Cutting Holes in the Darkness

The story is told that, at age twelve, Robert Louis Stevenson looked out into the darkness from his bedroom window, watching a man light the streetlamps below. When his governess asked what he was doing, the young boy replied, “I am watching a man cut holes in the darkness.”

As we think of Christmas, we are reminded that this is exactly what God did on that special night so long ago—He cut a hole in the darkness! Through His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, God penetrated our dark world with the light of life.

“In Him [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:4-5)

Now, more then 2,000 years later, that light has been passed on to us! We are to be busy cutting holes in the darkness! Jesus left us a command:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Every time you teach a Good News Club, you are cutting holes in the darkness, helping those children receive the Light.

Every time you train a teacher, you are cutting another hole in the darkness. And your teachers are going out and cutting still more holes as they reach the children with the Gospel.

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins…” (Acts 26:18)

There are instructors of teachers all around the world who are busy cutting holes and letting the light shine in the darkness. May God bless you and all of our IOTs, and give us a renewed desire to multiply ourselves so that many more children will be brought out of darkness to light in 2009!

Telling the Christmas Story

As Christmas draws near, many of your teachers will be teaching the Christmas story in their clubs. In America, we often take for granted that the children are familiar with this story. But the truth is that many are not.

Emily Ramsdell, IOT in Syracuse, NY, sent the following testimony from one of her teachers who works in an after-school GNC. Here is what this teacher, Ann Elyse Foltz, had to say,

Hi Emily! Thanks for praying for us! Our Good News Club was crazy today!!!!! But I love those kids so much. I was absolutely shocked that so many of them had NO IDEA what Christmas was all about! I absolutely couldn't believe it. Is our society that completely Godless that these kids have no idea that Christmas is about the birth of His Son? I am in absolute and total shock. This is small-town, rural America. I feel such a huge responsibility for training these kids- most of them don't go to church, so Good News Club is probably the ONLY Biblical input they are getting at all.

The missionary story especially hit me hard today- we're reading "Rebekah's Great Adventure" about a girl who worked with 5-Day Clubs. She led a little girl from Moldova to the Lord, and the little girl said, "I've never known that anybody loved me my whole life. Why are you the first person to tell me how much God loves me? Why didn't anyone tell me that before?" That just makes me cry- how many other precious little ones are there out there who have no idea how much their Father loves them. I want to reach them all! My heart breaks for them.

Ann Elyse Foltz
South Jefferson - Wilson Elem.

What a precious testimony! We pray that many children will hear the Christmas story this year and understand how much the Father loves them! Wherever you are in the world, there are children who have never heard the story of the Savior's birth. Encourage your teachers to tell that story as many times as they can during this special season of the year!

A Wise Teacher

Tucked away near the end of the book of Ecclesiastes is a most interesting description of a teacher. King Solomon, because of the gift God had given him, was a writer and teacher of wisdom. To authenticate his writings, Solomon describes himself, the Teacher, in terms of his role and his methodology. As you read his words that follow, think about your own teacher qualities.

“Not only was the teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true” (Ecclesiastes 12:9).

Did you notice the ways in which Solomon described the qualities and role of the teacher?

• The teacher is wise
  
• The teacher imparts knowledge
  
• The teacher ponders truth
  
• The teacher searches out truth
  
• The teacher sets truth in a form students can understand
  
• The teacher seeks out just the right words to communicate the message


• The teacher proclaims truth clearly

How do you measure up to this list? Are you a wise teacher? Do you ponder and seek out truth to share with your students? Do you carefully choose your words and methods so you can communicate with your students in an interesting way with clarity and power?

As instructors of teachers, we must go beyond this list. These are qualities we want to build into our teachers, so we must set the bar high for ourselves.

As this year draws to a close and 2009 waits on the horizon, let’s commit ourselves anew to the task to which God has called each of us. Let’s ask Him to make us the best IOTs we can be for the good of our students and for the glory of God.