I’ve always had a passion for learning. Fortunately, this love hasn’t been limited to any one particular subject and spans across a variety of pursuits. For this reason, my mind is incessantly thinking, questioning, and pondering. I’ve come to realize, in new and old things alike, there is always something to be explored and discovered. This passion has caused me to develop a huge tenacity for reading. The margins of my books often bleed black and blue ink, while my longer reflections are reserved for the sticky notes I insert in them or the pages of my journals.
Salvatore Vuono/freedigitalphotos.net
On a routine bookstore visit, I asked a sales clerk if she preferred paper or digital books. Interestingly enough, I found we both share a love for books in their traditional form, but for two separate yet complimentary reasons.
I prefer hard copy books because I can easily write my thoughts and experiences in them while the clerk looks for the worn pages of books like mine to read those very things. In her words, “it’s like reading two people’s thoughts at the same time.” How cool is that?!
As much as I love it, reading and studying can be exhausting.
OF MAKING MANY BOOKS THERE IS NO END, AND MUCH STUDY WEARIES THE BODY.
ECCLESIASTES 12:12B NIV
Freedigitalphotos.net/Surachai
This statement originated with Solomon, a man who acquired wisdom early and was well acquainted with the joys and perils of a being a perpetual scholar. Solomon’s catalog includes Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the poetry penned in the Song of Solomon. In his lifetime, he composed 3000 proverbs and wrote 1005 songs, two of which include Psalm 72 and Psalm 127 (1).
Solomon the preacher aka the teacher can be viewed as an Old Testament example of the New Testament teacher.
THE VALUE OF TEACHERS IN THE SECULAR WORLD
I read Forbes’ The Most Promising Jobs for 2016 and was shocked at the findings based on research by job and recruiting site Glassdoor. Glassdoor compiled a list of America’s Top 25 Best Jobs by scoring their projected salaries, job opportunities and available openings.
freedigitalphotos.net/David Castillo Dominici
Ironically there aren’t any educational jobs on this list, yet success in any of the published occupations hinge on the effectiveness of a great teacher.
My research didn’t stop there, next, I read Forbes’ Jobs With the Brightest Future report, which seems to offer a more eclectic mix of career options. Here, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics was used to create a canon of America’s Top 10 Fastest and Slowest Growing Jobs. I was pleased to see Post-secondary Teachers are currently America’s 10th fastest growing profession!
Equally, as hopeful is data from U.S. News & World Reports. Two academic professions made their Top 100 Best Jobs list, Mathematicians at the #35 spot and High Schools teachers at the #81 position.
Though the overall job growth for educators appears to be slower than other occupations it doesn’t dampen their value in the slightest.
Teachers aren’t bound to the limitations of space and time, wherever you live in the world and whatever age you live in, you’ll need a teacher. Teachers aren’t recognized nearly as much as they deserve and neither are they compensated in the manner they should be. Personally, I believe their salaries should be as competitive as that of an attorney, physician or someone in the technical job market.
THE VALUE OF TEACHERS IN THE CHURCH
I haven’t been to many ordination services, but of the services I’ve attended I’ve never seen a teacher consecrated and commissioned for ministry work. This has both troubled and puzzled me.
In 2 Timothy 2:24, Paul admonishes his spiritual son, Timothy, that servants of God must be able to teach. You may argue, Paul wrote this letter to provide Timothy with directives for pastoring and this statement doesn’t apply to the typical believer. Then let’s consider the words of our greatest teacher…in The Great Commission given by Jesus Christ himself, He doesn’t ask but commands His followers to teach all nations. Why would Christ give us this command without giving us the ability to accomplish it?
In October 2015, during my leisure time, I discovered something pretty awesome in Ecclesiastes. Solomon actually gives an outline of some of the work teachers do:
- TEACHERS IMPART KNOWLEDGE (2).
- TEACHERS QUESTION THINGS & SEARCH MATTERS OUT (3).
- TEACHERS SEEK THE TRUTH (4).
We can all teach, but there is a different authority, level of revelation, and grace in those that God has sent as teachers for the Body of Christ.
In November 2015, I attended John Bevere‘s Good or God Tour in Charlotte, NC. 
John Bevere moves in an amazing level of revelation and has the ability to connect with his audience, whether spoken or written, so the material he teaches makes its greatest possible impact.
In my opinion, John Bevere is the epitome of a new testament teacher (5).
Special recognition to our teachers! I thank you for your special work and I look forward to seeing the emergence of affection towards this gift in the Church.
- [1] See 1 Kings 3:1-15, 2 Chronicles 1:1-14, 1 Kings 4:32
- [2] See Ecclesiastes 12:9a
- [3] See Ecclesiastes 12:9b
- [4] See Ecclesiastes 12:10
- [5] See Ephesians 4:11
Featured Image Photo Credit: Flickr/Grace Hebert
0 Comments