Great Manifesto for Church Education! Part 3

Effective Teaching

From Matthew 28:19-20 we learn that the Lord Jesus tells the church she must provide effective teaching for those who are discipled. He says: teaching them to observe or obey.

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Now notice that the emphasis of the Lord Jesus is upon obedience to every biblical area of life. He is telling us that we can evaluate our teaching by seeing whether there is a growing in obedience to the will of God. According to some obedience is contrary to the grace of God. Some feel that as soon as you require anything in the Christian life you have undermined the grace of God. Some people become very critical when teaching becomes very specific in what we must to do to be faithful to the Word of God. However, when one truly understands the grace by which he or she was saved, they will also seek to obey the Lord’s will in their entire life. And then they will welcome very specific ways in which they can be obedient to the will of God. We need to understand that obedience to God’s law is not contrary to the grace of God but actually flows from it.

The problem that some of us have with obedience is that it requires us to submit to higher authority, and if we’re honest submission is not something we do easily or naturally. However, when we are Disciples of Christ then we have no trouble submitting to authority by which Christ rules in his church, namely by the Word of God as taught through the ordained offices of Christ! The teaching of the church comes to you with the authority of Christ.

From the context of our text, it is clear that the teaching of the church – and particularly her officebearers - comes with the authority of Christ. This of course, is necessary so that teaching can be effective in the church. In verse 18 we read Christ say: All authority has been given to me…and then in verse 19 the apostles are told to make disciples by teaching them to observe all things I have command…and then in verse 20 he states: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Therefore, the official teaching of the church comes with a distinct authority in the life of the Christian. This is particularly true of the teaching of the officebearers in the church. As much as possible teaching in the church should be done by the elders – whether past or present - because they come with the derive authority of Christ. When the officebearers teach – even command obedience – it comes with the authority of Christ Jesus!

One older author speaking surprisingly relevant yet today, speaks of how the authority of the officebearers in the church is minimized. He says:

He, speaking of the officebearer, is considered merely in the light of a speaking brother. He has no official distinction or authority. He may compliment like a flatterer, he may beg like a servant, he may woo like a lover; but he is not permitted to command like a ruler. …if he says anything at all, it must be somewhat similar to the soothsayers, for he is only permitted to peep and mutter from the dust.

But teaching in the church comes with a particular authority and should be heard as such and should lead to new obedience in Christ. The aiming of teaching is not just to make someone feel good but actually do good! So much emphasis today is put upon feeling good rather than doing good. Effectiveness in teaching is often evaluated on the basis of how people feel in response to it. However, here the Lord Jesus is teaching that we need to aim for obedience to all that he has commanded. good – but actually

Now this means that the teaching in the church needs to be practical not just theoretical. Theoretical is very comfortable – it is distant, detached – while practical teaching can be very uncomfortable – challenging, compelling or convicting. But if our teaching is to lead to obedience we need to teach how the obedience will look like in the end.

• We need to teach specifically about not only that parents need to instruct their children but the particulars of how this is to be done.
• We need to teach someone not only that they must be sexually pure as taught in the 7^th commandment, but also the specifics how we can promote and maintain a pure life.
• We need to teach not only that wives must be subject to their own husbands, but what this looks like in the context of marriage – and what this looks like when your husband is an unbeliever; what this looks like when you disagree with your husband; what this looks like when your husband treats you sinfully etc.
• We need to teach not only that God created the world in six days, but also practically how to answer the present objections against creationism.

And a thousand more examples could be given of how specific practical teaching needs to be given so that there is new obedience in Christ. We need to hear practical application of the Word of God.

What is your attitude towards specific instruction in practical things of life? Do you see this is legalism – or do you understand it as a necessary aspect of the Christian life? Do you get your back up when you are taught very specifically what you must do in the Christian life? Do you recognize the authority which Christ has ordained in the church to teach you? Do you understand the importance of obedience in the Christian life? Are you growing in obedience towards the Lord? Do you go by feelings in the Christian life – or do you consider what you must do in the Christian life? Effective teaching in the Church of Christ will lead to not only feeling good, but also doing good!