From the Inspirational Teacher's series:
Dr. Gregg Behle, a Biblical Studies' professor at The Master's College (my undergraduate alma mater), gave a fresh, clear, and poignant sense of being a teacher. He taught by example and content. He is a Christian that's true to the text, alive in the classroom, active beyond the classroom, astute in study, humble in demeanor, challenging to the mind, relationally hospitable, deep with counsel, family man, caring, and fun. He is a teacher teaching teachings for sure. I wish more time came to sit under his teaching.
Here's the Q and A:
- What inspired you to teach?
Teaching has the potential to change lives and change thinking. Few vocations can offer the same. It’s the proverb, “Teach a man to fish . . .” that animates me. Jesus was first, and foremost, a teacher. - Why do you teach the way you teach?
I had wonderful examples in college and in seminary. I tried to take the best from the best and learned to avoid what the bad ones did. I always asked myself, how could this be better? What could be done differently? If I were teaching this class . . ., etc. Any class is a learning laboratory, even if it is a bad class – you can learn from poor teaching about how to communicate effectively. A student should do more than listen in class for content (i.e., to pass exams), he/she should also study the teacher’s communicative abilities. That’s a free aspect of a class that most students miss. - What teacher has had the greatest influence on you (parent, elementary teacher, pastor, professor, friend, colleague, etc.)?
Easy – Howard G Hendricks at DTS. I owe my entire teaching career to him. I use what he taught me every single day. I jokingly tell people I majored in Hendricks at DTS. - Why was the teacher so influential?
He understood the proper balance between academic excellence (content) and communicative competency. Too often, educator’s focus on either one or the other. To use his example – which is more important – the left wing or right wing of the airplane?
