Training by Teaching

The first time I taught was a Sunday School class when I was 15 years old.  Ever since then I've enjoyed each opportunity to teach, whether as a youth minister, preacher, or classroom teacher.  When people ask me what job I've most enjoyed of all those I've held, what first comes to mind is teaching Greek.  For three years I was a T.A. teaching Greek while doing my graduate work.  Seeing the lights come on in the minds of students who really want to learn provides great joy.

When I first taught New Testament at Faith Christian School, I had a year to see this unfold in the lives of younger students.  Although the time commitment is steep, it is worth it when students really want to learn.  For a couple years, I taught the occasional class as a substitute or fill-in.  Now I'm back teaching again.  This time it is Systematic Theology.

Up to this point, teaching has been fairly easy in part because I've known the subject matter so well.  And although I know some of the pieces of what I'm teaching now well, I've never really thought of my theology as particularly systematic.  After starting with the doctrine of Christ, I'm now moving on to subjects which are not only more challenging, but also potentially more controversial.  Tomorrow I'm teaching for the first time in my life on "common grace."  It is a phenomenon I'm aware of, even though I've never really called it that.  But having to teach it to students has made it so I really have to get a handle on it myself.  By teaching the subject, I am going through a time of training myself.

And I love it.