Careful Whom You Assigne to Teach

[Radrook]

James 3:1 ►
New International Version
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.


Not everyone is qualified to teach simply because he is a baptized Christian. Teaching is part of the shepherding work and the Bible tells us that Shepherding of God's flock must be entrusted to men who fill certain spiritual requirements. As a pastor of a church one bears the responsibility of making certain that certain individuals who will dishonor the Gospel via worldly comportment aren't assigned to teaching positions. If indeed such a individual us assigned and does grave spiritual harm to any member of the flock then the pastor who assigned him must bear part of the responsibility for the damage that such a carnal- minded person inflicts on those who trusted him as a qualified teacher.


Mark 9:42 - And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

I was recently purposefully insulted by such an assigned individual and had to leave the study in order to avoid further humiliation and possible escalation due to provocation. I regretted having gone and having trusted the qualifications of the assigned person because I believed that such a person would have EARNED his position as teacher and must have demonstrated that he did qualify. Instead I came up against a sudden devilish attack designed to provoke hurt feelings and who knows what more.

James 3:10
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

After giving it much thought I have concluded that the Church's priest must share the blame for what happened because it is his responsibility to know what type of person is assigned to shepherd the flock in his parish.

Acts 20:29
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

1 Timothy 3:8
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.

 

[Uber Genius]

Sorry you had to go through this crap.

I have been victim of similar offenses by lay-leaders and pastors alike. Often it wasn't due to the material being taught but rather the people I was teaching. Namely, non-Christians who were genuinely seeking to know if God was real.

I had a smoking section by a fire ring out at the back of the church property (75 yards behind the building). An assistant Pastor gathered a bunch of home-church leaders and board members to complain that adults were smoking on church property.

Now my pastor and I both smoke cigars, and the pastor had approved the fire ring and smoking section but was cowed by the Leadership mob.

Another time two interns at an international ministry at OSU's campus approach me asking, "How come the Pastor asked you to preach in front of 300 students and you have only been here a month? We've both been here for a year and never been asked to teach." "Simple. I volunteered after talking to him about his busy schedule and realizing he needed the help. Have you ever volunteered," was my response. Of coarse they hadn't.

Two weeks later I was pulled out of teaching by the pastor after he had been lied to about me by those two interns. I explained the earlier complaints by those interns and challenged him or them to prove their false claims. No investigation, I was just out. So I left and he maintained his brutal schedule.

Liars and fakers fill the leadership of churches I have attended. You must expose them and remember that many have fallen victim to their schemes before you and will after you if you don't call them to account.

On the teaching side it is more complex. Is the teaching error a fundamental or core teaching? If no then we want to allow people their various inferences.

If it is about the person or work of Christ, then we have huge amounts of data and good reason to get it right. If it is about which view of sanctification one holds or how they view the gifts of the spirit, their view of eschatology, or ecclesiology, these are not that important. Multiple inferences can be held and yet a body can be unified to be Jesus' hands and feet in the community.

 

[archer75]

While there are plenty of dedicated and competent teachers of all subjects, teaching does seem to attract large numbers of people who are not. I suppose it's the appearance of authority or something.

 

[toLiJC]

when i started to write in this thread i didn't realize that my opinion may not be wanted here, nevertheless i plucked up courage to post what i ultimately wrote - еxcuse me if my opinion is not welcome here

if you tell the truth, then there will be no reason to feel guilty or to be judged - e.g. why must one true preacher feel guilt or be judged for preaching the Gospel of the true Lord God to the masses, for example because some people didn't understand or didn't accept the truth he preached?!, important is that he not thrust anything on others, but what is truth and what means to tell the truth according to His Word and the biblical scriptures or when it comes to explaining (the) spiritual things?! - this is a (very) good/proper question, because e.g. will it truly be true if we tell others the fact that some good/righteous/holy brother committed a crime in the past?!, won't this betray him - must we necessarily do it?!

Blessings

 

[Radrook]

when i started to write in this thread i didn't realize that my opinion may not be wanted here, nevertheless i plucked up courage to post what i ultimately wrote - еxcuse me if my opinion is not welcome here

if you tell the truth, then there will be no reason to feel guilty or to be judged - e.g. why must one true preacher feel guilt or be judged for preaching the Gospel of the true Lord God to the masses, for example because some people didn't understand or didn't accept the truth he preached?!, important is that he not thrust anything on others, but what is truth and what means to tell the truth according to His Word and the biblical scriptures or when it comes to explaining (the) spiritual things?! - this is a (very) good/proper question, because e.g. will it truly be true if we tell others the fact that some good/righteous/holy brother committed a crime in the past?!, won't this betray him - must we necessarily do it?!

Blessings

I don't believe in holding past sins against people since people have a right to repent and be forgiven and start anew. What I am referring to is placing a spiritually unqualified, worldly-minded, belligerently-inclined person in a position of teaching others and keeping him there though his misconduct was reported. Such a person will cause more harm than good.

 

[Radrook]

Sorry you had to go through this crap.

I have been victim of similar offenses by lay-leaders and pastors alike. Often it wasn't due to the material being taught but rather the people I was teaching. Namely, non-Christians who were genuinely seeking to know if God was real.

I had a smoking section by a fire ring out at the back of the church property (75 yards behind the building). An assistant Pastor gathered a bunch of home-church leaders and board members to complain that adults were smoking on church property.

Now my pastor and I both smoke cigars, and the pastor had approved the fire ring and smoking section but was cowed by the Leadership mob.

Another time two interns at an international ministry at OSU's campus approach me asking, "How come the Pastor asked you to preach in front of 300 students and you have only been here a month? We've both been here for a year and never been asked to teach." "Simple. I volunteered after talking to him about his busy schedule and realizing he needed the help. Have you ever volunteered," was my response. Of coarse they hadn't.

Two weeks later I was pulled out of teaching by the pastor after he had been lied to about me by those two interns. I explained the earlier complaints by those interns and challenged him or them to prove their false claims. No investigation, I was just out. So I left and he maintained his brutal schedule.

Liars and fakers fill the leadership of churches I have attended. You must expose them and remember that many have fallen victim to their schemes before you and will after you if you don't call them to account.

On the teaching side it is more complex. Is the teaching error a fundamental or core teaching? If no then we want to allow people their various inferences.

If it is about the person or work of Christ, then we have huge amounts of data and good reason to get it right. If it is about which view of sanctification one holds or how they view the gifts of the spirit, their view of eschatology, or ecclesiology, these are not that important. Multiple inferences can be held and yet a body can be unified to be Jesus' hands and feet in the community.

I was accused of wanting to be a know-it-all simply because I answered the study questions. I had expected to be commended for having take the time to have studied. Sometimes it's best to simply keep one's silence in order to avoid the possibility of triggering responses based on sensitive egos and not assume that just because a person has a teaching responsibility in church that it means that he is spiritually mature.

 

[toLiJC]

I don't believe in holding past sins against people since people have a right to repent and be forgiven and start anew. What I am referring to is placing a spiritually unqualified, worldly-minded, belligerently-inclined person in a position of teaching others and keeping him there though his misconduct was reported. Such a person will cause more harm than good.

the false prophets are guiltiest, because they bring offense to the world that affects whole world unfavorably - even one of them is enough for the "sin" to enter into and settle down in the world, and thus also for the "death"(the spirit of deterioration) to enter into and settle down in the world together with the "sin" (Romans 5:12-14, 1 Corinthians 15:55-56), but, as you can see, the world is still full of false prophets and many still place them in a position of teaching many at least by presenting and recommending them as an authority, and if they are asked for whether their prophets cast devilish spirits out of the possessed people, or heal the sick only by prayer, or resurrect dead, or at least preach the true Gospel, no worse than Jesus and His true disciples presented in the biblical scriptures, then it turns out that they never saw them doing so - yes, it is not right that such prophets be placed in the holy place, without boasting about anything of myself i can say if i am a witness of the true Lord God, i know my place that He assigned to me, and even if millions of people try to place me in a higher position than the one assigned to me by Him, i don't agree with them, but many others were too proud to place themselves in a position that they don't deserve, and there was not only one reason for them to do so, either overmuch pride(vainglory), or greed, or mischievousness, or unclean fear, or another wicked thing

i think we can at least try overcoming evil with good

Blessings

 

[Ophiolite]

I was accused of wanting to be a know-it-all simply because I answered the study questions. I had expected to be commended for having take the time to have studied. Sometimes it's best to simply keep one's silence in order to avoid the possibility of triggering responses based on sensitive egos and not assume that just because a person has a teaching responsibility in church that it means that he is spiritually mature.

Here are some thoughts that may be of some use to you. They are based upon my experience, over almost half a century, in teaching technical matters to professional engineers and scientists.

You may feel that this bears no relationship to the scenario you have described, but I would argue that since both contain diverse humans, there is a strong similarity.

I am not sure what you meant by "I answered the study questions". One of the things I welcome when I am in teacher mode is having students promptly answer the questions I throw at them. What can become disruptive to the class and discouraging to the other students is when one or two students dominate the answering. While appreciating their enthusiasm, I ask them to give other students a chance. A small minority of them never quite accept that their behaviour is disruptive, choosing to blame those students who have studied properly, or paid attention in class. Is it possible that your enthusiasm may have blinded you to that sort of possibility.

(The students who were most satisfying were the one who knew the answer, waited till it was clear no one else knew, then queried me with a look as to whether they should contribute.)

Any experienced teacher knows that one or more their students will possibly be more knowledgeable than they. It can take time to reach that level of experience. In the meantime a good student will be supportive of the inexperienced teacher. What actions did you take to provide support the teacher who had an issue with you?

 

[Radrook]

Here are some thoughts that may be of some use to you. They are based upon my experience, over almost half a century, in teaching technical matters to professional engineers and scientists.

You may feel that this bears no relationship to the scenario you have described, but I would argue that since both contain diverse humans, there is a strong similarity.

I am not sure what you meant by "I answered the study questions". One of the things I welcome when I am in teacher mode is having students promptly answer the questions I throw at them. What can become disruptive to the class and discouraging to the other students is when one or two students dominate the answering. While appreciating their enthusiasm, I ask them to give other students a chance. A small minority of them never quite accept that their behaviour is disruptive, choosing to blame those students who have studied properly, or paid attention in class. Is it possible that your enthusiasm may have blinded you to that sort of possibility.

(The students who were most satisfying were the one who knew the answer, waited till it was clear no one else knew, then queried me with a look as to whether they should contribute.)

Any experienced teacher knows that one or more their students will possibly be more knowledgeable than they. It can take time to reach that level of experience. In the meantime a good student will be supportive of the inexperienced teacher. What actions did you take to provide support the teacher who had an issue with you?

I had arrived late and briefly provided the answers to the questions that they had already considered to make sure I was OK in my understanding. I always paused to let him correct me of indeed I was wrong. That's when his wife jumped in and spoke about know it alls and he complained that now he felt like not continuing the study because of the efficient way that I had expressed things. Then he topped that off by insinuating that I was doing dirty things in the men's room when I came back after having to go there due to a full bladder and chronic intestinal digestive difficulties. That is when I got up and left since if I wanted to engage in a fist fight I would have gone to a bar.

 

[Ophiolite]

I had arrived late and briefly provided the answers to the questions that they had already considered to make sure I was OK in my understanding. I always paused to let him correct me of indeed I was wrong. That's when his wife jumped in and spoke about know it alls and he complained that now he felt like not continuing the study because of the efficient way that I had expressed things. Then he topped that off by insinuating that I was doing dirty things in the men's room when I came back after having to go there due to a full bladder and chronic intestinal digestive difficulties. That is when I got up and left since if I wanted to engage in a fist fight I would have gone to a bar.

That would be very frustrating and difficult not to react to. Leaving was the sensible thing to do. However, did you consider approaching him at a later time and saying something like "I'm sorry I left so precipitately the other day, but I did find your comments upsetting. It certainly wasn't my intention to undermine you in anyway. I was confident you took these classes seriously and I wanted to respect that by being properly prepared. I'm sorry you found that disruptive. I also found your implications about my visit to the rest room inappropriate. I would like to continue with your classes, but I think we need to establish some ground rules before that happens." And then wait for the response.