Defining Spirit-Anointed Teachers and Spirit-Anointed Teaching

Every one of us has experienced fascinating teachers as well as terrible teachers. I have been in groups where man’s ideas were shared and groups where revelation knowledge was shared. I choose to be a fascinating teacher with a fascinating classtime, so I need precise definitions of what these are so I can press into them.

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Spirit-Anointed Gatherings

• Spirit-anointed teacher - The teacher must have a living relationship with the subject at hand (i.e. a love, passion and mastery of the area), and invite his students into that relationship, as full partners, to experience their own living relationship with the subject.
• Spirit-anointed teaching - “To teach is to create a space where revelation knowledge is experienced and practiced.”
• Creating space - Truth is discovered when people can openly, honestly explore. Create honest exploration by allowing for honest disagreements (no nasty fighting), freedom to explore contrasting ideas and different authors, freedom to express one’s feelings openly, freedom to ask questions without being afraid that it is a dumb question, physical openness by placing chairs in a circle or semi-circle, and allowing for silence as people pray, journal and reflect.
• Creating boundaries - To keep the learning process on course there must be some boundaries. Boundaries can include: hanging together as we work through disagreements; honoring others’ positions rather than judging and becoming adversarial; not monopolizing the group; no authoritarianism; sticking to the topic at hand; answering the question posed, not some other question; and encouraging each one in the group to express himself.
• Creating hospitality - Growth occurs best in a loving community. Create a loving community through praise and worship, hug breaks, name tags, interpersonal sharing, deep sharing modeled by the instructor, and fun group activities.

How to Lead Spirit-Anointed Discussion Groups

1. Have the general goal of training always before your eyes as you lead discussions. This goal is "Love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5). All discussion facilitates this goal.
2. Have a clear word and picture from God of what the specialized goal of the session is. All discussion is to facilitate this goal.
3. Have chairs in a semi-circle as this communicates the message "we all share."
4. Begin with worship, a prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to be present as the Teacher, and a hug break.
5. Give enough introductory overview so everyone’s hearts are captured and focused on the topic and situation to be covered. A story, drama, or role play are excellent ways to begin. You must connect the life of the students with the life of the topic and the life of the Holy Spirit before the discussion begins.
6. Ask appropriate questions. Ride the wave of the S(s)pirit by sensing with your heart where God is and where the hearts of the class are as a whole. Bring these constantly together, through the questions and dialogue. The classroom interaction will let you know where your students are at.
7. The guiding question you ask yourself is, “Is this discussion ministering life to the group at large?” If not, redirect it so it is. You may need to say to some, “That is a good question, but let’s save it and talk about it during the break time.” Or “I think we have gone far enough in this direction for now. Let’s talk about....”
8. If it becomes obvious that you or the group does not have any revelation from God concerning the question, then move on to another question. Encourage the group to pray and search Scripture, and come back next week to discuss it more. Don’t continue a discussion when it is obvious there is no light from the Holy Spirit concerning the issue.
9. Honor other people’s positions and insist they do the same with everyone in the class. Never allow one to close off his spirit to another. Address the situation quickly.
10. Know where God wants to take you and the class, and skillfully guide the class there, not making them mimics and puppets of your correct answers to your questions but calling them into a creative role together in releasing the revelation of the Holy Spirit. 
11. Keep things moving by asking a constant flow of the questions which bubble up within you. Seek and honor and ride the flow from within your own heart. You have asked for this flow at the beginning of class; now hear, receive, and honor it. It will keep the class bubbling and fun and challenging and life-giving.
12. Depend continuously upon the Holy Spirit. Thank Him at the close of class for His life flow.

Derek Prince’s comments on education:

Derek Prince, a well-known Pentecostal theologian whose radio broadcasts covered half the world’s population, who wrote his doctoral thesis on logic, and who was able to teach Greek and Hebrew on the graduate level in England, put it this way:

To put human ability in the place of divine grace is to exalt the carnal above the spiritual. The effect will be manifested in many different areas. For example:

• Theology will be exalted above revelation;
• Intellectual education above character building;
• Psychology above discernment;
• Program above the leading of the Holy Spirit;
• Eloquence above supernatural power;
• Reasoning above the walk of faith;
• Laws above love.

All of these errors are different manifestations of one great basic error: putting man in a place God has reserved solely for the Lord Jesus Christ. (Pages 90,91 of Blessings or Curse by Derek Prince)

Resources to take you deeper

• Learn How to Journal
• Secrets of World-Class Teachers Package
• How Do You Know?
• Wading Deeper Into The River Of God