Teaching in the Spirit
A great teacher isn’t just about knowing the material or impressing others with their teaching methods. The real magic happens when a teacher shifts focus from their own success to the student’s success. Instead of striving for accolades or basking in the glow of their students' achievements as proof of their own greatness, an exceptional teacher is focused on something much more powerful: helping students unlock their own potential, and become the best versions of themselves—not for praise, but for their own personal growth.
It’s like this: A teacher who’s truly invested in their students isn’t obsessed with the idea of looking good through their students’ victories. They're focused on creating an environment where students feel empowered to chase their own dreams. These students are driven from within, not by pressure or external validation, but by a spark of intrinsic motivation that the teacher helped kindle. The teacher’s job shifts from being a drill sergeant pushing students along to being a coach, guiding them through their struggles and celebrating their growth every step of the way.
This philosophy is much like how Christians are called to nurture spiritual growth. Rather than forcing change on others or judging them for where they’re at, the focus is on offering the Spirit of God in a way that allows transformation to happen from within. Just as a teacher doesn’t impose their goals on students, Christians are encouraged not to try to change others forcefully but to create an environment where spiritual change happens naturally. True transformation starts when someone is ready for it, not because they’re coerced into it, but because they see the value in it for themselves.
Now, here's the kicker: Whether it’s in the classroom or on a spiritual journey, change that’s forced is almost always met with resistance. It’s the difference between trying to push someone into a mold and allowing them to grow into who they are meant to be. The magic happens when people are drawn to change, not because they have to, but because they want to. That’s when genuine transformation takes root.
And this same principle applies to teams, too. What makes a team truly successful isn’t just the skills they bring to the table, but the spirit they cultivate together. A team could be stacked with talented players, each an all-star in their own right, but if they lack the right motivation, they will always be outperformed by a group of individuals who are locked in sync with a shared, intrinsic purpose. The team that locks in spiritually can seem to read each other’s minds—anticipating each other’s moves, understanding without words, and working as a cohesive, unstoppable force. In the same way, the Body of Christ shares in the mind of Christ, thinking and achieving all in one accord. When a group is spiritually united, they become more than the sum of their parts—they move as one, with a clarity and purpose that makes them unstoppable.
The best teams are the ones that aren’t just skilled—they’re driven by a deep, collective commitment to one another’s success, and that energy becomes the unstoppable force behind everything they do.
In short, whether it's teaching, spiritual growth, or team dynamics, it’s not the external forces that make the difference. It’s the internal drive, the spirit that’s nurtured, and the belief in growth that fuels real success. And that’s what a truly effective teacher or mentor knows: they’re not here to push their own agenda—they’re here to create the conditions where students, or anyone they mentor, can grow, thrive, and succeed on their own terms.