Transformed & Transformational

In anticipation of the upcoming season of Lent, we consider how the practices of fasting and lament can remind us of our humanity and orient our hearts toward the lost. Lent and Missions: A 40-Day Devotional The Upstream Collective "This physical need reminds me how much I need the Lord. So, it's not just the removal of something; it's a taking in of something." "Forty years in the wilderness for God's people and 40 days in the wilderness for Jesus were preparation for the fulfilling of God's promise, so when we're fasting, we're experiencing that wilderness so that when Easter comes, when Good Friday comes, it's a celebration." "The big theme is to pull back [...] and see the Bible as a book of redemption for all people." "[Lent] is an invitation to slow down, to rest, to lament sorrow, sadness, and brokenness, and then to turn our eyes toward the coming Sunday." "Experiencing Jesus and moving our lives toward Him and seeking to love Him in every way, a natural outworking is His heart and passion for others, which lead us to mission." "Our hearts can lament and long to see people come to faith. And then even as we live on mission, to embrace the reality, living a missional lifestyle, sacrificing for the sake of others, is hard. It's difficult, but it's good." "There is an invitation to slow down and experience Jesus, to practice something that could be life-giving." What's changing our lives: Keane: Unsubscribing from unwanted emails Heather: Lots of snow Nathan: Establishing a morning routine of time with the Lord Weekly Spotlight: Puebla Christian Academy We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Should I expect to have an easy life following Jesus? Being a Christian does not mean comfort or ease, as culture would define it. Brian Delamont, Executive Vice President of TeachBeyond, unpacks Scriptural truths about blessing, contentment, and abundance from a Kingdom perspective. Deuteronomy 28 Psalm 136 Matthew 20:18-19 John 16:32-33 "When we face difficulties, when life is not easy, the Father is with us." "Life is not easy. There will be trouble. [...] However, take heart! I have overcome the world." "You don't give to get." Malachi 3:10 2 Corinthians 9:7-9 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Genesis 2:15 "Being in God's creation and working it, taking care of what God had given, is part of God's original good plan for humanity. It's not an easy life; it's a good and meaningful life!" Genesis 3:16-19, 23 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 "God knows that an easy life isn't in our best interest [...] but an abundant life is in our best interest. It's His blessing, His presence, and His Kingdom." "Jesus does say that we will have trouble, but He is also with us in the trouble, so that's how we can take heart - because He has overcome, He is greater, He is kinder than whatever discomfort we are facing." Philippians 4:10-13 "It's not easy all the time, and we know it won't be, yet God is able to care for you, to bless you and to be with you, even when it's tremendously difficult." Join us for TeachBeyond's 40 Days of Prayer: https://teachbeyond.org/40days January Reflection: Am I longing for ease or what God really has for me? What's changing our lives: Keane: Durham-opoly Heather: Great conversations and interviews with applicants Brian: Taking more time to breathe and reflecting on Scripture during TeachBeyond's 40 Days of Prayer Weekly Spotlight: School Leadership Positions We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

This week, hear the rest of the story from Alan McIlhenny, one of the co-founders of Open Schools Worldwide, with the mission to design and deliver life-changing learning to bring hope to marginalized children in developing countries worldwide. Listen to Part 1 of the story here: Episode 204 Four legs of the table of education are vision, people, materials, methods, with Christ at the center "[One of the biggest challenges] was finding the right people who understood the children that we were going to be working with." "We need to take care of our volunteer tutors and help them because they're being faced with awful situations that children should never have to face." "When we are teaching the letter f, we talk about father, friends, and you can bring up discussions about friendship and the lack of fathers, which is common for so many of the kids." "We play a lot of games and try to make the lessons fun." "We called it Open Schools Worldwide because the need was worldwide." "The need is worldwide, and God is good [...] We were dreaming big." "We didn't have to seek out growth. People came to us. The story spread." "When Angie, our director [...] tells me that we have 14,800 kids enrolled now, it just brings tears to my eyes. It's brilliant." "Pray about it and ask the Lord to open the doors." "I've always prayed that the Lord would open a door for something, and that if it was wrong, He would close the door and that I would accept the door closing. It's easy to jump after things; it's not so easy to say, 'Well, maybe that's not quite right.'" "I can't do something on my own, but praying for the right people to join me has been a way to move forward." "I was a very shy, retiring, quiet person, and if someone had said to me what was going to happen, I would not have in any way believed them." What's changing our lives: Keane: Color-coded calendar to notice trends Heather: Road tripping with her brother's family Alan: Worshiping in a thousand-year-old building Weekly Spotlight: Open Schools Worldwide We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Alan McIlhenny shares the story of following the Lord to the Seychelles, Nepal, and all over the world to bring quality education and the hope of the gospel. Through twists and turns, God was faithful to direct their steps and provide for their needs in miraculous ways. "I grew up reading stories of missionaries. I never thought I could be a missionary [...] I didn't think I was good enough or holy enough." "I've accepted a job in the Seychelles. Can you find out where we are going?" "I really need to take what I know about education and change it to work for a different situation, rather than just assuming that what has always worked continues to work in a new place." "We often questioned what was going on, but the Lord's timing was right." "We always prayed that we would do what the Lord wanted us to do." Tune in next week for part two of the story! Weekly Spotlight: Open Schools Worldwide We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Dr. Erik Carter shares from his research and personal experience about how Christian faith informs perspectives on disability. He unpacks 10 dimensions of belonging in community spaces, including schools and churches, along with actionable next steps. Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing "Disability is among us, and when we think about our schools and our congregations, we want to make sure that kids with disabilities are also with us as well." "Every single person is created in the image of God with dignity and worth and gifts to share." "Disability doesn't diminish faith; it can often deepen faith." "As a Christian, our faith shapes how we see people with disabilities, not as people who are broken or challenged or who have deficits or deficiencies, or all those things that come to mind when the world thinks about disability, but as people who are gifted and image bearers and wonderfully made and beloved." "Our faith calls us to respond differently, to be barrier breakers and diminishers of stigma." "One in three families has at least one member that identifies as having a disability." "Disability is a natural part of the human experience, and if we're not encountering people with disabilities, we might want to think about broadening who we think about as our neighbor and with whom we pursue relationships." The 10 Dimensions of Belonging: Present, invited, welcomed, known, accepted, supported, heard, befriended, needed, loved Access additional resources for the church about the 10 Dimensions here "Who do I know is in my community but isn't part of this program or activity or school, and what is it that is standing in the way of that happening?" "That sense of 'I don't want to do it poorly' leads us to not do anything at all." "You can't learn to do this well from a distance; you have to step into it and experience this and wrestle through it." Reflection Questions: What are we doing really well? What could we do better to open up the experience of belonging? What should we prioritize next? "Those who the world so often overlooks are the ones who lead us back to what matters most." "This sense of experience of belonging is a mutual benefit; we all flourish when those whom we presume are less capable and less valuable are actually centered in our communities." What's changing our lives: Keane: New software for website management Heather: Writing on mirror with chalk markers Erik: Learning to slow his pace Weekly Spotlight: Grace International School We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Kicking off 2026, we're bringing back a favorite from the archives! Enjoy this 2024 conversation exploring how to connect with your own personal story. What's your story, and why does that matter? Long-time educator Tosca Nathan shares about the significance of knowing your story and connecting to God's bigger story, especially as teachers. "Like any story, our life stories have a path, they have a trajectory, and it's full of meaningful events, defining moments, key relationships, trials and disappointments, dreams and aspirations, passions and discoveries." "How coherent your life story is and how coherently you can talk about your life story has been seen as a factor in well-being." Coherence of time, thematic coherence, and contextual coherence "Your life story never exists in a vacuum. It is always part and parcel of a bigger story." "In the telling itself, every time you tell it, there's more meaning making that happens, so it's important to tell your story." "If teachers are not fully aware of who they are and have exercised all of the areas of coherence, they will not be as effective in their teaching." "The teacher, with what they do or how they relate, helps the student understand how their story connects to bigger things." "You can't give what you don't have." "To realize that scholarship is part of that grand story completely changes why I even engage in research or why I engage in teaching and learning, and then on top of that, it elevates it to the level of worship." What's changing our lives: Keane: Playing the board game, Sorry Heather: Reaction buttons on emails Tosca: Reading the Bible through the lens of the grand story and watercolor painting Weekly Spotlight: Lingo We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Have you ever found yourself laying out a fleece like Gideon, hoping God will make the way clear? Brian Delamont returns to the podcast for a thoughtful conversation about how God speaks to us and how we can posture ourselves to listen. Judges 6 "The problem isn't with God, it's that we're not listening to what He has already told us, and we're asking Him the wrong questions because of that." Psalm 89:46-51 Prayer by Tim Keller Isaiah 30:21 "I think everyone longs for this – for God to just tell us." "My heart has to want to listen to God. There is a waiting posture. And then, my heart also has to have the courage to respond to what I hear, even if what I hear is not what I wanted to hear." Divine Direction by Craig Groeschel Luke 22:42 "One of the most powerful ways that God speaks to us is when we listen together." Acts 13:1-3 "Sometimes there are seasons where He is silent." "The challenge is not that we miss His direction or miss His voice or miss His guidance, but oftentimes the challenge is that I'm not ready for what He wants to say to me as the answer or as the challenge to that prayer or question." "God loves us too much to leave us the way that we are right now. He wants to change us to be more and more like Him." Psalm 23 "The desert has a purpose." "When I come to God, I come to the One who knows me better than anybody else." December Reflection: What am I genuinely anticipating when I engage in conversation with God? What's changing our lives: Keane: Taking little adventures and outings Heather: Advent music with the Worship Initiative, praying for the unreached with The Name of Jesus devotional by David Platt, and burning a numbered candle Brian: Rewatching The Chosen TV series Weekly Spotlight: Ukarumpa International School We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Hear the story of how a missionary kid from Austria met someone from a village in Togo, what it has been like to move their family from Chicago to Togo, and how God has given them a vision for transformational education in West Africa. "Once we got married, we sensed that we had been called to serve but at the same time, we didn't really know what role we would be playing." - Koudjo "I could have never dreamed up this job myself and the perfect fit, but God knows this." - Chrischona "It was during those years of working with TeachBeyond that the vision for starting TeachBeyond Togo really was born." - Chrischona "I just heard story after story about how powerfully God was using education." - Chrischona "There's just something really special when there's the family of God that comes together, focusing on God and letting Him work through what He's given us, which is the tool of education." - Chrischona "Maybe some of those practical things [that take a long time] are just reminders of having to wait on God." - Chrischona "Depending on God is one of the things that is happening here." - Koudjo "I pray He will continue to use our family here for His service, and that He will help us to trust Him and depend on Him and let Him lead us in every moment of our ministry here." - Koudjo "We don't have to have it all figured out [...] before we can actually be part of making that happen in other countries." - Chrischona "My prayer is that God will continue to give us the space that we will be able to continue to do this sports ministry to be able to reach more kids in the community." - Koudjo Read the Profile of Transformation story from one of their teachers! What's changing our lives: Keane: Large monthly wall calendar for the kitchen Heather: Hosting a plaid-themed party Chrischona: Having two teachers at the school this year Koudjo: Changes to sports ministry Weekly Spotlight: International Christian School of Togo We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Tune in to hear about Christmas celebrations in different cultures and classrooms around the globe! What's changing our lives: Keane: Playing board games Heather: Volunteering with Foster Love Project Weekly Spotlight: Go Beyond We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Why do I always feel awkward sharing my faith? What could it look like to have intentional spiritual conversations? Author Kevin King shares about the power of living authentically and letting the Lord lead. Living Out Loud by Kevin King Deuteronomy 6 Luke 10 "Living out loud is not living obnoxiously." "If you're not awkward about your spirituality, they won't feel awkward about it." Matthew 10:19 "This is not about a strategy for how to get to the Gospel. It will get to the Gospel for people who are interested. It's just about feeling comfortable in our own spiritual skin, dismantling all of this false narrative and false belief that we have built up. Become comfortable, live out loud, and you will actually find out that the harvest is plentiful." "It's not even about evangelism; it's really just about being genuine spiritual people, and then the result is that Gospel conversations happen." "Be who you are without an agenda." Access Living Out Loud resources for churches here! What's changing our lives: Keane: Having an opinionated 2-year-old Heather: Celebrating 15 years with TeachBeyond Kevin: Verses app and getting more done with a new team member Weekly Spotlight: ESL/TEFL Teaching Positions We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Are we really called to "be perfect"? Brian Delamont unpacks the meaning of "teleios" and how God's own completeness becomes our refuge and righteousness. Matthew 5:48 Greek: teleios Colossians 1:28-29 "It's the work of God Himself in Jesus on the cross and in His resurrection power, which enables us to be complete and filled with His Holy Spirit." 2 Samuel 22:31 "God uses His perfection as a shield for those of us who come and take refuge in Him." Deuteronomy 32:4 Hebrew: tāmîm "A perfect spotless lamb in the Old Testament points toward the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world in the New Testament." "Perfection is not something God has to work at; it's something He is. It's His nature." "We come to take refuge in Him because we're not perfect, and so it's His righteousness, His completeness, His perfection that is applied to you and me by the complete work of Christ, and we are empowered to live in this completeness by the Holy Spirit." Matthew 19:16-22 Lead by Paul David Tripp "The perfection that Jesus is asking [for] isn't perfect behavior. That's not what God ever demands from us because He knows we can't deliver on it. The perfection Jesus is hoping to see is the perfection of complete commitment, to be fully devoted, to be all in." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Psalm 19 "The perfect God who made the universe and more, the One who reveals Himself in the Law and the Prophets, is the One who is so complete that He can be trusted all of the time. That's perfection." Hebrews 10:14 Romans 12:2 November Reflection: When you think about God and yourself in relationship with Him, do you see Him accepting or rejecting you? Is it based on who you are or what you can do for Him? What's changing our lives: Keane: His kids enjoying swinging Heather: The launch of Go Beyond Brian: New pages in his refillable journal Weekly Spotlight: Art and Music Positions We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Hear from Rio Handley, Associate Regional Director of East Asia and Oceania, about how God has been at work as she has lived in different homes and held different roles over the course of her years in missions. "I feel at home where God has placed me. I feel at home at the center of His will." "I've seen the grace of God in my life, and I've seen how God moves." "Missions is not just the missionary's responsibility; missions is the church's responsibility." "We cannot put missionaries on a pedestal because we are all part of one Body, and when God calls people to missions, it has to be the whole church in support of that." "Being a teacher and being intentional in doing missions is very important." "Being a teacher is having that connection in the lives of your students and that opportunity to change lives and let alone the opportunity to share life [and] Jesus Christ." What's changing our lives: Keane: Reading Father Brown mysteries Heather: Scheduling posts and chats in Microsoft Teams Rio: Learning how to drive Weekly Spotlight: East Asia and Oceania Region We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

It takes humility, intentionality, and the power of the Holy Spirit to create a workplace of trust and unity amongst school staff. Hear from members of the team at GDQ International Christian School in Albania about their experiences with navigating conflict. "We want to have the school be a safe place so that people can voice disagreements that they have and know that someone will listen to them." -Lori "One thing that helps to resolve conflict is, on some level, to expect there to be at least different perspectives." -Nate "Continue to build into relationships among the staff so when you have to come with things like that, it's not just negative all the time, but you do have these trust banks to pull off of." -Lori "You really do need to have a culture of unity in place to be able to handle things like this." -Nate "Unless people see you acting in a way that is healthy in resolving conflict and in communicating, then any policy that you have, any professional development is useless." Lori "You have to be able to say, 'This is not against me. Same team!'" -Lori James 1:19 "Something that is really helpful for me when I am offended is to remember how much God has forgiven me." -Peter "We have to give glory to God for being our captain." -Nate What's changing our lives: Keane: Finishing the entire Chronicles of Narnia series Heather: Autumn scenes on YouTube Nate: Using ChatGPT to wean off of coffee Peter: Hot cocoa with homework, fresh persimmons, and pumpkin pie Lori: Cozy blankets Weekly Spotlight: GDQ International Christian School We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Katie Davis Majors, bestselling author and founder of Amazima Ministries, shares about the experience of following Jesus one step at a time into a story she couldn't have imagined. Hear the remarkable story of childlike faith and community impact through education and discipleship. Amazima Ministries "Meeting people's needs is good and is right and is what Jesus calls us to do, to make sure that our neighbors do have access [...] but also, we don't want to give people those things without giving them the hope and the truth of the gospel." "Jesus says to have faith like a child, and I think as children, we are bolder and we are less afraid, and we are more trusting. I really did just see a need in front of me and think, 'I could do something about that.'" "I can step confidently into those things, even without knowing specifics, because Jesus has already given me the instruction to do so." "There are people who need the gospel, who need the love of Jesus, right outside all of our front doors, and as we kind of slowly step into meeting other people's needs and sharing the love of Jesus with others, I really believe that God is going to refine that and narrow that. As we just keep taking steps, He writes these stories that we never could have come up with on our own." "He was growing my dependence on Him and my relationship with Him as I kept stepping into these impossible things and seeing Him be faithful." "We're not going to end poverty, but we obey Jesus by stepping into the things that He puts in front of us, and in the process, we are made more into His image." "For anyone who's just feeling so paralyzed [...] It really is just a drop in the bucket… and that can't keep us from kindness and obedience to Jesus." "Living authentically and living your life for Jesus in front of other people causes such a ripple effect." "[Education] is such a great way to disciple a child and share the gospel." "I need to be dependent on God to achieve anything at all." "To step into what God puts in front of you, just one day at a time and one moment at a time really can lead to such a beautiful life." "I want what You want for me, God." What's changing our lives: Keane: Cricut machine Heather: Late-blooming dahlias Katie: Having a puppy Weekly Spotlight: Elementary Teaching Positions We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Have you ever thought that "calling" was just for certain people or wondered if you had somehow missed God's call for your life? Or, do you worry that God might call you to something you don't want to do? Brian Delamont joins Heather and Keane to tackle the myths about "calling." 1 Timothy 2:4 "God calls people to Himself." "Once we know Him and His truth, we become a part of His body, a part of the Church, and as His disciples, we enter into a lifelong process of becoming who He knows we can be and doing what He asks us to do." Matthew 28:18-20 "Calling rests on a lot more than just me and my understanding. God's calling is always part of God's plan, and this includes His plan for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth and in the life of each individual who hears this call and then follows." Matthew 4:18-20 "We always have to give up something because we give up our old life, we give up our old self, to become what God is calling us to be and become." "Who knows me better than the God who made me? He will be the One who calls and leads." "'God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.'" Redeeming Work By Brian Dik "God does call the equipped, and He's also the great Equipper Himself." Luke 10:45 Ephesians 2:10 "God has a powerful and a long history of taking human action and redeeming it for His divine purposes." Genesis 50:20 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 "It's our God who makes us worthy of His calling, not the other way around." Judges 6:14 Isaiah 6:8 "A clear call from God does not necessarily mean that things will look successful from a human perspective. We may only see difficulty, and yet that doesn't negate God's call or God's presence." John 10:27 Mark 8:34 Exodus 3:10-14 Deuteronomy 31:23 October Reflection: What am I waiting for? What's my role in this, and what is God's role? How can I help break down the myth of calling in my community and call out the gifts I see in others? What's changing our lives: Keane: Joining a film group at church Heather: Embracing "hygge" Brian: Spending time with TeachBeyond National Directors Weekly Spotlight: Asuncion Christian Academy We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Teachers have been missionaries throughout history! Learn today about Lottie Moon, a missionary who used education in bringing the Gospel to China. Lottie Moon: The Girl Who Reached the World by Amy Whitfield "We've always been open to if the Lord would send us overseas, we would go, but for now He's called us to point people here [...] to the other side of the world." "I think it's imperative for us to know the stories of the past, particularly those who have gone on before us in the church, to get the context, the history that we have come from." "It matters to know the story of how the Gospel has spread to places around the world." "She had one idea, and now missionaries all over the world are supported because of it still." "Reading missionary biographies or reading missionary journals helps people to see, to understand the need, but then also to see how the Holy Spirit is working in these places." "It's important in our churches that we are educating our kids about the Bible, about the doctrines of the faith, and about the call to go and make disciples." "A lot of times, I think people don't understand the role that we all play in the Great Commission, even in sending." "God woke her up to know Him, and she didn't rest until she told the world His story. Through the simple acts of baking cookies and writing letters and quite a bit of feisty determination, Lottie's dream of reaching the world for Jesus came true." "I really think it begins with opening your eyes and saying, 'What's one thing I can do this week, and what's one thing I can do next week?'" "We are called to be the church out there – every day, everywhere we are." What's changing our lives: Keane: Tzatziki sauce Heather: Single Today by Ryan Wekenman Amy: Matin music from Jess Ray Weekly Spotlight: Opportunities in Creative Access locations We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

Zoe and Chris Fletcher share their inspiring story of serving at the International Christian School of Budapest – the impact of their school, Chris's childhood that shaped his perspective on cross-cultural living, a powerful moment that led Zoe to move to Hungary, and how they aim to live open-handedly following the Lord. "This is the right place that God was guiding me to [...] and so this was the place that, in the end, it worked out. Doors were opening, and that's where I ended up." -Chris "Everything leading up to it was so obvious to everyone else, and to me, I was the last person to realize what was happening." -Zoe "I know that this is God, and I know this needs to happen." -Zoe "God has given us so many passports between us, and how can we maximize that for His glory?" -Zoe "Our citizenship is in heaven [...] When we're not tied down to a specific [home], it actually frees us up to say yes to God and to obey Him wherever that is and to just be more tied to heaven than to earthly things." -Zoe "Hungary is where God has us. He'll let us know if it's not." -Zoe "Just because we're here now and just because we don't see that there's any chance that we're moving home in the foreseeable future doesn't mean that we're not going to or that God won't send us somewhere." -Zoe "I felt that call, and I was obedient. I just wanted to be obedient to God." -Chris "God calls us to a radical life. [...] Don't be afraid of living radically for God, whatever that would look like." -Chris "The cost is great, but You are worth it [...] What does the cost look like now? How can I be bold?" -Zoe "It's an immense privilege to be able to teach the kids of missionaries." -Chris "I went into being a teacher because I knew that education happens everywhere in the world, and I was just wanting to go somewhere overseas. I think education reaches places, ministering to so many different nationalities and families." -Chris International Christian Educators Conference What's changing our lives: Keane: Writing date of replacement on lightbulbs Heather: Asking myself the question, "What does 'space' look like now?" Chris: Making yogurt at home Zoe: Anticipating oldest daughter going to preschool Weekly Spotlight: International Christian School of Budapest We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

How might everyday classroom moments become places where God's presence is made known? In this conversation, Dr. David I. Smith invites teachers to see their ordinary practices, from prayer to assigning work, as sacred opportunities for faith to shape learning. Learn more about Dr. David I. Smith "Getting a job at a Christian school doesn't instantaneously transform the way you think about how to teach your discipline or the way you think about how to organize your classroom or how to manage classroom relationships [...] Becoming intentional about that is a lifelong project." "If I'm going to have integrity as a Christian teacher, I have to figure out how I'm going to live with the teaching process wherever I teach." 1 Corinthians 12 Acts 2:44-45 "What story am I providing for my students about what it is that they are doing right now?" "Assignments [are] about trying to be intentional about how I actually want my students to grow - intellectually, morally, spiritually, socially - through the task that I'm giving them." "What is my vision for how students grow?" "The way you use pauses are part of how you communicate what you value and who you value." "Talk yourself out of the idea that your faith is primarily your words about faith." 1 Peter 3:15 "What human being are you becoming? Who are you going to be in five years, and how is what we are doing here contributing to who you are going to be in five years?" Practical next steps: Which of my assignments actively and explicitly teaches students how to care for one another while doing the work? Identify the student who might be finding it hardest to learn in your class. Take him/her out for coffee to hear their perspective. What pictures do my students see on the screen during the semester, and what vision is that giving them about who human beings are? Ask a fellow teacher to try this with you! Visit TeachBeyond on Instagram or Facebook to enter the giveaway for a copy of Everyday Christian Teaching for you and a friend! What's changing our lives: Keane: Sister getting married Heather: Participating in the trial for the new terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport David: Spending sabbatical reading and translating the works of Comenius Weekly Spotlight: Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

There's no mistaking that God is moving in university students today. Hear from Mark Matlock, Executive Director of Urbana Missions Conference, a conference for university students and young adults, as he shares about Gen Z, the impact of conferences, and the future of missions. Learn more about Urbana Missions Conference here! "What am I doing, and how am I connected to this global Church and what God is doing around the world? And that's what Urbana is all about." "I believe that this generation is going to have a new imagination for what it means to fulfill the Great Commission in the world and take the Gospel across cultures so that people can hear the Word of God." "We want to increase the sending capacity of the church." Listen to the Urbana Podcast Carey Nieuwhof's Podcast on Gen Z in Revival and Retreat "God doesn't fill us just to fill us; He fills us to be fruitful." "There's something about discovery in community with others that I think the Holy Spirit really uses to help guide us and move us." What's changing our lives: Keane: Breaking down tasks into smaller pieces Heather: Adding a trellis to my garden Mark: Working collaboratively with Gen Z Weekly Spotlight: HopeSeed School We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/

We're back… well, almost! Co-hosts Heather Brown and Keane Fine share what has been changing their lives since the end of Season 5. Then, hear from some past and upcoming guests with tips for beginning the school year. Be sure that you're subscribed or following the show so you don't miss the start of Season 6 in October! We'd love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/