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An Avondale College initiative to reposition teaching as a ministry launched nationally in Seventh-day Adventist churches this past Saturday (September 15).

The initiative, called Ministry of Teaching, includes the following resources:

•  Ministry of Teaching, a website containing teachers' reflections on the ministry of teaching and pathways to enter it
•  TEACH, a bi-annual, online journal of Christian education published by Avondale Academic Press
•  An Adventist education issue of Record, the weekly newsmagazine for the church in the South Pacific, containing feature articles from an academic, two principals and three administrators

Affirmation of teachers, the "desperate" need for more teachers in Christian schools and a desire for Adventist Church administrators to recognise education as a "mainstream" form of evangelism provided the impetus for the initiative.

Dean of the Faculty of Education Dr Peter Beamish, who is also the Ministry of Teaching coordinator, speaks passionately about a generation of young adults "wanting to make a significant contribution to the community." His message? "Stop! Is God calling you to the ministry of teaching? If the answer's yes, then I'm calling you not to enter the classroom but to enter the ministry."

Peter launched the first issue of TEACH, published as a one-off hardcopy, at a luncheon for Avondale staff members and education students outside the education building this past Monday (September 17).

Editor Dr Wilf Rieger dedicated the journal to Christian teachers and "to the One who inspires us--Jesus, a teacher sent from God." President Dr John Cox received the first copy. Vice-president (academic administration) Dr Vivienne Watts spoke of a challenge she set the faculty to reach publication levels equivalent to those in a research intensive university. "This journal has helped you reach that target this year."

Every teacher in Adventist schools in Australia and New Zealand and one in every three teachers in Christian schools in Australia will receive a free copy of TEACH. Avondale is also sending 1600 copies to teachers and schools in the Pacific islands.

Avondale Academic Press will publish the next issue of TEACH in April 2008.

Caption: Avondale education students helped launch an initiative to reposition teaching as a ministry.
Credit: Ann Stafford

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