Need some Wisdom

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caddy

Puritan Board Senior
I have been asked to "Co-Teach" a High School Class with a good friend in my church.

Here are my problems / issues:

1. I do not feel lead to teach, nor do I think I have the gift.
While I am a voracious reader, I think I am a poor verbal
communicator in formal settings, and generally prefer
listening as opposed to interjecting my views/knowledge
at every opportunity.
2. I am somewhat "phobic" about speaking / talking in
a group. Don't ask me where it come from because I don't
know and don't understand it myself. I would consider
myself as very outgoing, friendly, talkative in one on one
settings, but put me in a formal setting, and my whole
dynamic changes.
3. I have some reservations about my thoughts on
how I would communicate my views on Reformed doctrine
to a group of SBC high school kids, or better, how my
church might interpret that.

I am very active in my church. I work with our kids in our AWANAS program, rotate on an off for powerpoint, rotate on and off as head user. I am also a Deacon in the Church. I don't like the thought of saying "NO" to a need in the chuch, but I am very hesitant to say yes to something that I do not feel comfortable with.

Any thoughts or Wisdom you can shed is appreciated.

[Edited on 7-28-2006 by caddy]
 
I don't think you should have reservations about saying no to something at church. There was a time when I was preaching pulpit supply somewhat regularly (including at our church when we didn't have a pastor.) One day the worship leader asked me to lead the next Sunday services. I didn't even think about, I just told him no.

Although worship does not require you sing on key, if the leader is singing off-key (as I would have been) that's probably what most people would focus on.

Serving in a church doesn't mean that you do everything everyone asks you. If you don't feel that you are a good teacher, then I would explain that and stay with that. If you go in with 4 or 5 reasons, they will probably think you just don't want to do it.
 
Steve,
I don't know if this helps, but I can in some ways relate to how you feel speaking in formal settings.

When I was in college, I was very fearful of speaking in front of people. In my freshman year, I had to do a group presentation with 2 or 3 others, each of us doing part of the presentation. When it came to my turn, I basically froze and couldn't speak - one of the others had to do my part of the presentation.

I ended up switching majors once or twice after finding out that one of the classes I'd have to take would be a public speaking class. I just couldn't do it.

Years later, fears still in tact, I was asked at a church if I'd be willing to lead the evening worship service. I told them I'd pray about it (at the tiime, my way of delaying saying 'no'). As I prayed about it, I became convinced that I needed to trust God in that area of my life, and not be so fearful. I got back to the pastor and told him I'd do it.

Well, the day came for me to go up there and I basically quickly prayed, "OK, Lord. I know you want me to do this, but I'm scared. I'll trust you to get me through this. As the Bible says, I can do all things through Christ..."

God was faithful to answer that prayer and I ended up not being so fearful, and doing an OK job. Later, I was given the opportunity to do children's church where I'd have to speak in front of a group (of kids that weren't always eagerly hanging on my every word), teach a Sunday School class, and lead the worship service at a couple of local nursing homes.

Public speaking isn't my forte, but God is faithful. If you pray about it and you think God wants you to do it, you might just look at it as an opportunity for God to help you grow.

Just a thought,
Bob

[Edited on 7-28-2006 by blhowes]
 
I don't know if you have tried teaching before, but if you haven't, then perhaps you should use the opportunity to test yourself. You may have the gift after all and just never used it. Or perhaps God may be giving it to you now. But if you've had the experience and know the gift is not yours, then simply pass on that reservation to your freind and stick to your one on one. You don't necessaruly have to be eloquent to be a good teacher. Just be able to take the truth and make it understandable to the average guy.
 
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