by Theresa Merchant
Why do I teach Sunday School and Children’s Chapel? Of all the volunteer opportunities that are available at St. Barnabas, why would I pick this one? I could go on and on with many reason why I teach but I’ll try to narrow it down to a couple important ones.
Being an adult, we tend to see ourselves as being older and wiser than children and for the most part, we are. We’ve gone to school, traveled, made mistakes, and overcome many of life’s obstacles so we have a bigger knowledge base to draw from. When I’m teaching, I get to see that knowledge base building in each child and religion needs to be a big part of that. What they learn during these younger years is the foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives. This foundation, like any, needs to be strong and withstanding so that it will last through the trials and tribulations that they will ultimately encounter as they grow into adulthood. Teaching them the stories in the Bible and about the life of Jesus, helps strengthen that base and prepare them for their journey through life. It’s an honor for me to have the opportunity to be one of these teachers.
I suspect I look at teaching differently than most. For me, it’s an adventure every Sunday, into the Bible, with the children in Sunday School and Children’s Chapel. No matter what story I’m teaching, I always leave with a different perspective than I had going in. The children are amazing and their response to each story always makes me look at it in a different way. It can be challenging but it is always rewarding. Teaching and learning go hand in hand. I may be the teacher but I learn something new from the children every Sunday.
This is why I teach.
