God uses all our gifts in remarkable ways. Yet we know that some have more lasting earthly influence than others. Printed materials are often read, taught and then discarded. A mission trip lasts for ten days and after the campaigners come back, their influence in the destination country begins to wane. On it goes.
Clearly a lesson that leads to the salvation of a soul or a mission trip that plants and harvests a Gospel seed has effect for eternity.
But some gifts have substantial earthly influence. One that endures for decades is education. Train a brother or sister well and deeply in Scripture and that influence goes on and on. In fact, instead of waning, the influence of education intensifies. It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill. The longer it rolls the bigger it gets.
Global Christian Studies aims to provide deep, enduring training for leaders around the world. We can’t hold the results in our hands like we can some printed materials. We can’t see the Power Point presentation of the excited campaigners. But educate a leader and that influence lives on. It will come out in a person he teaches today and next year. She will use it to influence other women during a retreat this month and use it again in another gathering in ten years.
In fact, education is self-perpetuating. Train a leader and they train others. The ones they train do the same thing.
Global Christian Studies takes a long view. A gift toward training a leader is a gift that has influence for decades.
This entry is a truth I discovered with every passing year I taught in China and now, as I have returned to Texas, I find it is also true. Education – learning – is a daily condition of the mind and spirit. The example of one who keeps learning shows as he/she shares what is learned. It’s the sharing – teaching – that gives the foundation for more discovery. This is how it is between me and my Father….each moment, being teachable, expecting to discover something new of Who He is and then sharing that amazement with someone else. One of my Chinese students told me that our classes were inspiring, not just because of the things being taught and being learned – but because of the joy and amazement with which things were taught, dripping into the very spirit of each student. These students are now teachers themselves and they are sharing that enthusiasm for learning with their own classes. And they carry on our class motto: Make a difference!
It’s good to see you writing again, brother.