Teachers and Church Planters

By Scott Armstrong

On several occasions I’ve had the privilege of speaking with someone interested in Genesis, our ministry designed to make an impact in large cities within our region.  Sometimes these candidates have studied to be elementary or high school teachers.  “How can God use my career to plant churches in an urban context?” they ask me.

Recently I published an article that I wrote for the NYI Online Magazine that highlighted how God has used volunteer missionaries from all kinds of “secular” careers for his glory in the Genesis Initiative. In a previous entry, I shared a few more stories that didn’t fit in the limited space of the original article. Today I want to share the stories of three young teachers who are incredibly grateful for their “secular” careers, because they have opened the doors of ministry in surprising ways.

“One of the most important decisions a young person makes is what they will study when they go to college.  It will define them for the rest of their lives.  When I was 18, I had questions about what I should study, and I prayed that God would direct my decision.  I chose to be a teacher.

My mother told me since I was six years old that I said I wanted to be a teacher, but I had forgotten.  I think that to be a teacher was in God’s plan for me.  It was through my profession that God prepared me for the mission field when I was sent to work far from home.  Now that I am serving in missions, God has used my education, work with children and teaching to open doors.  I know that we cannot separate the secular from ministry; everything that we know and everything we do should honor God.  Only through our work will God open new paths to expand his kingdom.” – Marleidy Sanchez (sent from Mexico to Panama)

“I am a teacher, and I believe it is one of the careers that can get you most involved in the community.  A teacher knows different techniques to help with kids’ homework.  Through that contact, you can meet with parents and share the message of salvation.” – Ingrid Jochola (sent from Guatemala to Panama)

“My career as a high school social studies teacher goes beyond simply teaching in a classroom.  I believe that within this ministry I have had the chance to develop, plan, improve, and involve people in a different kind of environment, especially children.  Now I am working with the material we use in our Kids’ Club, but I am also available to share what I know with everyone involved in this new stage of service and love in order to share God with our neighbors.” – Maria de los Angeles Romero (sent from Peten, Guatemala to Queretaro, Mexico)

*For more information about Genesis, visit our website and let us know by leaving a comment in the space below.