Core scripture: The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12)

Message: I had this dream long ago.  You can read all about it on the link near the top of my blog.  I wanted to begin something called the Christian Teachers Coalition.  CTC was so real to me.  It was just a dream, but it was as if I could still see it.  Touch it.  Feel it.  I wanted to unite Christian teachers everywhere, encouraging prayer groups and Bible studies within public schools, not to mention praying for one another.  I shared that vision with a few ladies from different schools in my district.  One has since retired.  The other I have lost touch with, although she was one of my original followers.  (God bless you, Deb.  We need to catch up!)

Suddenly that dream of CTC was put on the back burner.  I left the link on my blog in case anyone would read it and reach out.  No such luck.  Did any of you even know it is there?  I hope you check it out.  Every time I read it, it reminds me of the fire Christ lit inside me right after being saved.  That fire has not gone out.  It has simply been directed toward different areas of my life.  Just two days ago, the Lord rekindled my fire for CTC.  All it took was a short reply to one of my recent blogs from a gal I have never heard of.  Maybe you saw it …

The school year starts for me on Tuesday. My biggest prayer is that my students and co-workers would experience the Love of God through me.

I’ve been praying lately that God would help me to be more loving because I’m not always the best example of the fruit of Spirit of Love in my classroom. But this year, I truly want God to be glorified through my actions not just at work but everywhere, especially with those closest to me.

I want them to see God through me.

Here we have a gal that starts the school year tomorrow, and those butterflies are already starting to flutter around her stomach.  Monique Caldwell, I am praying for you this week.  I got your back!  What about the rest of you?  Will you join me in lifting her up?  Talk about boldness.  Talk about humility.  All she wants is to get off to a wonderful start.  To show love to her students.  That is something we should all aspire to, Monique.  What a wonderful prayer to pray.  Just to be that love that God shows us continually.  Peter says it like this: “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

After reading Monique’s prayer request, we had one of those sermons that hit me upside the head.  (It smacked me so hard I started singing “Oops Upside Your Head” by the Gap Band.  Never heard it?  I’ll save you the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeHDnF7MU90.)  Our pastor brought the big guns out, inspiring the congregation with a sermon straight out of Ephesians 4.  It led me to my own study in Ephesians this morning.  The same verses, percolating in my eager mind, inspired me to come to my blog a day early.  I HAD to get these thoughts out!  Get a load of this …

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Unity.  Gifts lavished on us all.  If we utilize those gifts, we strengthen the body of Christ.  And then Paul speaks more about it here …

“All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

We are Christian teacher body built into one omnipotent force in Christ.  Apart from each other, we may be using our gifts well in our own schools, but can you imagine … can you imagine if we all came together.  Ideas would explode in classrooms around the world!  We would be connected in prayer.  We could challenge one another.  Encourage one another.  We could build up CTC through this blog to make 2018-2019 the most incredible school year that we have ever seen.  What part will you play in this amazing body being built around us?  What gifts do you have?  How will you serve?  Those questions are up to you.

Ladies and gentlemen, you have a choice.  You can smile at the cute thoughts above, take what you want and get on with your day.  Or you can choose to strive for something bigger.  You can drop me a reply below, or if you don’t feel comfortable enough to do it there, e-mail me privately at theteachersdevotional@gmail.com.  I want to start something huge.  I want to give birth to something that would strengthen Christian teachers around the world.  I just don’t know how to do it.  I wonder if there is someone out there who wants to be a part of this.

Me?  I am just a man.  But I am a man with 97 followers, and the stats of this blog are booming since August began.  6,344 views to be exact.  Everywhere from my home here in the United States to Australia to Canada to South Africa to the Philippines to Indonesia to India to the Bahamas to countless other places.  What would happen if we all came together?  If you are all in for Christ, you will join me in this journey.  For people like Monique.  For Christian teachers everywhere.  Most of all, for the glory of God and His love.  Let’s start something BIG!  Let’s start CTC.

Who is with me?

Challenge: Explore my blog this week.  Every link above is useful.  Especially check out my thoughts on CTC.  Pray about it.  Think about how you might be able to serve.  Even if it is to commit to praying for CTC, I need you on my team.  Click on this brief survey below to show me how you might be able to get this body up and moving.  I cannot wait to hear from you!

CTC Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5t7Irr74ZB3S_q12u2g6Lx8carnXdThbvwGM_X10mdaWu9g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Video: I created this video so you might meet me more as a person, not just as a blogger—especially to those of you I have never met.  It explains my thoughts about CTC as concisely as possible in about four minutes.  I hope you take time to watch!  😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkGA5bc2nEk&feature=youtu.be

Song: “If We Are the Body” by Casting Crowns

But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way, there is a way

Prayer: Lord, we pray boldly that You will do something amazing this school year, helping us all create the Christian Teachers Coalition together.  We do this not for our own glory but for Yours.  May Your passion spread like a wildfire around us.  We pray all this in the name of the One who we hope to show to others: Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  Amen.