James had his reasons to warn Christians against becoming teachers in the church. He wasn't opposed to teaching in general—he was a teacher himself, after all—but he wanted to make sure followers of Jesus get into teaching for the right reasons: to introduce young and old believers to the meaning of Jesus, to help them open the treasures of Scripture, and to show them ways to live a Christian life. I wonder if in his day the brothers and sisters couldn’t wait to walk into a classroom of 10-year-olds and learn with them…
Here at Vine Street, we are grateful for a dedicated group of men and women who teach our children, and another group who focus on creating Christian education experiences for adults. Now this may surprise some of you, but I’m going to contradict James, the eminent teacher, and not because I’m just an incorrigible contrarian who loves a good argument: Many of you, my brothers and sisters, should indeed become teachers. Why? Nothing helps you be a better student, and as disciples of Jesus we’re all lifelong learners. Teaching the faith, we become discoverers and explorers of its many dimensions, and as we help others grow, we grow ourselves. So please consider getting involved in Sunday school as an assistant teacher (learn from the greats) or a substitute (even the greats take trips out of town over the weekend on occasion). You get to know our youngsters, marvel at their questions, be a role model, and be part of raising another generation of disciples. I’d love to talk some more with you about this, if you’re wondering if teaching could be for you. And to hear more about the curriculum we use and the other teachers, please talk to Angie Wilson, who coordinates our children’s education efforts.
Our Sunday school kick-off cookout will be on Sunday, August 26 at 5pm, and classes will start the following Sunday, September 2.