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CLASSROOM TEACHING

I'm an Oral Roberts University graduate, and I learned a valuable lesson as a student there.

In one of my course our teacher informed us that the best way to learn material was to teach material, and so in every class a student was designated to speak a portion of the lesson.

After the student taught a portion the teacher would come in and reinforce, take further, or clean up any messes the student had made.

The idea here was that the best learners made a quick progression from listening-to-doing-to-teaching and then rinse and repeat the process.

Paul understands the same concept.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:7

Paul is writing to a young church with new believers recently out of pagan worship circles and he is quickly encouraging them that (to various degrees) they have the words of knowledge and wisdom that ought to be shared.

" 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,"

In other words, Paul wants the young Christians to start teaching immediately.

He echoes this elsewhere,

"18b Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord," (Ephesians 5:18b-19)

"16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." (Colossians 3:16)

4 Then [older women] can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, [older men] encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." (Titus 2:4-8)

In other words, Paul imagines that everyone has a teaching, knowledge, wisdom ministry to one another (however, not necessarily occupying the office of what would be a biblical Elder/Overseer).

TEACH, TEACH, TEACH

This Pentecost season, we remember that when the Holy Spirit fills us, we become a teaching-one-another people.

  • Declaring the wonders of God
  • Reciting pslams, hymns, and songs
  • Giving words of knowledge and wisdom

In other words, being a disciple in the spirit-filled church means we are always learning but we are also always teaching one-another.

If you find yourself endlessly listening to sermons, reading books, and consuming podcasts and never teaching those in your circle...start teaching.

You are called to be a spirit-filled believer that regularly communicates the Gospel and the life of discipleship to your circle.

Go into your world and teach.