Importance of Teachers

During this Teachers’ Day, I would like to reflect on the important role that teachers play in the church. I thank God for all the Bible class teachers in the church. In Hosea 4:6, God says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  It is a sobering reminder that ignorance of God’s truth is not harmless. 

In Hosea’s time, the people were suffering because the priests and scribes had failed in their sacred duty to teach and guide them in God’s Law. This resulted in ignorance of God’s commandments, leading the entire nation to turn toward idols.

This situation highlights the crucial role of teachers. In the early church, teachers were entrusted with the important responsibility of preserving sound doctrine and countering false teachings. Paul advises Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2: "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

This directive emphasizes the importance of faithfully passing on apostolic teachings to future generations. Teachers play a vital role in ensuring that these pure teachings continue to thrive. Whether in the home, church, classroom, or community, teachers carry the responsibility of helping others understand the truths taught in the Bible.

Bible class teaching is foundational for equipping individuals with the knowledge, values, and interpretive skills needed for spiritual formation. When teachers neglect truth, people drift into error without realizing it. When teachers are faithful, however, they become instruments of preservation of truth; they help others remember what God has spoken, understand why it matters, and apply it in daily life.

The truth of God’s word is not merely for the mind; it is for life, obedience, and our eternal destiny. Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

What Happens If There Is No Bible Class?

1. Our children will not know the Bible stories (2 Timothy 3:15)

2. The new Christians will not know further about the Bible than the plan of salvation (Hebrews 6:1-2).

3. The church will produce weak and ignorant Christians (1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:14)

4. The members cannot discern truth and error (2 Timothy 2:15).

5. False teachings will creep in, and truth dies (Jude 1:4).

6. Christians will not be transformed (Romans 12:1, 2)

7. The church stops growing and dies eventually (Revelation 3:17).

A faithful Bible teacher does more than pass on facts. A teacher shapes understanding, awakens conscience, points learners toward truth, and helps protect them from confusion.

Teaching is a sacred responsibility; those entrusted with knowledge must not keep it to themselves or handle it carelessly. They are called to teach with humility, clarity, and faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:2).

If you are a Bible class teacher, ask God to help you teach with faithfulness. Do not underestimate the influence of your words, attitude, preparation, and example. Someone may be learning what God is like by watching how you teach, correct, encourage, and live. 1 Timothy 4:12 applies: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

God expects every Christian to mature to a state where they become teachers of the Word. The Scripture says: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat” (Hebrews 5:12). God says: “Ye ought to be teachers.”

The role of teachers is crucial not only for personal growth but also for the spiritual growth of the entire church. We thank God for all the teachers of God’s Word.