An Introduction to the 5-Fold Teaching Grace
- Nicole Hathorn
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
For the month of December, we will be diving into the Teaching grace here on the blog!
Teacher: 1) An explainer, bringing understanding to difficult concepts; 2) An equipper, showing you how to do something for yourself.
A Teacher is one who takes what is perplexing and makes it palatable; what is confusing, clear; what is difficult, desirable; and what is inaccessible, an inspiring invitation. A teacher takes bread from a high shelf and distributes it so even the smallest child can take and eat.
There are 3 Defining Marks of Teaching Grace:
Teaching “Develops” Your Life and Calling: It forms and shapes the spiritual ‘house’ of how you see God, life, sin, hope, redemption, and your specific place in the world.
“God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.” Col. 1:27-28
Teaching “Defines” Healthy Spiritual Muscles: It strengthens and refines your heart to continually mature in Christlike surrender and obedience.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
Teaching “Directs” Your Path: It anchors your hope, settles your soul, and orders your path to walk confidently in step with God.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Col. 3:15-16
Indicators that you are strong in Teaching grace:
You love understanding how things work and explaining them for as long as someone is willing to listen.
You see lessons in EVERYTHING and regularly transform mundane moments into teaching opportunities.
You love “story” and understand imagery deeply. You can’t watch a movie or read a book without sharing how it reflects larger realities of God and life, for better or worse.
You get MOST excited when you are leading people into a new realm of hunger or discovery. You love watching the “lights turn on” in people’s souls.
You respect the deeper nuances of complex issues, and struggle when others respond in apathy or premature judgment, driven by ignorance.
You think deeply. Your convictions are the result of detailed analysis, study, and reflection.
You love to study and discover. You are prone to read, write, and consume educational media (podcasts, documentaries, etc).
You are a natural “trainer” and are sought to help individuals or teams in your area of expertise through presentation and/or practical workshops.
What happens where we lack teaching grace in our churches and ministries?
Immaturity & Impotence: We fail to grow up in obedience and holiness. We suffer a lack of the transformational love and power of God in our midst in favor of man-made pursuits. We lean on our own understanding and perish for a lack of knowledge (Prov. 3:5-6, Hosea 4:6).
Emotional Wandering & Entitlement: Failing to trust God as our authority, we allow our own emotions to take the throne, trading holiness for the haughty and hollow chasing of our own whims. We become self-important, impatient, easily offended, and obsessed with our supposed ‘rights,’ trading good news for spiritual gluttony and grumbling.
4 Warnings for Teachers:
Misrepresenting the Gospel Due to Pride or the Pursuit of Praise
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:2-3
“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:15-16
Relational/Emotional Disconnection
It is easy to LOVE study, solitude, and teaching and to place too little emphasis on seeking a depth of relationship to walk WITH those you are seeking to teach. We must remember the only “law” of the Gospel is to love…and that means vulnerability and connection!
Impatience/Frustration
As a teacher, you can often SEE things that many others miss…and it can be easy to grow impatient or frustrated with people for not immediately jumping in enthusiasm about what you are sharing. Please keep in mind two things: a) It took you a good deal of time in awakening and study to see as you presently see and they JUST heard it. b) There are plenty of places where others can presently see and embrace realities of God that you have a hard time seeing. Extend the same grace you wish to be extended to you.
Hypocrisy
Knowledge, in and of itself, puffs up. It is not what we understand that Jesus is most concerned about, but rather what we will OBEY. Let us never forget that God gave us His Word not to satisfy the curiosities of our minds, but to transform our hearts!
Are you strong in the five-fold Teaching Grace?
What from the above makes you think "oh, that's me!"?
How are you currently bringing your gift to your church or ministry? Or how would you like to do it?
Additional Resources on the 5-fold: Episodes 4 and 5 of The Live Worthy Podcast. Check out episodes specific to the Teaching Grace during the whole month of December on the Live Worthy Podcast! Don't know how to access the podcast? Check out our guide!
Need some equipping in Teaching grace? Check out Worthy's partner, His Redeeming Purpose!
-Compiled by Niki Hathorn from teachings by Pastor Chuck Ammons
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