Creating teaching culture in our churches is essential work to see the body of Christ fully equipped to be able to do all that she is called to do. Each of the fivefold cultures are needed in our congregations – in fact, they are non-negotiable if we want to build and lead a vibrant and healthy church. But what is teaching culture, and how do we go about creating it?
What is Teaching Culture?
Teachers are developers – they inform, educate, coach, and train so people can grow in their fullest potential. Therefore, the defining marker of anything teaching-related must be built around the foundation of development. Anything else considered or named as being teaching must therefore develop people into ever-deepening levels of understanding and insight. Without this sense of development, something cannot be considered truly teaching.
A healthy church has a teaching culture that creates a training environment. This leads to a mentality that seeks to train people in Truth. It prioritises ongoing learning and development. This can be understood to be where there is a core focus is on “communicating biblical truth through teaching and training to see transformation.”
This encompasses:
- Preaching and Teaching Ministry: Both large-group sermons and smaller classes, courses, and workshops contribute to this training environment.
- Practical Skills Development: Equipping individuals with practical tools and resources to apply their faith in daily life.
The goal is to cultivate a culture that fosters ongoing growth in four key areas:
- Knowledge: Increased understanding of Scripture and its core principles.
- Understanding: Deepening the ability to interpret and apply biblical truths.
- Application: Translating faith into practical actions and lifestyle choices.
- Passion: Developing a fervent desire to study, live out, and share the truths found in Scripture.
Why is it Important?
A strong teaching culture is crucial for the spiritual maturity of the church body. It ensures that members develop a right understanding and application of Scripture, fostering healthy growth and spiritual maturity. The benefits a teaching culture brings to a church include:
- Apostolic Focus: By grounding teaching in biblical principles, a teaching culture reinforces the apostolic focus on establishing the church according to God’s revealed truth.
- Prophetic Support: Solid biblical teaching provides a foundation for the prophetic ministry, ensuring that prophetic messages carry scriptural weight and clarity.
- Gospel Clarity: A teaching culture unpacks the depth and richness of the gospel message, ensuring its central place in the life of the church.
- Equipped Pastors: Pastors are equipped with the necessary biblical truths to effectively lead and shepherd the congregation.
What Happens if Teaching Culture is Lacking?
The absence of a strong teaching culture can lead to two detrimental outcomes:
- Focus on Doctrine Over Application: A church with inadequate training may become overly focused on preaching and teaching doctrine, potentially fostering theological pride and legalism. This emphasises knowledge over practical application.
- Experientialism or Deception: On the other hand, a church lacking a solid foundation in biblical teaching may become vulnerable to fads, emotionalism, or even deceptive doctrines.
Investing in a strong teaching culture is an investment in the long-term health and well-being of the church community. By prioritising biblical teaching, practical application, and ongoing learning, churches can empower individuals to grow in their faith and effectively live out their Christian calling.
Seven Keys To Creating Teaching Culture
Teaching culture has a number of distinctives which define and shape it. The culture wheel below serves as a valuable tool, outlining seven key distinctives that churches can prioritise as they create a teaching culture. Imagine the wheel as a mechanism driving motion forward – these distinctives are written in the present tense deliberately to represent ongoing and essential actions. For a church to thrive, these seven areas should be continually pursued.
Each of these distinctives is unique and essential in creating teaching culture, and if done right, will permeate and influence every area of a church.
Conclusion
I have created a guidebook to help church leaders with creating teaching culture. It walks through a five-step process and is full of biblical teaching and practical steps, including unpacking these seven distinctives, that will aid you in your task of cultural creation. You can find the guidebook HERE.
Also, if you want to discover your own fivefold flow by learning what your primary and secondary fivefold expressions are, and how they partner together in your thinking and doing, you can take my Fivefold Flow Assessment HERE.
This post is part of a series on creating fivefold culture. You can see the other posts here:
- Creating Apostolic Culture
- Creating Prophetic Culture
- Creating Evangelistic Culture
- Creating Pastoral Culture
- Creating Teaching Culture
