The Gift of Teaching: Applications from 1 Corinthians
“God used it to encourage me in the Kidtown ministry as a new teacher”
On April 23, Brandon preached on 1 Corinthians 14:1-19, and God used it to encourage me in the Kidtown ministry as a new teacher.
I was introduced to Kidtown in 2022 when my discipler Jessica Makona invited me to shadow her in the PreK class. The first day, I sat in the corner in the back of the room. I was fearful of being around kids because they’re so fragile and unpredictable. My last time shadowing with Jessica was on her last day in Kidtown; she planned to move to Vietnam with the Saigon church plant team that year. On what I thought was my last day in Kidtown, I felt my heart get very warm and very big for the kids. I enjoyed hanging out with them. A few weeks later, Jessica told me, “I think you should consider joining Kidtown again.” I said, “Yes, I know.”
“I didn’t believe I had the gift of teaching”
So I joined Kidtown as a helper, serving once a month. After three or four months, I began learning how to teach the lessons. Fear returned, and I was anxious every time I taught the lesson. I’m not a teacher by nature, and it was abundantly clear to me that I was not. Before long, I joined Prayer Plus as a helper, and almost immediately afterwards, I was asked to train to become the lead teacher. So I then served in Prayer Plus once per month while being trained to teach. Soon, it was time to lead, and that’s when my fear became huge. For months, I was anxious every week preparing the lessons, and during Kidtown, I could barely engage with the kids because the fear of teaching was so daunting.
There were two main things going on:
I was comparing myself to the excellent educators who led (and basically discipled) me in Kidtown: Jessica, Michaela, Havilah, and Jisoo. They were all professional educators, and it was a blessing to follow them so closely.
I didn’t believe I had the gift of teaching, and I asked God for it more than asking Him to accomplish what He wanted in the class through me.
“I was misinterpreting what the gift of teaching is”
Praise God for pastors who teach us the word of God. Brandon preached on 1 Corinthians 14, and the sermon relieved and instructed me.
Lesson one: We can’t pray for spiritual gifts. By God’s grace certain gifts are distributed to us to serve in the ministries we’re in.
Lesson two: I was misinterpreting what the gift of teaching is. The gift of teaching is the supernatural ability to comprehend, order and present Biblical truth. I thought the gift of teaching meant being the best storyteller or the best speaker.
After hearing Brandon’s sermon, I prepared a lesson on Samson. I wasn’t full of fear about my lack, and God used that lesson prep to teach me an amazing lesson on wisdom and strength. When I taught in Kidtown the next week, I was confident that God had spoken to me in his word, and I was excited to share with the kids. I didn’t have to muster up excitement to “overcome” the dread. I could be excited about what God taught me.
Lesson three: Spiritual gifts are not given to profit ourselves. Spiritual gifts are given so we lead people to Christ and draw them into the body.
Initially, I wanted the gift of teaching so I could be confident in myself. Twice a month, I have the opportunity to preach the gospel and share testimonies of God’s wondrous works to a class of lost souls. There are two different “types” of gifts: serving and speaking. The teaching gift is a serving gift. God put me in Kidtown to serve the kids: showing them Christ’s love, teaching them to obey their parents and leaders, preparing lessons on Biblical truths, praying with them, and engaging them in conversation.
“My responsibility to preach God’s Word is higher than any spiritual gift I could have”
My greatest takeaway: My responsibility to preach God’s Word is higher than any spiritual gift I could have. I left CAYA with a charge to preach the Word with Biblical adherence and simplicity of speech. I need to learn the Bible and be simple when sharing what I’ve learned.
Looking back, I realize I would’ve enjoyed the transition into teaching if I had just trusted that God was actively providing what I needed and understood that Satan was using fear to distract me from my responsibility to preach God’s Word. When the next ministry transition (or any other transition) happens, I pray that God would remind me not to focus on what I lack and to instead remember that my sufficiency is of him.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Ardria is member of Midtown Baptist Temple and is a part of C&YA. She serves in the Kidtown ministry and is a part of a UMKC women’s Bible study.
