Link to Ted Edwards Home Page
Im told that the director of the U.S. Patent Office once said "Everything
that can be invented has been invented." That was back in 1899. One
implication is that weve arrived and from here on out its simply downhill.
It is obvious to see how shortsighted and provincial that statement truly
is. Its sad when an individual has such an insular view of life; but its a
tragedy when that thinking begins to invade the Church.
God hasnt brought us this far only to abandon us that we would have to do
it alone. He has promised to always be with us and give us the strength to
grow and mature into His likeness. Im looking forward to the day when our
auditorium is full when we assemble for worship services. No church family
can enjoy good health without a solid Bible teaching ministry. This requires
teachers who are dedicated to the Lord and have a desire to share Gods Word
with students that are hungering and thirsting for Good News.
The importance of teachers in the church is accentuated in the Bible
numerous times. For instance Ephesians 4:11-13, "It was he who gave some to
be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be
pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that
the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and
in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ." Then in 1 Corinthians 12:28, "And in the church
God has appointed...teachers..."
To be a quality teacher takes a lot of effort. It takes discipline to study
and prepare our lessons each week so that we can accurately handle the Word.
It takes responsibility for a teacher to make wise choices so that we dont
simply arrive to class on time, but be early enough to welcome the first
student as they enter the classroom. I believe that it is worth it for a
teacher to put in that extra effort when we see girls and boys obey the
Gospel and mature in Christ. Gods Word is powerful and can have a deep
impact on our lives regardless of our age -- whether were seven years old or
seventy-seven.
Church, we can thank God for the teachers here at West-Ark and their
dedication to sharing Gods Word. I believe that the Bible Classes can be a
central hub for our congregation to grow and be all that He desires us to
be. Without a doubt, Im looking forward to the future because Im going to
spend the rest of my life there -- how about you? God has awesome plans in
store for West-Ark, if were willing to follow His lead. Are you ready? See
you in Bible Class this week.
Link to Ted Edwards Home Page