My Passion: Equipping People for Growth and Healing

I am a teacher. If I was offered a million dollars to do individual therapy if I would just quit teaching and consulting with churches I would turn it down. There is nothing better than doing what you love.

When I hear how my students and their students are helping people grow I get excited. I love to hear their stories. When they share stories of healing, change and salvation I get goose bumps.

Many years ago I was confused about who I was and what I wanted to do for a living. It was only through experience over time was I able to discover my call. God was preparing me to be a Christian trainer. For five years I was paid by three different school districts in Illinois to be a teacher, busd driver and basketball coach. I thought I was a teacher but Godwas just preparing me for what had in mind.

I was stumped and frustrated as a teacher in Ina, Illinois. There were 35 kids in my class. About half were in the Fifth Grade and half in the Sixth grade and I was supposedly teaching them math, English, spelling, language, reading and social studies as well as music, art and PE. Just imagine how challenging that was. The kids varied in IQ, motivation, social skills and study skills. Some came from homes that read, discussed world issues and religion while others had none of these experiences. And I was supposed to teach all of them the full range of subjects.

It was in Ina that I learned to equip rather than lecture. It was a matter of necessity not brilliance or educational philosophy. I simply could not teach these kids the way I was told to do in college. There were too many of them with different levels of ability and there were too many different subjects.

Sounds like the church.

Coaching sports also prepared me to be an equipper in the church. The coach cannot play the game so the players must be adequately prepared to play on their own. If my students can't write, read or do math unless I am with them I have failed. If my church colleagues cannot witness, pray for healing, minister grace and renew minds unless I am there I have failed as a Christian leader.

What are you doing as a leader?
Are you doing the stuff or equipping others to do it?