The countdown has begun.  As of last Sunday, I am two weeks away from starting a brand new Sunday School class for women.  It will mainly be single women as well as women whose husbands won’t accompany them to church.  What happens on that first day of class matters.  May 15th will represent either a brand new chapter at Riverbend, my home church, or it will signal an end to my 18-month tenure there.

That may sound drastic, but I have always had a strong understanding of my purpose and the spiritual gift God gave me.  I was a senior in high school when my mentor, Hal Haralson of First Baptist Church  Austin, saw my potential as a teacher.  When Hal asked me to teach a girls junior high class,  I was quite reluctant at first.  Hal saw something in me that I could not see in myself.  Nevertheless, I decided to go for it.  The worst thing that could happen was that I taught for a semester, and if I didn’t enjoy it, or the girls and I weren’t connecting well, then I could say “I tried it”.  Not only did I enjoy teaching, but the rapport with the girls was strong, and I fell in love with teaching!

I continued to teach the junior high class while I was in college.  When I graduated, Hal decided that I was ready to teach the College Sunday School class.  Again, I was resistant because I didn’t think I would have any credibility being fresh out of college and teaching students who were basically my peers.   Hal was already teaching this class, so he invited me to co-teach with him.  That sounded safe enough, so I tried it.  I was Hal’s co-pilot for three months before he transitioned this class to me.  What can I say?  I loved every minute of it, and my peers appreciated what I had to offer.

I have taught for 30 years.  There have been many Sunday School classes, cell groups, and topical studies that I have led, and what excites me about this role is seeing lives being transformed as a work in progress.  I feel great joy and feel privileged knowing that God can use me to facilitate spiritual growth in another.  I desire to make a difference in someone else’s life, and teaching is the arena God allows me to do this.  None of us have arrived, but we are learners together as we apply the truths of Scripture in our relationships wherever we are.  I believe with all of my heart that my ability to teach is a gift from God, and it is His will for me to use it.  For 30 years God has shown me through the affirmations of those who have sat under my teaching that this is why I’m here.   Teaching is a passion, and I continue to find ways to sharpen my skills on a regular basis.  I tried to audit a preaching and teaching class at Austin Seminary, but they didn’t admit any auditors.  However, I found the course syllabus online including the books for the class and the reading schedule.  I studied independently reading the books according to the weekly assignments.  I especially loved the book Preaching and Teaching, by Warren Wiersbe, which taught me the importance of mastering metaphors.

You can imagine the depth of disappointment I will feel if this class doesn’t develop and no women show up.  However, at a higher level, I will understand that a sovereign God must have another place in mind for me to teach, and my job is to keep “going” until I discover where He really wants me.  (See my last post “Go Until You Hear No” to appreciate my need to keep “going”.)  On the other hand, if this class  takes off, you can imagine the thrill of seeing God’s hand in allowing me a permanent teaching ministry where my teaching gift can be used for His glory.  I already have a rough outline of what I will teach and look forward to building incarnational community among women. 

I would be blessed if you would commit to pray in agreement with me that the Lord will fill this class with many women.  Please pray that I will always be yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit who faithfully leads me into His Truth and to communicate God’s Word in an engaging and effective way that draws people to Jesus Christ.  I am looking forward to May 15^th with great anticipation of what God is up to in my life.  Teaching is why I’m here.  The question is where.

Blessings,

Lee Ann

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