Why I Teach

Armando explains why he teaches and what he hopes to inspire in his students.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

There are three instances that I recall a student asking me when I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Each context was as I taught (or teached as I jokingly tell them in school) them math. Each time I responded, "I didn't and still don't." I guess that is partially true. I never envisioned myself as a middle school or high school math teacher. I felt the tug to ministry sometime during my sophomore year in high school. I sent to the Baptist College of Florida to study Biblical studies so I could rightly divide the Scriptures for my future flock. However, there were moments I knew I wanted to teach the Bible for the rest of my life. The first was in Dr. Freeman's Old Testament survey class. I was in awe of the beauty of the Old Testament. I saw connections I never saw. I knew I needed to know more. As I progressed in my studies he became one of, if not my most, my favorite professors. Next, was in Dr. Rathel’s worldview class. I saw how important a biblical worldview was in navigating this life. I knew I wanted to think in this way and to teach others to think biblically. Next, was in my first year of graduate studies. I was Dr. Jumper's grader. My wife had a miscarriage during her first pregnancy in our first year of marriage. Dr. Jumper graciously let me miss some time from work and when I returned I went to his office and thanked him not only for the time off but for his faithful teaching of personal evangelism and spiritual formation. Many freshman at BCF disliked these classes. Some quibbled with the fact that Dr. Jumper "made" us memorize Scripture as part of our quizzes and tests. Yet, in the lowest moment of my young life, for the first time I struggled to pick up my Bible. But I could not get the Bible out my head. The verses Dr. Jumper assigned me four years earlier from Romans 8 and throughout the New Testament kept ringing in my head. So with tear filled eyes I thanked him for his teaching. The last professor I will highlight is Dr. Buice. I still remember the shock and awe I had in Greek class during my graduate studies as he opened up a Greek New Testament and read my chosen exegetical passage from the original Koine Greek. That was an inspiring day and moment for me. First, because I learned how much I still need to learn. Second, because I did pretty well on that paper and presentation. It humbled me to know someone can know the Bible truly even if they may never understand it fully. He also made learning fun with his facetious jokes. In many ways this substack exists because of these men and my many other professors investment in me.

I write all that to say those were the moments I knew I wanted to teach anyone and everyone I could about the Bible. Sometimes for me it is in Systematic Theology or Hermeneutics with our high school students. Often, it is when I teach them how to solve an equation. Other times its when I open up Galatians or Joshua with our Middle school students. My hope isn't to find another me. I hope to inspire some of them to fall in love with learning about God. I want them to see how great the depths of knowledge there is to explore about our great God and why we should strive to do so. I want them to see how unsearchable our His ways and then to teach them how to start scratching the surface on this side of eternity. They may feel like my job is to ruin the vibe, but I want them to see there is more to learn and how marvelous it can be.

You see during my graduate studies I decided I wanted to become a professor like Dr. Freeman, Dr. Jumper, Dr. Rathel, and Dr. Buice. Then, I decided to let that dream die when we learned of Jojo's autism. I thought it would take too much time and maybe even trigger a life altering move that would make life harder. Yet, I get to still do what I hoped and prayed for, teach students the Bible and theology, plus a little math. Yet, my favorite class is my class of one. These past two weeks at our Immokalee Campus I have had a class with one student. Theology 101 located in the High School room. Student name: Joseph Armando Yzaguirre. See what he has learned:

This is why I teach for kids like Jojo to learn about God. I teach for my students to fall in love with learning like I did in the lecture halls of BCF and the library on campus. So that one day maybe they will pass on that knowledge to someone else. Maybe in a classroom of hundreds, dozens, or maybe just one.