Six Things Educators Can Learn From Paul’s Teaching Style
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The College Professor Who Changed My Life.
I vividly remember sheepishly walking into Sociology 101 as a pimply-faced freshman. With fear and anticipation, I walked into my first college class, taught by a Harvard-educated professor. What ensued in that classroom changed my life forever.
For the first six weeks of this class, the professor systematically dismantled the foundation of my Christian faith. I didn’t lose my faith, but my confidence in what I thought I believed was severely shaken. Fortunately, I was in a Christian university and a class taught by a devout Christian professor. His goal was not to destroy my faith but to demonstrate how weak my theological and epistemological foundation was. He dismantled that inadequate foundation and rebuilt a rock-solid one upon which I could build my life and career.
I will be forever grateful for this professor. He passed, never knowing how God used him in my life.
This story imparts a crucial lesson, particularly for those of us in Christian education. Your teaching and leadership hold profound significance. As a Christian educator, your influence is transformative and enduring. Despite moments of weariness, feelings of ineffectiveness, and criticism or unjust attacks, persevere!
Recently, I took a deep dive into Acts 14:8-22. During my study, I uncovered insights that had eluded me in prior readings.
Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.
And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them ...” Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:8–22).
The Six Elements of Paul’s Teaching
Reading through this passage, I noticed six key elements to Paul’s teaching: Attentiveness, Appreciation, Attribution, Assault, Audaciousness, and Abundance.
1. Attentiveness
Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.
First, notice that the student was listening: "He listened to Paul speaking." Second, notice that Paul saw the student listening: "Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well."
The student was listening with his ears. Paul was "listening" with his eyes. Paul didn't see just a crippled student. He saw that student's heart, his faith.
It is challenging to see past the crippled behavior or the academic deficiencies of students. But we are called to look deeper, to see the seed of faith residing within their souls and the easily overlooked academic potential.
I remember interviewing a young teacher for a position at my former school. During the interview, she said something remarkable that immediately caught my attention. She said she "carefully watched her student's eyes and adjusted her teaching based on what she saw." I hired her on the spot. She had "Withitness." She was not so caught up in her teaching that she failed to “see” her students.
We often hear from parents that they want their children to be "seen," meaning known and cared for. To know students requires that we "look intently" and not merely skim the surface of their behavior and performance. Students' behavior may be crippled, but they may have the germ of faith deep within their souls.
2. Appreciation
And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes.
We frequently encounter two vastly different responses to our work.
On the one hand, we receive gratitude and appreciation. That is proper and good, and we can acknowledge that appreciation and thank those expressing it, which brings us to attribution.
3. Attribution
On the other hand, we ought to attribute our success to the Lord, who gives us our very breath and has given us whatever natural and spiritual gifts we possess.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God.
Redirecting the attribution to God honors Him and is good for us and those we direct to thank God. Matt 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
4. Assault
Occasionally, no good deed goes unpunished! Paul heals a cripple and gets stoned for his efforts.
But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
Paul paid a high price for faithful teaching! If they had thought Paul was dead, he must have been in dreadful shape and unconscious.
While we may not be physically stoned, we are often verbally stoned. We may be called to pay a high price for faithfully fulfilling our callings. We must not let that deter us.
5. Audaciousness
Audaciousness is the willingness to take surprisingly bold risks. Notice Paul’s response to being assaulted and left for dead:
But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
No self-pity, complaining to others, delay, and no giving up. No abandoning the mission. Instead, Paul got up, brushed himself off, and continued teaching and leading.
The attacks of others did not keep him from being faithful.
6. Abundance
I suspect that Paul’s perseverance and faithfulness, despite his physical pain and whatever fear he felt, had as much impact on his listeners as anything he said. His response made his audience more willing to listen to the Gospel. The result is that Paul bore much fruit from his teaching.
1. Souls were saved
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples,
2. Believers were strengthened
They returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith.
Application
There are four lessons we can draw from Paul’s teaching.
We should ask the Lord to help us see beyond the behavior and performance of our students. As much as possible, peer into their souls.
We will be both praised and attacked for the same work.
We are called to persevere in our calling and service despite how we may be treated, spoken about, and how tired we become.
Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up(Galatians 6:9ff).
God will honor our faithfulness with fruitfulness
There will be students both saved and strengthened in their faith when we are faithful. God will even use us to impact the lives of parents. We will sometimes see the fruit now. Some fruit will be seen once we reach heaven.
I’ll close with this wonderful statement by Erasmus about the nobility of our service in Christian education:
To be a schoolmaster is next to being a king. Do you count it lowly employment to imbue the minds of the young with the things of Christ and the best of literature and return them to their homes honest and virtuous persons? In the opinion of fools, it is a humble task; but in fact, it is the noblest of occupations. (Desiderius Erasmus, 1466-1536)