Online Book Discussion — Chapter One
Doug
Today we will begin our discussion and interaction over the first chapter of the book, Teaching to Change Lives, by Howard Hendricks. My plan is to give you a concise summary of the chapter along with questions for reflection. If you have read through the first chapter please feel free to leave comments or questions (if you’re new to this, simply click on the comments section at the top and it will prompt you on what to do). Let’s begin than with chapter one.
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Summary
Hendricks separates the book into seven short chapters that cover what he calls, “The Seven Laws of the Teacher.” The first law basically boils down to this main point: If you stop growing today, you’ll stop teaching tomorrow. In other words, as teachers we must be learners. We must teach out of the overflow of our lives. We must continue to grow and change if we expect our students to do the same. It’s really a simple “law” to understand, but more difficult to actually live out.
More specifically, he challenges teachers to live a balanced life that embraces change in many dimensions. He says, ”we cannot develop spiritually unless we develop in other areas as well-intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally” (p. 25). And so he provides some specific steps to guide us in our growth in these often neglected areas.
In conclusion, Hendricks calls us to a life of examination. A life willing to change and grow by asking ourselves hard questions such as, “What are my strengths and weaknesses?” and “What do I have to change?” These questions should prompt in us a desire to continue this process of growth as God works in us to conform us more to His Son. As that happens–as we change–we become powerful instruments of change in the lives of those we teach.
- Questions for Reflection
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In Luke 6:40 Jesus says, “Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” How does that verse make you feel as a teacher of God’s Word? Humbled, inspired, something else? Why?
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Why must modeling always precede effective teaching?
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Knowing that we all have room for growth, which area (intellectual, physical, social, emotional) do you need to spend more time focusing on?
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Do you agree with Hendricks when he says, “You cannot neglect one of these [above] areas without endangering your growth in all of them?”
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Why do we resist living a life of examination?
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Do you feel more like a “running stream” or “stagnant pool” for your students? If stagnant, what can you do to change?
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DON’T BE SHY … POST YOUR COMMENTS/QUESTIONS!
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Read some earlier comments below
March 4th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
This is certainly a convicting and somewhat frightening chapter. The suggestion that others will emulate my actions and growth is a heavy burden that most of the time I don’t want. However, its part of the position and is actually a positive aspect. This should give me an added push to pursue after God and grow because I am accountable not only for my own life but for the way in which my life directs others. When considering this, I can look back on times of growth and recognize that my teaching was much more rich and passionate than in stagnant times. I long for more of those times but how do you handle the stagnant times which are inevitable while we’re in our flesh? How do you teach a class the richness of God’s word when it isn’t rich for you? I think we all go through these times and usually just fight through with humility and prayer, but is there a more appropriate response? I don’t want a stagnant time in my life to cause that in my class but I can’t just stop teaching when this occurs.
One other comment, I believe my own laziness and sin keeps me from examining my life. Its just easier to keep preparing lessons in the same way, studying in the same way, or praying through the same prayers. I’m prone to mindless repitition(and I think we all are) and it helps to have an external push either from a training session, sermon, or some other vehicle of God’s word to knock me out of my routine and make me recognize my need to grow and change. I’m an engineer and I’m geared to developing repition that requires little thought because it invokes efficiency. Unfortunately, an efficient spiritual life is also a stagnant one.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Josh, thanks for getting the ball rolling. I appreciate your honest reflection over the chapter. You’re right. All of us go through stagnant times and hunger for more of the Spirit in our teaching. Personally, it’s a challenge that puts me on my face before the Lord. This helps me to remember my dependency on him and what he’s done through the gospel. Our only hope is him … as Col. 1:27 says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” If I think it’s up to me to teach successfully I’ll end up feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. But if I remember that it must be “his muscles” and his Spirit, I can actually have an expectant, restful heart knowing that as I’m faithful to the Scriptures, God is going to move. It is a fight, but it’s “the good fight” that causes us to rely more on him.
I also agree that the “examined life” is easy to avoid because of laziness and sin. I would just add, it’s also evidence that I don’t pursue accountability with others on a regular basis. When someone else can help me see my sin and encourage me in a gentle way, it provokes me to change. What do you think?
Again … thanks for getting the ball rolling, it helps shape my thinking.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
One more thing, Josh. Just to encourage you … I think repetition can be a good thing as long as we’re repeating the right things. Jesus is our model. He seemed to go back to the same themes in his teaching (e.g. the kingdom of God). Good teachers know how to repeat things but put them in a different package. That’s a challenge!
March 4th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Totally agree on the accountability thing. Some of my best times of growth were in college when I was surrounded by and lived with godly Christian men. Unfortunately, I find it much more difficult to have those close male relationships now that marriage, work, and church have taken us separate ways.
On another note, I’m not sure I entirely grasp the quote “we cannot develop spiritually unless we develop in other areas as well-intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.” I understand the concept of having a well balanced life and allowing God to have control in all areas but is growth necessary in all areas? In order to grow spiritually do I really need to exercise more or make new friends? Maybe he is suggesting that all dimensions must be healthy in order for spiritual growth which makes sense to me. Maybe I missed something or I’m reading to much into the text. Any thoughts?
March 5th, 2008 at 12:29 am
“we cannot develop spiritually unless we develop in other areas as well-intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.” For me this is very true. I am looking at it from a young mother perspective however. For me too, it was easy in high school and college because it seemed to bring a balance of all those things. Well, put me in a house with two toddler boys all day and that’s a different story. Then I was truly stripped of everything I thought I knew. Sure I was reading my Bible and praying…but you add in lack of sleep, redundant activities etc… I really saw the effects in my walk with God. Don’t get me wrong I understand, in this season, these things will come up (I keep reading as many encouraging books in this area too). It wasn’t until just recently, when I started to get those things back into balance am I experiencing His blessings. Seeing the need for social involvement, eating right, exercising, connecting with my husband without the kids…or whatever it is…the Bible talks about all of it and I think he’s just saying, cover all your bases.
March 5th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I wonder if I compartmentalize my life too much. Do I see physical exercise or taking care of my body as a spiritually benefical thing? I know that Dr. Hendricks delineated these areas to help us get specific about our growth, but it may be helpful for us to remember that all of them are connected. It’s interesting, but most often when I am disciplined with my eating habits and exercise, I’m also more disciplined in my times with the Lord. And of course the flipside can be true as well. When I’m walking close with Jesus, I long to be closer to people socially and I’m more aware of my need to grow in other areas too. What do you think?
March 5th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I think this is great. Dr. Hendricks is a great teacher I hope all of our LIFE teachers enjoy this book. It’s much better than Oprah’s
March 7th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
[...] those of you in the Online Book Discussion, see you [...]
March 7th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
it has been good reading this book again and this is real cool to have a discussion about it.
here are some quotes that were challenging to me.
“If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow”
“son, i would rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool”
“as long as you learn, you live”
“your reading too much if you reflect on it too little”
“experience does not necessarily make you better; in fact it tends to make you worse, unless it’s evaluated experience”
The quote the rang so true to me is “the greatest threat to your ministry is your ministry” – wow, when you have been here for 12 years you see this to be so true.
I believe it was John Piper who said that books do not change lives but sentences do – so i pray that these will have an effect on me and on all of us.
May God give us grace to continue to be life long learners!!!
March 7th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Jeff and I are reading this together, and I am in unison with all the above comments. There was so much that spoke to my heart in this first chapter that I find it difficult to focus on just one thing. But, the excerpt from page 29, about the “wild” kid we teach who may one day be a pastor or missionary–wow! Makes me so conscious of how much I need to listen to our kids and be patient…
Convicting, too, is how we should always be in a state of growth. I will never “arrive” until I see HIM!
March 8th, 2008 at 2:50 am
i want to address the “running water, stagnant pool” comment.
there are days that i feel so stagnant and i recognize it as a direct attack from satan. he wants me to just sit and become covered in “algae” i then go to the lord “immediately” and spend time with him and then i feel the water running through me, it is god’s love. he gives me the strength to be a clear running stream and not a stagnant pond.
also, there are sundays when i get to church and i feel “stagnant” and it only takes a smile from one of my precious students then i feel “fresh” and life is good again!!! blessings, missy
March 10th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
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