Thankful for Teachers

Last week I wrote about pastors that have made a difference in my life. With a new school year already started in some places and about to start in many others, I thought it would be a good time to give thanks for some of the teachers who also made a difference in my life.

My school years from first grade through high school graduation were all spent in the Temple Independent School District in Temple, Texas. My elementary grades (1-6) at Vandiver Elementary were blessed by teachers who cared about the students and focused us on acquiring a solid basic foundation for future studies. Ms. Hardcastle (1st), Miss Lancaster (2nd), Mrs. Flippo (3rd), Mrs. Haygood (4th), Mrs. Doster, Mrs. Schrader, and Mrs. Cox (5th - all explained by a husband's job transfer and a pregnancy resulted in three teachers that year), and Mrs. Corbin (6th) all helped prepare me for junior high.

Lamar Junior High was a major change for me with a different teacher for each subject. While I had many good teachers in those three years, three stand out in my memory. Mrs. Lancaster challenged me in math; Mrs. Glasscock exposed me to a new world of literature; and Mr. Nelson made science intriguing and gave me the opportunity to be his grader for lab reports.

At Temple High School (we were the last class of seniors in the old building) there were many excellent teachers, but two had an impact upon me that eventually led to my major fields of study in college. Mrs. Bailey taught American History in such a manner that it came alive. Mrs. Holden, senior English teacher, expanded my interest in literature and introduced me to Robert Frost. I am thankful for all the teachers I had in those twelve years of public education.

I went to Baylor University and began as a pre-med student, but early in my freshman year God clarified a call in my life to ministry. I had many great professors at Baylor but three made the greatest impact. Dr. Kyle Yates, Sr. taught Old Testament. He was also the consultant to Cecil B. DeMille for the movie The Ten Commandments. He gave us some insight on how some of the miracles in the film were staged. Professor Robert Reid recreated history in the classroom. He was the favorite professor of countless students including some that didn't like history. Finally, Dr. Frank Leavell was a true Southern gentleman and taught Literature of the South. His accent, his knowledge, and his love for the material made it a great and memorable class.

My formal education concluded with two degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Again, there are too many professors that impacted my life, but these are the ones I think of most often. Dr. Bill Tolar (Biblical Backgrounds), Dr. J.W. MacGorman, (Greek and New Testament), Dr. Jay "Boo" Heflin (Hebrew and Old Testament), Dr. Jesse Northcutt, Dr. Clyde Fant, and Dr. Al Fasol (my three Preaching professors), and Dr. Roy Fish (Evangelism and my doctoral major professor) - each one of these men helped me understand what it truly means to be a minister.

We are all taught by many others who are not in formal educational settings. Parents, grandparents, and extended family were my earliest and most lasting teachers in my life. Sunday School teachers like Ms. Johnston (10 year-olds) gave me my earliest understanding of the Gospel. Our current Sunday School teacher, Stu Kurkowski, does a great job teaching our multigenerational class of adults, giving us fresh insights weekly from familiar Biblical passages.

What teachers come to your mind this week as you recall your journey in this life? If you are a teacher, teach truth faithfully. If you are a student, surround yourself with those who teach the truth of God's Word. Regardless of your position today, give thanks for those who have helped guide you and taught you. Maybe you could call, visit, or write a note to express thankfulness to some of those teachers in your life. They need to know that their teaching helped make a difference in your life.