This week as we address the spiritual gift of TEACHING, let’s acknowledge two important truths:

1. There is a sense in which all Christians are to be teachers.(Matthew 28:20) In the Great Commission Jesus told his followers to go and make disciples of every nation. Part of the commission was "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
    
    (Colossians 3:16) Paul said: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.”
    
    (Hebrews 5:12) Writing to believers who had not progressed beyond spiritual infancy, the author  says: “Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!”
    
    

2. There is a spiritual gift of teaching that is given by God to some Christians. Three scripture passages mention this gift: Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. 
    
    The gift of teaching is one of the most important gifts of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, this gift is underrated in today's church. Other gifts that focus on the spectacular and controversial help churches grow very large very fast as they attract an enormous amount of attention. Any church built on the controversial and the spectacular will not stand the test of time.

John Stott observed, “Experience without truth is the menace of a mindless Christianity.”

Christianity is a reasoning faith. It cannot survive apart from a body of truth.

Without good teaching, any church will struggle to thrive. Sound teaching is the practical foundation of any local church. In medical terms, the teachers are like the skeletal system of the body. They give shape to everything else.

Let us give thanks for and to our gifted teachers in the Foothills community! They impact us with their lessons and with their life, with their words and with their attitude. They impart important information about God and life, and the values by which they live will always remain with us.

We are a church that was founded by a “Rabbi.” Most agree that Jesus was a great Teacher. May he not just be our Teacher, but our Savior too!

To learn how you can share your knowledge of Christ with others join us at 11 a.m. for our Sabbath Service. We’re excited to have topics like that challenge your involvement as a Christian. See you on Saturday morning!

You pastor,

Duff