I am a teacher. Teaching is a part of me. I cannot imagine my life without teaching. I believe that teaching is something God has called me into and that is an area where my gifts lie. I work with 85 students a semester. I spend 90 minutes a day with them. I know what their favorite colors are, what kind of music they like, where they hang out on the weekends. I listen to them when they speak. I offer advice when asked. I make sure they are alright if they seem off. However, what I do is not considered ministry. Not officially, anyway. This is upsetting to me. In many ways I minister to more students in a day than some do in a year (or more) of youth ministry.
Unfortunately, I believe, because teaching is not recognized as ministry, many excellent teachers are going elsewhere because they feel they've been "called into ministry" and teaching isn't considered ministry by the church. I firmly believe that if the church recognized teaching as ministry and encouraged more people to become teachers, the world would quickly become a different place.
My prayer is that the church's definition of ministry will broaden to include those who are doing ministry exactly where they are and where God has called them to be. Then, I also believe, that then the kingdom of God will grow faster and larger than any of us could ever imagine.
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