The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Teaching and calling

Our pastor has decided to hold a sunday morning class during Sunday School for anyone who wants to learn how to teach line by line then allow them to use their new "skills" doing the Sunday evening service. How many see a problem with this?

I believe personally and from scripture that teaching is a calling. There are way too many "teachers" who harm more than help the body of Christ. Today, instead of being called to teach, anyone is allowed to do it. We are sowing a bitter crop by doing this. There is so much ignorance in the church and the capable "called" teacher/preachers are becoming more and more scarce. Is it good to fill the empty spots with bodies and hope they grow into the "called" status? Isn't this arrogance before God? I believe we should give a person an opportunity to teach after they have proved themselves by their Christian walk, not being a novice, and they believe God has called them to teach. Then after giving them time to prove themselves, the church must determine if the person is truly called or not and decide accordingly. We are too afraid of hurting feelings, but we don't care what God thinks when it comes to His church. I'm speaking of Pastors, Sunday School teachers and small group teachers.

Am I being over judgmental? I don't think so. I have sat under teaching and preaching that was man based, produced by the strength of man without the power of the Spirit (more often than not). Is it because of their lack of calling, or a compromised life in the teacher/preacher or for some other reason, I don't know, but I believe the mentality that every Christian can teach is destroying the body. There are so many warnings in scripture about false teachers, but nobody seems to believe the warnings. It grieves my soul to see the state of the church today. Edification has taken the primary place in the actions of the church at the cost of purity.

Lastly, when I say power of the Spirit, I realize also, that there will be times when a pastor/teacher may not experience the unction of the Spirit. However there are pastor/teachers who have "never" had the unction of the Spirit because they were never called to that office but they keep on doing what they weren't called to do.