I’ve been around a lot of teachers in my lifetime. We all have. Think for just a moment about how many people have taught you throughout your life. Our parents and grandparents. Siblings and friends. Primary teachers. Young Men’s and Young Women’s leaders. Schoolteachers. Scout Masters. College professors. Missionaries. Church leaders. Seminary and institute teachers. Mentors. MTC instructors. Doctors. Coaches. Therapists. The list can go on forever. And it probably will.
But why do we need so many different teachers? Why can’t our parents do all of it? Why can’t our dance coach also teach us Spanish, calculus, repentance, agriculture, and the joys of child-rearing? I think the simplest explanation is this: No matter how good a teacher we are, we will always have blind spots. There isn’t a teacher in this universe outside of the Godhead that is all-knowing, so by default the rest of us just don’t know enough to teach everything to everyone.
And that is why we need community.
There is an old saying that “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, it takes a community to develop a teacher, and that is exactly what we are attempting to do with Teaching Restored. Rather than have a few professional teachers tell you all the ways you can improve in the classroom, we wanted to grow a community of gospel teachers from around the world who have a desire to learn, develop, and share their talents with everyone. We all come from different backgrounds, environments, and experiences, and that provides each of us a unique perspective on the gospel and how to teach it. Or, as Paul puts it:
“For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: …
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-22, 29-31)
At Teaching Restored, we value every teacher of the gospel because we know that all of us have something to contribute. That’s why we have professional teachers, public speakers, corporate consultants, incredible moms, returned missionaries, writers, and more providing content and support in efforts to grow, develop, and share our talents with one another. It’s why we will have great guests on the podcast and opportunities to lift and train one another as we continue to rise together to meet the needs of all of our students.
So, here’s our invitation:
We know that through these efforts we will be better able to accomplish the purpose of teachers as described by the Apostle Paul:
“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13)
So, sign up for the newsletter, watch/listen to the podcast, read the blog, give us feedback, share your successes, ask us questions, and stay tuned for all of the great content and opportunities to grow that we have coming your way. Let’s do it!
Now, on that note…
