Teach Teachers

In what is believed to be the Apostle Paul’s final New Testament letter, he wrote to his disciple, Timothy, saying, “Entrust the things you have heard me say to other reliable men who will also be qualified as teachers.”

And so the Message of the New Testament has been carried forward from generation to generation through the study, training, and teaching of men and women with faith in Jesus Christ. It was the Lord, himself, who gave final instruction to teach, “Baptizing them...and teaching them to obey all I have commanded.”

Dr. Benjamin Rush is a little known but profoundly influential member of the Founding Fathers of our nation. He signed the Declaration of Independence, directed medical services for the Continental Army, and ultimately became influential in seeing Pennsylvania ratify the Constitution. Well-schooled in the Christian faith like most of his contemporaries, he wrote, “The Bible should be read in our schools in preference to all other books from its containing the greatest portion of that kind of knowledge which is calculated to produce private and public happiness.”

In our day, when we see more than one in eight people ages 13 and older on anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications, one must consider the toll that eroding the influence of the Bible has had on our children and our society. Research by the Barna Group shockingly reveals that only 6% of people convert to Christianity after the age of 19. Dwight L. Moody, renowned American preacher and evangelist of the 19th century, said if he were to live life over he would fully direct his energy to reaching children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The pathway for modern Christian ministry effort could not be more clearly illuminated. Putting the counsel of Paul and Moody together, we must do more to focus ministry resources on children, and also teach parents how to teach the Bible at home and to live out Jesus-like lives every day.