Our 6th grade is going to Science Camp this week, myself included. I counted, and I’ve been there 12 times, 2 when I taught 5th grade and 10 teaching 6th grade, so this is Lucky #13. Needless to say, it gets kind of old after a while.
But at the same time, it’s new every year.
Parents sending their oldest child away for the week.
The stray sleeping bag flying away on the freeway.
The cafeteria’s cold-turkey-surprise-switch from beef to turkey.
The random knock on the door in the middle of the night with some “emergency”.
The newness I appreciate the most is the perspective of each new student who experiences Science Camp for the first time.
The rock stars at camp are the Naturalists. They are in charge of teaching classes to a couple cabins of kids, typically a boy cabin and a girl cabin together. They lead the kids in their trail groups and teach about the ecosystems up at Mount Hermon in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains of California, about plants and animals, about stewardship in all areas of life, even in how much food we try NOT to waste at meals.
During one of the first classes, poison oak is discussed. When I tag along, I typically pull up the rear of the trail group. And it’s interesting to see which students pay attention to poison oak and which ones don’t. The visual from the back of the line is the single file in front of me, and no matter how many times I see it, I can’t help but think: these kids have no clue where they’re going, and they’re putting their faith in their Naturalist, who’s at the front of the line leading them forward at a good pace, stopping to point out plants or animals, consumers, producers, and decomposers like the infamous banana slug, helping the students see God’s inspiring creation and our role in it. It’s a bit like how Jesus taught his disciples while on the road. The students are the Naturalists’ little disciples.
This is a perspective I forget when I carefully tend to my classroom routine. We are discipling our students.
We do make mistakes… Last year a Naturalist got lost on the all day hike, and a few of our students took a tumble down a steep hill. (We teachers told them they’d laugh about it later...and they now do...some laughed about it then.)
We ourselves are disciples of Christ. But we’re also in charge of our group of students that come to our classrooms every day, ready -or not- to be discipled. As teachers, we better have it together so that we can disciple these kids. I don’t know about you, but I often feel like I don’t have it together, maybe like that Naturalist who lost her way. And the best way to prepare yourself for your students is to dig into God’s Word.
I found a bunch of verses around the discipleship theme. I think these remind us of what’s so important about teaching (discipling). We must have our ducks in a row before we approach the students each day. Meditate on these verses...slowly. Intentionally. With purpose. Listen to what God is saying to you so that you can be an example to your students.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. Ephesians 4:11-17
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:1-17
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Mark 1:16-22
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:8
For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. John 13:15
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:1-26
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:21-22
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6
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