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God’s Word teaches us the necessity and importance of Christian education as seen in the Scriptures below.
Matthew 28: 19-20: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
Traditionally, we've viewed our Lord's great commission as a missionary challenge.
We've emphasized the "Go" in verse 19.
Yet, this is also an educational commission as well as an evangelistic mandate.
Other key phrases are "make disciples," "baptizing them," and "teaching them."
Grammatically, the only imperative in Jesus' statement is "make disciples"--a reference
to an on-going educational venture.
We cannot separate proclaiming the gospel and winning people to Christ from the process
of integrating them into church life, and nurturing them toward maturity.
2 Timothy 2: 2: "The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses
entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others."
Paul also instructs us to educate persons whom we lead to Christ.
Furthermore, he implied that without a proper Christian education, evangelism loses
its multiplication potential.
Not only does education follow evangelism, Paul suggests, but more evangelism will be
the result of an effective education!
The circle that follows illustrates this dynamic relationship between education and evangelism.
"Reach" and "win" are evangelistic.
"Teach" and "train" refer to the process of educating and training believers in doctrine and service.
When an individual is properly taught and trained, he is better equipped to reach and to win
... and the cycle begins all over again!
An individual's ministry has a mushrooming effect, if the people he reaches receive educational
experiences that enable them to grow.
Ephesians 4: 11-12: "It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets,
some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people
for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."
Here is a partial list of gifted men whom God has given the church.
The phrase "pastors and teachers" refers to only one office.
This use of "and" can be taken as a hyphen.
Why is this significant?
It indicates that teaching is an integral function of a pastoral ministry.
A pastor's role is educational, not just evangelistic or administrative.
The primary purpose of a pastor's ministry is to "prepare God's people for works of service."
The word translated , prepare," was also used of a physician resetting broken bones in a person's arm,
restoring it to usefulness.
The term also described a fisherman mending his net, equipping it for the day's work.
Clearly, equipping others for ministry is a developmental or educational task.
John 13: 13: "You call me 'Teacher' and Lord,' and rightly so, for that Is what I am.”
This statement by Jesus occurred in the Upper Room, right after He washed the disciples' feet,
on the night of His arrest and betrayal.
What is significant is Jesus' acceptance of the title "Teacher."
Jesus directly implied that instructing others in the Word and ways of God was
a vital part of His earthly ministry.
Nicodemus recognized Christ as a "teacher come from God" (John 3: 2).
No other aspect of the ministry of Jesus is so frequently observed in the Gospels as His teaching.
Even redemption, preaching and healing had to be made relevant to the observers,
which inevitably involved teaching.
In a sense it can be said that all Jesus said, did, and was, comes to a focus in His teaching.
Today, the church is founded on the person and work of Jesus.
We correctly call Him our model as well as our Lord.
We strive to pattern our lives and ministries after Him.
We want His strategies and His concerns to shape our strategies and concerns.
If that's the case, then teaching others the Word of God must be a priority in our local churches,
as it was with Jesus.
The educational process of acquainting all age-levels with Scripture lies at the heart
of most Christian education agencies.
These four passages of Scripture show that "Christian education" is the work of the church
and of its leaders, not an appendix to it.
Either directly or indirectly, all church ministries are part of the educational process
that we have mapped out in order to help people reach their God-intended potential.
Dr. Howard Hendricks has said, "Christian education is not an option; it is an order.
It is not a luxury; it is a life.
It is not something nice to have; it is something necessary to have.
It is not a part of the work of the church; it is the work of the church."
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