you have both learned and received and heard and SEEN IN ME, do” (Phil. 4 :9 ). I f these critical days are to produce the spiritual leaders they so desperately need, those o f us who teach had better wake up. It is interesting to note that Timothy is de scribed as a young man who had “ fully known” the doctrine and living that Paul had communicated to him. This expression means literally that he had “ gone right alongside” Paul in all these things. In other words, Timothy got the message, and had translated it into action. The result was, o f course, that there was another living illustration, another human visual aid, for the rising generation to watch carefully. There is reason to believe that Timothy did as he was told, and communicated to others the doctrine that he had heard and seen, and they too did the same thing. It is not too difficult to teach an intellectual as similation o f the facts. But it is an entirely differ ent proposition to teach in order to get a practical application o f the things taught. For instance, it is not difficult to teach people that they should wit ness effectively, but it is another matter to get them to do i t ! There is no real problem getting people to realize that they ought to study the Word o f God for themselves. But how many Christians really do it? In my experience, not too many! I believe that the reason for this is not hard to find. The present-day teachers aren’t as enthusiastic at get ting alongside the students to do things with them as they are telling these students what to do. I have met numerous pastors and professors who insist that the unreached must be reached. They speak with much vigor, but their enthusiasm seldom gets them out among these unreached with the team of youngsters they told to get out there. In the same way I have met literally hundreds o f bewildered and discouraged young Christians who have been told to “ get into the Word o f God,” but the people who told them never showed them howr. There is no substitute for the time spent with young people where they are, doing the things with them that need to be done. Every once in a while a teacher ought to come out from behind the safety and seclusion o f his pulpit or desk to where the young people are and live a little while with them! But let us look further at Paul, the great teach er. He takes our breath away when he says, “ the things you have seen in me, do.” His matter-of-fact coupling o f his “ manner o f life” with the “ doc trine” is extremely challenging. Yet why should it not be? I f we teachers really believe what we say we believe and i f we believe what we expect our pupils to believe, why should we be surprised that what we teach really works? Maybe we don’t want to stick our necks out. Perhaps we are so aware o f our inconsistencies that we prefer to major on the teaching rather than the living. I have a convic tion, however, that it was seeing Paul in action
Teaching is more than telling
by Stuart Brisco»
T h e d a y s i n w h i c h w e l iv e are both critical and thrilling. They present unprecedented dangers as well as opportunities. Never before has sur vival been held by so slender a thread. Neither have men and women had such an occasion to live lives o f purpose and distinction. This applies to all men in general, but to Christians in particular. I believe, however, that there are some Chris tians who have an even greater responsibility in these critical, exciting days. I refer to those whose privilege it is to help shape the destiny o f succeed ing generations. This lofty vocation is to teach and train the young people o f the present day to accept and fulfill the crushing responsibility o f being God’s men and women in the years to come. Ministering to young people today is so critical and demanding that it is nothing less than a divine vocation. This is not a new idea. Paul felt like this in his day. His letters to Timothy, written towards the end o f his ministry, show how he accepted the God-given privilege o f equipping men like Timothy to be vital men o f God in the “ last days.” Paul took the young people seriously so his methods and principles deserve to be noted care fully. Paul knew all about ear gate and eye gate! Listen to what he said, “ But thou has fully known my doctrine, manner o f life, purpose, faith” . . . (II Timothy 3 :10 ). In other words, he said: “ You know my doctrine, Timothy, because you have lis tened to what I said.” But notice that he had a visual aid as well, for Timothy had seen Paul’s manner o f life. He had seen his purpose and felt the impact o f his determination. Timothy had one o f the world’s best teachers, a teacher who had only one visual aid, his own life. If Timothy needed this example in his day, what do the present-day youngsters need? At least the same! Is this what they are getting? Are the young people under your care getting pure doctrine through ear gate, and exciting consistent living through eye gate? They deserve and demand noth ing less. Young people today want teachers o f the cali ber o f Paul who can say as he did, “ The things that
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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