This week I got the student evaluations from the course I taught last semester at Abilene Christian University. That is, the evaluations the students did of me. The marks were outstanding. In some areas, they gave me a perfect score, every student saying I did an excellent job.
Now before you think that I’m trying to impress you, let me tell you that I wasn’t that impressed. You see, I’ve taught this course three times now, basically teaching it the same way each time. The first time, I got decent evaluations. This time they were off the charts. But the second time, I got hammered, to the effect that a couple asked why they didn’t have a more qualified teacher teaching the course. Ouch!
So when I say I wasn’t impressed, I’m saying I wasn’t impressed with me. Because I know that the difference in these three semesters has been the students. Students that come in ready to learn have a wonderful experience. Almost regardless of who the teacher is or what the teacher does. (Almost, I said)
That got me to thinking about churches. Could it be that the congregation’s attitude has a lot to do with the success of the preacher? Yes, of course, some men are gifted speakers who can reach almost any audience. But for us run of the mill guys, I’d say that much of how we come off depends on who is listening to us.
I love the way Mark presents the parable of the sower. The first word that comes out of Jesus’ mouth is “Listen!” Then as soon as the parable is finished, Jesus says: ““He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”” (Mark 4:9) Jesus repeats that phrase in verse 22, then says, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:24-25) [As Ray Vander Laan points out, the Greek says, “Look at what you hear,” for the Hebrew mind focused on concrete things, not abstract ideas]
So my word of advice for all of us comes in one single word: Listen!
Yes I agree Tim if an “inspired” teacher/preacher speaks listen. If Jesus speaks listen. The problem as I see it is that the preacher is no longer inspired. If they were they all would teach the same thing resulting in all of us believing the same thing.
Spot on, brother! In reply to folks who tell me “Good sermon, David,” I often and quite deliberately reply: “Well then, if you honestly think so, you deserve at least half of the credit for it because you truly LISTENED.”
The best of messages may not receive much listening (how many examples do we have of such in Scripture!), but a message only “half-baked” can be a feast if it is received by someone who works hard at listening and thinking about what they hear.
Let me put on a “pastor” hat for a minute and say that in my experience, the reason there are some in church who never “listen” is because they never listened to Jesus to begin with. That is to say, I have met some people sitting in church pews on Sunday who seem to be there for a religion with a little Jesus sprinkled in but certainly not the parts of Jesus that bids those who wish to follow him to come and die.
As for the evaluations…I’m curious as to how colleges administrators use these to evaluate teachers since they seem so subjective.
Grace and Peace,
Rex
Clay,
I have to disagree. We should listen to everyone: teachers, preachers, any Christian who shares with us. There is no one so ignorant that we can’t learn something from them. We listen, and we compare it with God’s Word.
I think you’re wanting to say that we shouldn’t listen to preachers more than others. I don’t have a problem with that. Anyone who has studied God’s Word has something to share. I do believe that God gifts certain individuals to be able to do that more than others, but I also believe that every Christian can teach us about God’s Word.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Rex,
I can say that at ACU, that varies greatly from department to department. I won’t say too much as I don’t want to speak from ignorance, but I do know that the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry is more diligent than most in having teachers interact with the evaluations.
The standardized parts of the anonymous evaluations are basically worthless to me. Questions like “Were the readings appropriate to the level of this course?” don’t tell me much. If they say no, were the readings too hard or too easy? No way to know. Some students write comments on their evaluations; those are more helpful.
I can also say that I do evaluations at the end of the semester that are much more helpful to me. I talk with the students and get them to tell me how they would change the course if they were teaching. We go through each text, each type of assignment, etc., and I get their feedback.
But your point is well taken… the only way I see this being useful is for evaluating longterm trends. If students every semester, in every class, complain about a teacher, you have to feel that something is going on.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Very true David. Thanks for the comment!
“Could it be that the congregation’s attitude has a lot to do with the success of the preacher?”
I’ve always wondered that one. And can a congregation’s attitude negate the effect of a successful preacher? Can a congregation’s attitude overcome the effect of a poor preacher? I keep hoping ;-)
Tim since Preacher and Professors assume they are correct and everyone else is wrong and in all honesty I suppose even Laity is just as guilty, how then do we as Laity ever get to express their “un-inspired conclusions”
Seemingly most followers and students all agree on “what is written.”
Rare it is that anyone will dare say, no, no, that text does not belong in the bible.
Often is heard, “I do not agree with that conclusion.”
Each congregation choses an individual or a group of individuals and have agreed on their conclusions among themselves and it is that, conclusions that are preached and it is that over which we divide.
The best thing our congregation ever did was to assemble on Sunday nights in one another’s homes and what is preached Sunday AM is dialogged that night. We have learned that we do not have to hate one another because we dare draw our own conclusions just as the Preacher did to present his sermon.
I long for the day I can learn to be tolerant of others conclusions and respect them for what they are. When the whole body learns to do that an amazing thing happens. We all find out we are united by love based on what is written and not divisive over one another’s conclusions.
I’m thinking this does not exist in most churches or colleges who cannot tolerate one another’s conclusions. Seems to me the TEST should only cover “what is written” and not the student’s conclusions, or the preacher’s or the professor’s .
Clay,
I know that you are a man who longs to promote unity. Might I suggest a slight tweak to your approach?
It’s possible that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all world. You have had some bad experiences. I don’t know what they’ve been, but I can guess at some of them from things you’ve written. I’m sorry you’ve been hurt and that people you love have been hurt. I want you to know that not every situation is like yours, even though it may seem it when you look around.
I’d like to suggest that you couch your statements in terms of your own history. For example, when you say “Preacher and Professors assume they are correct and everyone else is wrong,” I’m sure that you know that description doesn’t fit everyone everywhere. Not all preachers do that. Not all professors do that. Quite possibly too many of them do that, but when we make absolute statements, we tend to be absolutely wrong. :-) There are preachers and professors that are humble and open minded. I’ve had the privilege of learning from many of them.
In class yesterday, I was discussing this very point with my students. I told them that it’s not that there isn’t absolute truth out there, it’s that we aren’t capable of absolutely understanding that truth. There will be differences of opinion and differences of conviction. There will be massive shifts in understanding. I told them that some the basic assumptions we hold today are wrong, we just don’t know which ones yet. Just as “everyone” knew the world was flat and “everyone” knew the sun revolved around the earth, something that “everyone” knows today will be proved wrong. If we are too dogmatic about our beliefs, we will get crushed in the shift.
Back to your point, where censorship and litmus tests exist, that is sinful. I’ve been fortunate to be in situations where diversity was tolerated and the opinions of all were respected. I pray that you and everyone will get to experience the same.
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Thanks Tim for your word’s of wisdom.
I will carefully ponder them and even at first blush believe you are correct on how best to promote unity. Yes I have been hurt but who hasn’t?
The Older I get the more frustrated I have become when I see some men :) certainly not all, that simply will not consider anything other than what they have already concluded.
This isn’t just our problem but it exist among virtually all groups. Paul taught, tolerated and wrestled though a lot of divisive brethren and often he too was frustrated.
RARE it is we see him condemn them or choose sides unless they denied Jesus came in the flesh, or taught another gospel different from what they had heard or yielding to acts of their flesh. Seems to me that is the pattern we missed. Also just a side note Paul did not always lecture as we assume, or some do. Acts 20:7 among numerous others he “dialgeto” (sp?) the Greek word we get our English word dialogue and he WAS inspired.
Thanks for you dialogue and guidance.
Grace and peace Clayton
That’s the pattern I see and that’s what I see taught.
The one thing that I have always felt in the churches that I attended was at most times people could unscrew their heads and set it down by them. The expectation was that they were going to get spoon fed the information and that they didn’t need their bibles.
A great many people who attend Sunday morning church service don’t bring bibles. How sad. Teaching for me is to compare and contrast scripture. Drawing similarities especially between old testament, gospels and Paul’s letters. Analyzing differences. Many pastors don’t use this as a teaching session. Yes Sunday school class and bible study on Wednesday night and Sunday night is where you get deep into most scripture. But in my experiences these are not well attended. In some cases Sunday morning is a performance service. Ladies and gents look good (especially in the black churches). Choirs perform, some churches dance and twirl. A far cry from getting spiritually fed by God’s word. Is the point of a Sunday service to get up emotionally like after watching your favorite sports team win? (Go Bucks!). Or is it getting what God’s word really is saying, off the pages of His word the Bible…….