Call to Action

We are living in a day, a time, and a season where it is important to recognize the urgency and the call to immediate action to the men of God. Men of God to go on the offensive with a five-fold principle offense; to stand, war, and advance in the place that God designed and ordained specifically for men. God is calling men to live with passion and purpose progressively moving forward in God; themselves, their families and the Church.

There is urgency and a call to immediate action because culture is demanding conformance unto itself and the pressure is intensifying. Our culture is attempting through the pressure to conform, and to some degree has been successful at creating a shift in the Church and in our homes from the foundation of the Word of God in the name of being “culturally relevant”. It is through “cultural relevance” that we have substituted the preaching and teaching of the principles of Word of God with motivational speeches and feel good sermons.

“Cultural relevance” has its place its through culture that we are to reach with the message of the gospel; the substance of the message must remain constant. The principles in the word of God are absolute and unchangeable. They are relevant for any and all time. It is in the delivery of the message that may change as long as the substance is not compromised.

The Teacher

Ephesians 4:11-16 ^“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Let’s look at the relationship of the teacher and the principle of the teacher in relation to the other fivefold ministry and principles. If you were to think of the five-fold as a hand, each ministry and ministry principle that is represented as fingers stands alone. However, each was designed to work collectively and unified giving support and strength to the other. What is the definition of a teacher? A teacher is defined as one who teaches or instructs. As one of the fivefold ministry, a teacher teaches or instructs in the word of God and more specifically, the application of the word of God.

We are living in a time that was prophesied by the prophet Daniel, “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4

We are surrounded all around by knowledge. We live in a time where you can have access to as much knowledge and information as you could possibly want or could ever read with just a simple click to the internet. It is staggering at the amount of knowledge; and is expanding rapidly. With so much knowledge and information and access to it, why then do we live in a time that with each passing generation we get further away from the truths of God and we raise generations of young people that are scriptural and spiritually ignorant? Is it for a lack of knowledge? Is it for a lack of teachers?

Exodus 18:20 – “And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do”
Exodus 24:12 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”
Deuteronomy 6:7 – “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Responsibility to Teach

Whose responsibility is it to teach our children? This is an honest question to be answered but often comes with different answers. Who would say the schools? Who would say the church? Who would say the parents? Who would say all of the above? Who would say none of the above? Who would say let them find out on their own?

The answer is the responsibility belongs to us as men; husbands and fathers. It is our responsibility to see it that our children are educated and we are to teach them the word of God. We must be willing to take the responsibility for teaching and training the next generation. It is a responsibility that cannot be given away to anyone else. It cannot be regulated to mom, church, the television, books or school. We must be active in the education of our children.

Responsibility brings accountability and men are afraid of being accountable. As men, we must not be afraid of accountability but should welcome it because God made us to be accountable. Failure is not an option and we should be like God, wanting the very best for our children. We must embrace the responsibility that is given by God for us. The truth is that whether or not you embrace and accept the responsibility, the responsibility is still there.

As we continue to discuss The Teacher Principle: The Application of God, we will begin to talk about ways we teach, what often hinders us from teaching, principles of effective teaching and the purpose of teaching. As we can understand these important points, we will be better equipped to train up a generation of young people that are sold out and radical for the word of God no longer being scripturally or spiritually ignorant desiring the true wisdom of God. When we do our part, God is faithful to do His part.

We need to bring the Bible back to being the foundation of the Church and the foundation of the home not allowing culture to shift us from it. It is with the teaching and application of God’s word that we will be able to stand strong in the midst of the times we are in and the time to come. This is why God gave us teachers and why we all must apply the teacher principle and make it an active, every day principle. The alternative is found in Hosea 4:

“There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. ² By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed. ³ Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away. ⁴ “ Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are like those who contend with the priest. ⁵ Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother. ⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ⁷ “ The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. ⁸ They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their iniquity. ⁹ And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, And reward them for their deeds. ¹⁰ For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry, but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the LORD.

Ways We Teach (The Setting)

Formally
Informally
Relationally

Hindrances to Teaching

Feelings of Inadequacy
Knowledge
Time
Commitment
Fear
Identity Factor

Principles of Effective Teaching

Know the audience
Prioritize the knowledge and skills that we choose to focus on
Recognize and overcome expert blind spots.
Progressively refining our course
Meaningful engagement is necessary for deeper learning
Motivation generates, directs, and sustains learning behavior
Connect knowledge

Purpose for Teaching (The Word of God)

Get closer to God
Greater understanding of who God is
So we can identify false teaching
Obedience to God
So that we will be blessed and prosperous
Growth to maturity (Application)
Equipping

Conclusion

The word of God is alive, active, and relevant to any time that we live in. We must bring back the Teacher and the principle of the teacher; the application of God’s word. We must learn the principles of God’s word, apply them to our lives and teach our children.

⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
⁶ “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 4:5-9

⁶ Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:6-8

The Teacher Principle: Application of God’s Word