Why Christian teachers study the Bible together

As Christians we all know the value of consistent Bible study in our personal and spiritual lives. But what role does a sound and growing understanding of God’s word play in the professional life of a teacher? Does it matter that a teacher of math or language arts or history is growing in their knowledge of the Bible as well as the subject they are teaching? Here are a few reasons to say “yes!”…

Christian teachers need a sound and growing understanding of God’s word in order to model a Christian life and character to their students.  Our students learn as much from who we are as they do from what we teach. As we study God’s word it shapes and changes us, challenging our thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12). This impacts the way we teach and relate to students.

Christian teachers need a sound and growing understanding of God’s word to teach from a biblical worldview. If we are to look at the content we are teaching through the lens of scripture we need a good grasp on what scripture says! We are better equipped to help our students explore the relevance of what they are learning and how they will use that learning to serve God and others.

A sound and growing understanding of God’s word guides a teacher’s choice of teaching and assessment methods. Our decisions about how we teach the content of our classes is impacted by our understanding of who we are, who our students are, and what the purpose of education is. The Bible has a lot to say that is relevant to these issues.

If Christian teachers are to grow in their knowledge of God’s word and their ability to live it out in their professional lives, it would be good for teachers to study the Bible together. Most of us participate in local churches and maybe even in small groups or other forums for Bible study, or spend time in personal Bible reading and reflection.  This is good!  But there is something unique to be gained by reading God’s word and wrestling with its application to our lives with like-minded professionals – people who understand our day to day work and face many of the same joys and challenges.

The Bible courses offered through ACSI Europe’s e-learning program are design to facilitate exactly this kind of learning and interaction between Christian teachers. An additional benefit of this learning environment is that it includes teachers from a variety of cultural backgrounds, resulting in a potentially rich diversity of experiences, perspectives and approaches that we can all learn from. Please consider joining us! Visit the ACSI Europe website for more information.