know Jesus’ heart and desire well, we join with him voluntarily and share his joy togetherⅲ) We must remember God’s grace and love who forgave all our sin through his Son, Jesus Christ and gave us eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Ro. 1:5 --- “Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.”  When we have a bully or disobedient or talk back students in our class, we became easily irritated. But we must remember Jesus’ love and grace who took all our sins and short coming in his cross.

5) Then, what is the best way to teach and how should we exercise our leadership as teachers? (3b)

Example --- Worship service is very important. It is because sinners are coming to God and meet him personally through the worship service. If teacher do not come or late to students worship, students can not learn the spirit of true worship. 6) When we keep these words of God as teachers, what will happen? (4)

Although our children who really like games, funs and eating presently, they will be our witnesses before God on that day. So we, teachers do our best to the end until we will hear our Master’s praise, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Ⅲ. LOOK (APPLICATION) *** What kind of things did make me very happy and meaningful, or difficult while I was serving as a teacher?

1) When did I become joyful and comforted as a teacher? (3)

2) When did I frustrate and tired as a teacher? (3)

3) What kind of teacher do you want to be? (3)

 

1. The best teaching is being examples to the students. In that sense, how was my teaching and my practical life matching?

1) For students who came late all the time: Come early and prepare all things before meeting. Phone or text message visiting before 20-30minutes.

2) For students who disrupted worship service/ Bible study: Teacher participates in meeting with sincere attitude. Teacher may not talk with student or other teacher.

3) For students who made troubles: Make clear what was wrong./ Correct with acts of love.

4) For students express boring and no interest: Substitute with Bible passage related programs such as: Bible --- writing, memorizing, quiz, short skit, music, game, puzzle, physical

exercise and so on. Teacher must show 100% participation in everything.

2. What must I develop in order to be a good teacher?(Providing with cool, clean and flowing water) List them here 

The most important thing in teacher’s self-development is spirituality. As a teacher, spiritual growth is necessary though we are mature than children. 1 Peter 2:2a says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk…….” This verse indicates that we have to grow continually until we know Jesus very personally. Apostle Paul showed himself as the most educated person in the Bible. Nonetheless, he said in Phi 3:10 like this, “I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (Ph. D professors are required to publish article every year to maintain professorship) Teacher’s spiritual growth is essential in youth ministry in order to be an example and role model to students. After the spiritual growth, teacher has to fill with teaching techniques on top of the spiritual foundation. These are so call teacher’s self-development.

Ⅳ. TOOK (PRACTICAL/ WORKABLE/ FEASIBLE THINGS)

Teacher’s self-development

When we stand before students for the first time as teachers, we often questions about ourselves “Do I qualify as a teacher?” or “Can I be a good teacher?” Those questions are nothing but worry itself.

It is because a good teacher will be formed through the self-development, learning and training, not to be born. 

1. Spirituality (Spiritual growth)

1) God’s word 

**2Ti. 3:16-17 --- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

**Heb. 4:12 --- “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

2) Prayer 

Prayer is the conversation between God and man. Prayer to God is not just talking by our lip, but it requires our mind, heart, spirit and soul with faith (Mk. 9:29).

Also prayer makes our souls refresh and strong. (1Co. 14:15) 

3) Piety 

Calvin said, “Piety is the unity of respect and love to God together.” Generally service, temperance and obedience come from piety, not piety itself.

But pious life produces these as fruit of it as well as leads us to God and have intimate relationship with him.

2. Techniques (Teaching techniques)

 

1) Language 

In teaching no one can deny the importance of language. It is because language is the essential tool for teaching. However, the language has power to give life or destroy. Also it makes one strong or powerless and disappoint. Thus, language has powerful influence. So we must master the language technique (Jas. 3:1-12). 

2) Counseling

Love comes from the concern about others. Mk. 6:34 says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”

Shepherd’s job is watching his sheep with concern. Indeed, Jesus is our good shepherd and counselor who know everything in us and resolve our problems.

Counseling is not matter of technique, but the matter of love and truth (Jn. 3:1-21, 4:1-26, 8:2-11).

SPIRITUALITY + Spiritual growth

TECHNIQUES = Teaching techniques

SELF-DEVELOPMENT

*** TEACHER’S 7 SELF-DEVELOPMENTS

1. Develop team work  Teacher is a leader in a small group or class. For a successful and winning team, leader and team members work together. Look at Jesus who worked together for a kingdom work with his immature disciples to the end.

2. Raise expectation ratio  Hope gives a motivation and endurance and strength to overcome for a goal. Higher expectation brings more rooms to grow. Jesus had great hope for his disciples although they were young spiritually and uneducated. 3. Express love and affection  Students in this generation are very much isolated by technology. Also due to the various kind of family and social structures they are hungry for love and lonely. Show them with your parental love. 4. Listen and talk (communication)  We are responsible for spiritual growth of younger generation. However there are some generation gap between teacher and students. For mutual understanding and team work we need to communicate each other freely.

*** TEACHER’S 7 SELF-DEVELOPMENTS5. Humility and respect God gives grace to the humble, but he opposes to the proud. In Exodus, God used Moses greatly to lead his people. Because he was humble. Humility is the essential leadership element which God uses. Although students are young, they are persons with the image of God individually. So we must respect their personality and serve them with humility. Then, they will get alone with teacher. 6. Bless and encourage  People like and follow those who bless and encourage rather than criticize and insult. Likewise teacher’s encouragement and blessing give huge impact to student’s learning progress and their lives.

7. Learn and develop  Teacher is always a student. Unless he learn and develop about knowledge and characters, there is no growth at all like non-flowing water. No growth means no leadership at all. The truth is that teacher’s learning and development are necessary responsibilities as long as he keeps his teaching position.

“Even Eagles Need A Push”