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    On March 25, 2017 at the Chicago UBF Sunday worship service, Pastor Ron Ward awarded our 13 CBF teachers with certificates of achievement for completing eight months of education in teaching and communication skills. It was a significant landmark in raising teachers who can serve second generations’ spiritual education and to equip our one-to-one Bible teachers in the ministry of teaching regardless of class size or student numbers. This education for teachers is the one of our Teachers & Parents Education (T&PE) for our growing second generation ministry.

• Purpose:  Children are our hope to succeed in the next generation. Their spiritual education is our future. Moreover, our second generations are growing rapidly in both numbers and size. In that sense, teachers who are serving them need on-going education and training in order to meet their demands and development accordingly.  
• Method:  As we all know well we don’t have such continuing educational systems for teachers as well as resources. So we decided to let the teachers read books about education as much as possible and then they can apply what they learned in their classes for our children. We first tried to find a suitable resource for children’s education. But we were greatly overwhelmed by so many books to read and study. Through attending non-UBF Sunday school teacher’s conferences we  found a good number of resources offering biblical, educational and practical applications useful for our CBF education ministry. We began purchasing books and gave them to our teachers. At first it seemed like it was a good way to to equip our teachers. However, we found that it was not effective enough for learning and accommodating for them as we expected. 

    All the CBF teacher began to meet once a month based on a book the teachers read at home beforehand and discussed what they read from the book. It took about eight months to finish a book since our teachers are also parents, students with jobs, ministry and many other responsibilities.         

• Content: The title of the book “Teaching to change lives” written by Dr. Howard Hendricks who is within evangelical educational circles, the very name means “Christian Education.”

Key verse: Lk 6:40b, “…..but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”

In this book there are seven basic principles, in the form of an acrostic:

• T- The Law of the Teacher-- Stop growing today, and you stop teaching tomorrow.
• E- The Law of Education-- How people learn determines how you teach.
• A- The Law of Activity-- Maximum learning is always the result of maximum involvement.
• C- The Law of Communication-- To truly impart information requires the building of bridges 
• H- The Law of the Heart—Teaching that impacts is not head to head, but heart to heart.
• E -The Law of Encouragement—Teaching tends to be most effective when the learner is properly motivated.
• R- The Law of Readiness—The teaching-learning process will be most effective when both student and teacher are adequately prepared.

When we boil them down, these seven laws essentially call for a passion to communicate. 

    The author, Dr. Howard Hendricks wrote in conclusion: “These ‘laws’ are principles woven forever into the fabric of effective teaching. Whatever age group you teach, or whatever subject, or whatever cultural setting you’re involved in, your understanding and application of these laws can help you make a permanent difference in the lives of others. 

    But keep in mind that these really are only principles. When it comes to carrying out his purposes, God doesn’t use principles; he uses people. 

    Your success in your calling as an effective teacher depends not on your knowledge of these laws, but on you as a person, and most strategically on your openness to God’s power in your life. The key is not what you do for God but what you allow him to do through you. God wants to use you as his catalyst—and as you let him transform and renew your thinking, you’ll be ready for his use. Are you, therefore, willing to permit God to change you so you can truly impact others? That willingness—that commitment—could well be the biggest step forward in your success in teaching.”

• The recipients of certificate:  Birgit Pierce, Tim McEthron, Timkim Williams, Monica Suh, Joy King,  Melina Ruiz, Shanitra Cooper, Ivy Lomahan,  Rebecca Choi, Dr. Maria Albright, Amy Stasinos,Grace Park, Stepanie Polvi 
• Future plan:  
• Seeking biblical and educational books and encourage teachers to read and learn.

(We would like some more additional recommendations for books on teacher’s education and training. You may email the recommendations at:  iychoi44@gmail.com)

• We are continually finding new methods of classroom style of teacher’s education.
• The development of North America CBF teacher’s education.

      We thank God for his guidance for our teacher’s education and helped us to complete our teacher’s educational development. It was possible through the prayer support of UBF Headquarters and Chicago chapter. This is also our teachers’ desire and their commitment for the Lord and his dear children. May God accept our teacher’s education as our five loaves and two fish for the spiritual growth of our second generation ministry. 

Isaac Choi