Articles From Our Bulletins
"Teaching for the Test"
My father taught High School Agriculture for over 30 years. For a time, my mother worked as a Teacher’s Aid. My wife’s father was a teacher, Principle (Elementary and then High School), and ultimately Superintendent, and her sister taught Kindergarten from college graduation until retirement. In several congregations where we’ve labored, the most abundant occupation among the members (and some of our closest and dearest friends) has been that of public school teachers. So, this article is certainly not intended to be in any way derogatory toward teachers, or the educational system. As always, there is a spiritual point, or points, to these things, so stay with me until we get there, please.
“Teaching for the Test,” or in its abbreviated form, “Teaching the Test,” is a phrase that intimates that since school funding was linked to standardized testing results, public school educators (administrative and in the classroom) began to focus their efforts toward getting students to perform well on these tests. More specifically, the phrase became an accusation that rather than providing a broad-based education by which these standardized tests could accurately measure and assess the “quality” of education being provided- and thus financially incentivize those institutions that were doing well, educators simply “followed the money” by adopting and focusing on means and methods designed to insure their students performed well on “the test.” So, the logic of the accusers went, even in schools that scored highly, the students were not being well-educated, just specifically coached and trained to perform well on “the test.” Whether true and fair or not, public education is the illustration here, not the point. It strikes me that we may have been guilty of “teaching for the test”- at least as we perceive it, in spiritual terms…
With denominational-styled dogmas and doctrines as the standard, have we (certainly including “me”) been preparing our members for “the test” by overly emphasizing “the right answers” to “the right questions” rather than thoroughly educating them regarding “everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence,” cf. 2Peter 1:3? Have we made sure that members are well-versed in why this or that group is “wrong”- being careful to give ample converse emphasis on why we are “right” of course, while possibly “neglecting the weightier provisions of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness,” Matthew 23:23? Perhaps as Jesus said to the hypocritical Pharisees, “these are the things you (“we,” this case) should have done without neglecting the others.” Certainly, the command to “preach the word” includes the reproof and rebuke of wrong ideas and actions, as well as patient exhortation to and instruction in truth (cf. 2Timothy 4:2), but “sound doctrine” must also include matters of personal faith and fidelity, Titus 2:1-15. Therefore, “the right answers” of what we may call “doctrine” cannot be given undue weight over what God calls “doctrine”- matters pertaining personal conduct in daily living.
Likewise and at least comparable to the mandates required of public schools, have we assumed that some sort of “standardized test” is the answer? Consider this: if we consider eternal judgment to be “the test,” is it really standardized? While we all certainly have the same “textbook” (cf. John 12:47-48; 1Corinthians 14:37-38), will this ultimate “test” of eternal judgment be “standardized?” Certainly not; here’s why: 1) Was the test “standardized” in the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30? 2) Was the test “standardized in the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, Matthew 20:1-16? 3) Is the test depicted as “standardized” in James 2:13, “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”? The truth is that “we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad,” 2Corinthians 5:10. However, we must also recognize and acknowledge that “from everyone who has been given much shall much be required,” Luke 12:48; and that’s not quite “standardized” is it?
“The Test” of eternal judgment will not be comprised of “having the all right answers to all the right questions.” Neither will it consist of an assessment of “having done all the right things in all the right situations.” If it were either of these criteria, surely no one would “pass,” let alone “excel.” Rather, and please correct me if I’m wrong, it will be an assessment and accountability of: Did I prefer and walk in the light or in darkness, John 3:19-21? Did I learn to think, feel, and act toward others like Jesus, Philippians 2:1-11? Did I grow and mature sufficiently to love those who don’t love me like God, Matthew 5:44-48? Was I a faithful and true steward of the talents, blessings, and opportunities God gave me, or was I faithless, cowardly, and lazy with them, Matthew 25:25-46?
We who preach and teach need to do so with and to “the whole message of this life,” Acts 5:20; and like Paul, declare “anything that was (or in our case, “is,” PCS) profitable, and teaching publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20-21). Eternal judgment is NOT “the test”- life is. Eternal judgment is just “receiving your grade.” So if we’re going to “teach the test,” let’s at least be sure it's the right one.
Furthermore, this “test” of life is NOT to be or have all that we want through Christ- it is to be all that He wants through us. Therefore, whatever blessings or trials, whatever talents or persecutions are ours in life, we had better be learning from and applying them to living for Jesus and to His glory. Once “life” has ended the “test” is over, and all that remains is receiving our grade. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you- unless you fail the test,” 2Corinthians 13:5. Let’s get busy learning and teaching, and teaching and learning in order to live in such a way that Christ is truly in us- in our thoughts, emotions, and actions, each and every day. After all, isn’t that really the purpose of “the test” called “life”?
- Teaching_for_the_Test.pdf (88.73 kB)
