This Video goes right along with what I’ve been teaching along the lines of teaching… it’s worth watching!

One of the things I love about youth ministry is being able to change the lives of young people. Something I love even more is when students change my life! God is pretty cool like that! I had something happen last night that I’d like to share with you!

I mentor one of our youth and we were going over a book I’m having him read called “Holy Discontent” by Bill Hybels. The student was telling me that his Holy Discontent was the culture. He wants to change the culture and help the church become all it’s called to be. He started getting teary-eyed and reminded me of a story I told once during a service. The story goes like this…

A man goes to Heaven and is asking an angel questions . . . The conversation went like this:

Man: Who was the greatest Preacher of all time

The Angel: (Pointing to a man sitting on a bench) He was

Man: I recognize that man – he wasn’t a preacher,  he was a janitor

The Angel: I know, but He was called to be the greatest preacher of all time. He just never surrendered His life to God.

In telling me that story, the student started balling to the point where he barely finished the story. I smiled and said, “It’s ok man, but why are you crying??” His response changed my life…. He said, “Because there are so many people like that today.” (Referring to people who are called to do amazing things for God and have absolutely no clue) I was speechless…

Some of my favorite lyrics in a song are in Hosanna, when it says, “Break my heart for what breaks yours” (Talking to God). We have to get to the point where we see people the way God sees them. We’ll never know who someone could become or what they’re called to be if they’ll only surrender their life to Jesus.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the work of the ministry and everything else going on in our lives that we forget what we’re actually called to do… we’re called to give people Jesus and allow Him to transform them into the people he called them to be. We need to take this call from God very seriously – peoples lives and futures are depending on us being obedient!

I’m so glad I got reminded of that last night . . . I hope this serves as a reminder for you.

To the student that I’m telling this story about – Thank You! (You know who you are) You changed my life last night… I love you brother!

¹NOT MANY of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation].

James 3:1

What Makes a Bad Teacher

When I was in college I’d give teachers what I called the “One Week Test”. If they didn’t capture my attention in the first week of the class – I’d blow the entire class off for the semester. I’d actually choose to sit in the back and I’d read books in the back while that teacher taught. Looking back, that wasn’t the greatest thing I’ve ever done, but often it was a more beneficial use of my time then actually paying attention. (If I could go back, I’d respect the teacher and be attentive regardless of how I feel. It actually was a bad witness and very disrespectful – I wish I would have realized that earlier) The truth is though, a lot of classes as a result of the teacher are a waste of the student’s time – so what are some characteristics of a poor teacher? Here we go:

Bad Teachers Don’t Take Ownership – they read line upon line of what they’re supposed to. They never bring it into real life – the might as well use a tele-prompter. They never own their subject!

Bad Teachers Lack Passion – I can tell in 2 minutes if you’re passionate about what you’re doing or not, I ended up giving the teachers a week! If you’re not passionate about it – why are you doing it?

Bad Teachers Don’t Care About the Advancement of Their Students – they are there for the paycheck. These teachers don’t take one minute all semester to actually pour into their students lives – UGH!

Bad Teachers Give Everyone A’s - Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE these teachers ha-ha -but it isn’t real life. No One gets all A’s in life, these teachers rarely made me better…. bad teachers never challenge their students.

Bad Teachers Don’t Believe in Themselves - this one is sad because students take full advantage of this. If the teacher doesn’t believe in him/her self – they’ll never make a difference and students will run them over.

Bad Teachers “Know it All” and Expect Their Students to as Well – this ticks me off! Teachers that have been teaching the same principles for 30 years and expect you (after being exposed to it once) to get it. Get a clue – these teachers make students feel worthless.

Bad Teachers Talk Down and Talk Negative to their Students - There is a difference between criticism and constructive criticism. If you’re a teacher and you tell a student they’re a failure or stupid – you should be slapped! That could ruin someones life forever!

Thoughts?