The Great Commission gives us a plan as well as a purpose. We have not been left to our own devices to reach the goal of discipling the nations. The only hope for fulfilling the Great Commission in our generation is to do it Jesus' way, not the way that seems best to us. In the book Radical, author and pastor David Platt helps us better understand what Jesus' way is. Having looked at going and baptizing, today we consider the step of teaching.
Platt corrects a couple of misconceptions we have about what Jesus meant by teaching. First of all, Jesus was not thinking about our modern method of classroom instruction. Platt writes, "Classrooms and lectures have their place, but this is not the predominant kind of teaching we see in Jesus' relationship with His disciples." The disciples enjoyed a constant dialogue with Jesus whenever they wished and wherever they were. It was the natural, conversational flow of a relationship. Secondly, because of this casual style, anyone and everyone can be a teacher. Platt explains: "Scripture clearly speaks of a spiritual gift of teaching and identifies specific leadership roles in the church that are tied to the teaching of God's Word. Therefore, we assume that teaching is a task relegated to only a few. But while we should certainly acknowledge and affirm gifted teachers given by God to the church, Jesus' command for us to make disciples envisions a teaching role for all of us." As He did with the plan of salvation, when God wants something for everyone, He makes it simple enough that anyone can do it.
The kind of teaching Jesus had in mind was more like how a parent teaches his or her children. As life presents various situations, the parent explains the ideas or coaches the skills that the child needs. Values are modeled as well as taught. Outside the home, teaching in New Testament times typically followed the apprenticeship model. In MasterLife Avery Willis described the apprentice model of teaching as consisting of the following steps: I do it; I do it and you watch; we do it together; you do it and I watch; then you do it on your own. A more recent form of this approach uses the acrostic MAWL to state the teacher's actions: Model, Assist, Watch, Leave.
It is important to note that Jesus' method focuses on behaviors. He didn't say merely to teach them all things; He said to teach them to observe (keep, obey) all things. Behavior reveals belief. Everything we do is based on some idea or value we hold. We may also affirm a lot of other ideas, but what we truly believe, we do. As Jesus' disciples, we must practice what we preach. In Jesus' parable about the wise and foolish builders, both types heard the word, but only the wise put it into practice (Matthew 7:24-27).
David Platt points out a further advantage of using the relational, dialogue, apprenticeship method: the disciple maker also benefits. He writes, "This raises the bar in our own Christianity. In order to teach someone how to pray, we need to know how to pray. In order to help someone else learn how to study the Bible, we need to be active in studying the Bible. But this is the beauty of making disciples. When we take responsibility for helping others grow in Christ, it automatically takes our own relationship with Christ to a new level." Any Bible teacher knows that he learns far more than the students he teaches. So will any follower of Christ who is willing to be a reproducer and not just a receiver.
Let's ask the Lord to use us today to pass to someone else what He has taught and is teaching us. Let's continue to do that until we reach the nations with the gospel.
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