Teach with Kindness and Compassion

    Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

Over the past few months, in these Multiply podcast episodes, we have been

considering topics related to the broad theme of multiplication. We have

recalled that the only way to fulfill the VCP vision of a church in every African

village by 2050 is through multiplication. Because we love God and desire to

fulfill his Great Commission of making disciples of every nation and in every

place, we believe in multiplication. The heart of Village Church Planting is the

multiplication of disciples, leaders, and churches.

If we are to multiply disciples and leaders, we must do far more than simply

teach them new ideas. We must empower them to act. To empower means to

give strength, ability, and authority. Wise Christian leaders know that there are

many ways to empower. We empower others through coaching, through

mentoring, and through the delegation of both responsibility and authority.

Another important way to empower others is through teaching. Jesus

empowered his disciples by teaching them to pray, teaching them to think with

wisdom, teaching them to know and understand the Kingdom of God and by

teaching them how to minister to others.

But, I’m sorry to say, not all teaching is empowering. Some people who teach

do so simply because they like to hear themselves speak about important ideas.

Some people who teach do so because they love the honor that is given to a

teacher. Some people teach because it makes them feel so good to have

everyone sit quietly while they talk. Teachers who teach so that others will

honor them or show them respect rarely empower their learners.

So what are the attributes of teachers who empower? How does a teacher

teach when he or she wants to strengthen others and make them competent to

lead? The ministry of Jesus give us a great answer to this question. Jesus’

teaching was filled with compassion. His teaching was not simple or even easy

to understand. But, it was filled with kindness. Matthew 4:23 tells us that

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the

good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the

people.”

Jesus showed his compassion by taking three years to prepare his disciples for

much greater responsibility. Jesus sent out his followers to minister. Then he

listened to their reports when they came back from ministry. Jesus was patient

with his followers. He never gave up on them, even though they were often

slow to learn and slow to understand.

What about you? Would your disciples describe you as patient and kind? When

you teach, do you take time to listen? Would your disciples say that you take

time to listen to them and to understand them? Do your disciples know that you

believe in them and that you expect them to accomplish great things? Is your

teaching filled with kindness and compassion?

If it is, praise the Lord and keep up the good work. But if you sense that you

lack patience and compassion, take time today to talk to the Lord. Tell Him

you are sorry for your impatience with your students and your lack of kindness.

Be specific. Humbly ask the Lord to fill you with compassion for the students

you teach. Let Him know you truly want to empower them to live as His

disciples. The Lord will surely answer your prayers because, as James 4:6 says,

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?”

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #KindnessAndCompassion