The Spiritual Gift of Teaching

Hand a good teacher a genealogy in Chronicles or a knotty argument in Romans, and by the end of the hour the room can see what it means for Monday morning. Ephesians 4:11 pairs pastors with teachers as people Christ gives to equip His church.

Jesus sent His followers out "teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20), so good teaching aims at changed lives. James adds a warning: "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1).

When God's people gathered after the exile to hear His law, the Levites read it, "explaining it and giving insight, so that the people could understand what was being read" (Nehemiah 8:8). When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, the people "were astonished at His teaching" (Mark 1:22).

Teaching can happen at a kitchen table. When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos, they "took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:26). Paul told older women to be "teachers of good" to younger women (Titus 2:3-4).

• When you learn something from Scripture, your first thought is how to explain it to someone else.
• You enjoy preparing a lesson, including the hours of study nobody sees.
• You can tell when a class is lost, and you find another way to say it.
• You care whether people remember the lesson next week and live it.

• Teaching beyond what you've studied or what Scripture clearly says.
• Enjoying being the expert in the room.
• Treating teaching as information and forgetting to pray for your students.
• Getting defensive when someone questions your interpretation. Apollos was willing to learn (Acts 18:26).

• Teach a children's Sunday school class. It forces you to be clear.
• Lead a Bible study through one short book, like Philippians or James.
• Ask an experienced teacher to watch you teach and give honest feedback.
• Keep learning to handle Scripture carefully (2 Timothy 2:15).