The usefulness of teaching

NORSK
Magna (1) can confirm, though with some frustration, that I am very concerned about the usefulness of everything I am doing.

This afternoon I will start the return-journey from a conference in Cape Town that has had the Salvation Army’s IT strategy on the agenda. I believe that IT is useful in the mission of our movement. If my input has contributed constructively, then it is useful that I have been a part of it. And - if the gospel can be communicated in a useful way, that is the way to go.

In teaching we use the words "learning outcomes" to as a parameter for the usefulness of the teaching. Very long ago, when I signed up for lessons at a driving school, a driving license was my desired learning outcome.

Paul wrote to Timothy about the usefulness of the fact the Scripture is God-breathed:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching
2 Tim 3:16-17­­

I strongly believe that the Spirit of God is ever present in the Bible. This implies that I also believe that people who read the Gospel can experience the Holy Spirit through the word in such a way that they can grasp it and be saved. I have read and heard many testimonies that confirm this. It has also been a consolation when I have had to enter the pulpit without a strong conviction of being God-breathed when I opened my mouth to preach.

Yet I am convinced that the optimum is when God's "breath" is present in both the word which is read and recognized when the same word is interpreted by whoever preaches. Then the synergy will not be limited to the usefulness of the learning outcomes of dissemination of knowledge, but include dissemination of vital life.

Teaching is important because 'the Holy Spirit will remind us of everything Jesus has said to us (2).

'Manna' for today:

It is about the Word and the Spirit!

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PS Tomorrow the blog may come later due to travels.
(1) = my faithful companion for 39 years
(2) John 14:26