Hebrews 5:12 says, “Although by this
time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic
principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food."
Each Sunday I have to review the
story from the previous week and redirect almost all of our children and youth
in our Bungalow class to sit up, pay attention, quit throwing blocks and the
list goes on and on. Yet week after week we continue to teach about Jesus, plan
and prepare the crafts the snacks, the sensory areas because after all I am
their Sunday School teacher.
They do not know that I am the leader
of their special needs ministry; they do not care if my badge says my name on
it, or if I even have a job. All they are concerned with on that particular
time in their lives is who is going to teach the Sunday school lesson? They
want to learn about Jesus and hear the stories that I hope at some point come
to life not only in the classroom but also in their minds and hearts.
As I look out the huge windows of my
church, into my city today I see cars, trucks traveling back and forth, and I
wonder how many of those cars and trucks have passengers that could attend our
class at church. If I could, I would love to run out there and shout… “Hey do
you have a church home?” but in Houston traffic I would probably not
live through that expedition.
When I explain to a new parent or
child why I teach them, how we have buddies that can go with them to most
venues on the campus, or why we have a class at our church for children “like
them” I only mean it in the most considerate way. I want them to feel at home
in Thru the Roof, I desire just like Jesus did I believe, to be comfortable and
without fear while they are in his presence. So in our class there is no stress
(none that we would cause anyway) unless a child has some behavior issues that
our volunteers and I soon get under control as we proceed!
To them, they do not even know that I
office at the church during the weekdays. To explain to them why
I am also here on Wednesday nights I just say, “I am your Sunday School teacher
with a desk.”
Truly, that is what I am.
Yes, I have a list of credentials that I could rattle off but hate to! It does
not matter to a child or adult with special needs how many books I have read
(unless counting books has something to do with their disability). I just want
to be Ms. Denise to them. and in years to come as they remember me I hope they
will remember that I loved them with all my heart and that I taught them all I
could about Jesus and His Word, the Bible.
Nevertheless, those credentials,
those Bible lessons, those preparations are important if we are to give them
our all. If we are to give them our best! I would encourage you
whether you are a lay leader who teaches Sunday school, Life Bible Study, Small
group… whatever your church calls it to “re-up” and reconnect with others in
your church or community or on Facebook or twitter. Meet with other churches in
your area who are wanting to do what you do, mentor them, let them fall forward
and learn from the mistakes that you have already made in ministry so they
don’t have to experience the pains that pulling up roof tiles can bring. Attend conferences
like Orange 2013, get with the trends of today, and be relevant for the
children and adults you teach. It does not matter whether you lead a class of
one or a ministry of 100 or 1000, we must be ready to share the word of Jesus
Christ with them, especially if you are
a Sunday school teacher with a desk!
