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The Teacher

by Pastor Abby Davidson 

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13

We have looked at the ministry roles of Shepherd, Evangelist, and Prophet so far in this series. This week we are looking at the role of Teacher. We have an example of a Teacher in Acts 18 where we read about Apollos. We are told he is a learned man with thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately (verses 24-26). Another great example of a Teacher in the Bible is the one the disciples called Rabbi. We call him Jesus!

I grew up with a father who is a teacher, which meant that everything was a learning opportunity. I remember any time my siblings or I would make a mistake (i.e. drive the car into a ditch), his response would always be “Now what did you learn?”. It affected how I see the world around me and even today, I still everything as a learning opportunity.

Teachers are important for the community of God because they remind us that we are always learning. They can take their knowledge of scripture and apply it in everyday situations. Here are some of the characteristics of a Teacher:

• Looks for ways to explain, enlighten and apply truth
• Enjoys studying and reading the Bible and helping others understand it
• Is concerned with logic, order, process, and development
• Leans toward proven systems to get the job done rather than unproven ones
• Can help bring practicality and realization to the dreams and visions of Prophets and Apostles
• They ask tough questions

Teachers are important for the Church because they help people learn about God. When new believers come into the church, Teachers are the ones who will help them learn about discipleship and understand biblical truth. They make great small group leaders or bible study leaders. Teachers also help people deepen their faith and gain new understanding about God. When Teachers work together with the Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Apostles in their congregation, the Church will grow and thrive.

Think you might be a Teacher? Let us know. Here is the link to take the FiveFold ministry test. http://www.fivefoldsurvey.com/