The Equipping Ministry, Student Workbook, SW15

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T H E E Q U I P P I N G M I N I S T R Y

Please take as much time as you have available to answer these and other questions that the video brought out. During this segment we saw how the Holy Spirit alone chooses and selects those whom he desires for this important work. Apart from his enlivening work, the teaching ministry is ineffective and unfruitful. He alone selects those whose life and discipline allows him to work through them as vessels for his teaching ministry. As with preaching, so the Holy Spirit is instrumental in every phase of teaching the Word of God to growing disciples. Review the ways in which the Spirit oversees and influences the entire process of the teaching event through the following questions. Be clear and concise in your answers, and where possible, support with Scripture! 1. Explain the following statement: “Both the source and resource of the teaching ministry is the Holy Spirit, who alone chooses and selects those whom he desires for this important work.” 2. How can we know that the Holy Spirit will in fact use persons who through discipline and spiritual brokenness prepare themselves to teach? What are some of the characteristics involving the preparation for the teaching ministry? 3. Why are the characteristics of faithfulness and teachableness mentioned so often in the NT as the premiere traits for those interested in becoming effective teachers? Why ought we never entrust the mysteries of God to someone who is neither faithful nor teachable? 4. Read James 3.1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” How does this verse help us to understand the soberness of the teaching office in the Church? 5. Why is it not sensible to entrust the Word of God to a person who has not proven through their life that they are interested in obeying it in a rigorous and disciplined way? (See Luke 6.40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.) Also, why is it important to seek teachers who want to excel at their craft and vocation as teachers (cf. 2 Tim. 2.2)? 6. Outline the various ways that the Holy Spirit oversees and influences the entire process of the teaching process. How does this parallel with preaching events and processes ? What does this suggest, then, about the Holy Spirit and

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Student Questions and Response

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