What you can teach

Consider this: sometimes, the best person to teach something isn’t actually the most advanced expert at that thing.  Here’s the other thing: some experts know too much so they try to teach newbies, All of The Things. And, in the process of teaching so many things, so much theory and so much formality, they drain all the fun and excitement out of the endeavor. Newbies need that fun and excitement to stick with it. – Tara-Nicolle Nelson

POD #22: What you can teach
Becoming a thought leader, running a business, developing a course, writing and speaking, mentoring, leading a team, being a consultant, even writing a book or blog: all these endeavors involve teaching.
What is the thing you can (and want to) teach others how to do, without causing them to curl up in the fetal position under the table?
What is the thing you can teach others how to do while helping them fall or stay in love with it?
It may or may not be a business-ey thing, and it could be something you want to teach to your nephews or to the larger world. It could be teaching confidence or teaching love of nature, or teaching how to maintain soulful relationships, or whatever floats your boat!

I am not a theologian, a preacher or an evangelist.  I haven’t studied religion and I am not a Bible scholar.  I am not a trained Christian therapist or counselor.  I am not even certified in Biblical counseling.  However, I love the Word of God.  I have been through an awful lot for a person my age.  And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was God who brought me through.  So if I was to teach other it would be in personal application of God’s Word.

My passion for God, coupled with my passion for helping others and a love for teaching collides at this point.  Most of the time I feel inadequate to do so.  I stay silent when I really want to speak.  There are times that the passion I feel about personal application of God’s Word exudes into every day conversation.  Not preachy “Do this” and “don’t do that.” but “Have you every thought of…” or “This is how God worked ____ in my life.”  I want to see people succeed and if they can learn from my trials and tribulations, that is wisdom on their part to not suffer through the process.

I do some peer training at a local non-profit that works bring emotional healing to the life of women through a spiritual emphasis.  The training is intensive and takes a lot of self-work.  Towards the end of the training most of the volunteers say they still feel unqualified.   To which I remind them that it is God who is really helping the women we serve.  Their job is to stay connected to Him, and He will guide them in how to minister to the women.  I let them know that they are at an advantage because as a trained therapist there are times that I can slip out of letting God work through me and rest on what I know will work.  That is not what the ministry is about, it is about letting God work through you to help someone.

I also hear a fear about not knowing enough Bible, to which I respond start reading it.  The training material I present is filled with Scriptures.  Literally pick a topic, go to the material and have a handful of scriptures to pull from.  The other thing I encourage is go through their own testimony and think about what Scriptures ministered most to them.  The Center’s motto is “We’ve Been Where You Are.” With that premise if a scripture spoke to the volunteer during a difficult time, it will likely speak to the client.  These three things with God’s leading will provide a successful session.

I think one of the ways I would love to share this knowledge is through a book or devotion.  There is a discipleship track called The Journey that was made for men.  It is a powerful tool that really has impacted my life.  Yet there are a few things about the program that frustrate me, and as I come across them, I write down what I feel would help more.  One day I will get all those thoughts put together in writing.  I think creating a devotional would be a good way to help others learn personal application of God’s Word in a way that helps them not only grow closer to God but also helps them deal with some of the stressors life throws their way.

In part I already kind of teach this.  To the extent I could, absolutely not.  I let the fear of not being qualified hold me back.  It would only take time and some editing for me to put together a devotion.  Yet, maybe this is a piece of advise I need to start taking myself.  I need to rely on God not myself.  If He has called me to it, He will equip me through it.

This post is prompted by Tara-Nicholle Nelson’s 30 Day Writing Challenge for Conscious Leaders.


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