In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul encouraged his apprentice Timothy in “rightly handling the word of truth” (ESV). Teaching the Bible is an incredibly important endeavor. The Bible is the word of God, completely true, and has the potential, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform that lives of those we teach. That is why, regardless of how long you have been leading Bible study, as a Bible teacher you always need to keep growing in your ability to make the Bible clear for others.

How do you keep growing in your calling to teach the Word? Several areas of study are likely to help.

  1. Develop a deeper understanding of the Bible. Yes, you do need to understand the passage you are teaching, but I mean more than that. Develop a sense of the story of Scripture so that you see how the passage you are teaching fits into the broader message of the Bible. Understand the themes of Scripture and the various ways it develops those themes. While commentaries, Bible atlases, Bible handbooks, and theological dictionaries are incredibly helpful, none of these replaces time spent reading and studying the Bible.
  2. Grow in your understanding of learning. Bible teachers sometimes think that telling someone a truth from the Bible is the same as teaching them that truth. But teaching presumes learning. Until you have helped people to understand and utilize a truth, you have not taught them the truth. Develop your skills as a teacher, skills that help you to deeply engage people in the study of the Bible.
  3. Get to know your learners. Be a student of contemporary culture. Listen to how your learners think about life. What are they celebrating and what challenges are they facing? People learn better when they see connections of the truth to their lives.

Where do you get help to keep growing as a teacher? For the next ten months, Gateway’s Educational Leadership team is developing this blog: Teach the Truth. Each week, we will release a short article to help you develop in each of these areas and more. Teaching the Bible may be the most important thing you do most weeks. It has the potential to affect eternity for those you teach. Work at being as effective as you can, “rightly handling the word of truth.”


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Dr. Iorg expresses gratitude for the kindness showed to him over the past week.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

Trained for Transition

Dr. Iorg discusses Gateway Seminary’s unique time of transition.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

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10 Questions with 10 Pastors
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In this podcast episode, Jason Dees, the pastor and church planter of Christ Covenant Church in Atlanta, Georgia, covers various topics including his dissertation on Baptist spirituality, focusing on figures like Andrew Fuller, William Carey, and John Riley, and their

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Why is pastoral presence so important? Dr. Iorg discusses the importance of being with people and offers fresh ways to engage with and effectively be with the people you are leading.


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Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival

Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

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Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

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