Does God Call Music Teachers? Part 1

Does God Call Music Teachers? Part 1

Students who are in a music education degree program often wonder if teaching music is a sacred trust and therefore a calling of God.  During my lifetime I have seen very little written on the subject of whether or not music teaching is a calling of God like being a pastor or a missionary. Also, I have never had the privilege of hearing anyone (except myself) give a lecture on music teaching being considered a *sacred trust. 1Corinthians 12:28 states,  “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

First of all, before I answer the question “Does God call teachers?” it is necessary for me to identify the Bible definitions of the words teacher and teachers and false teachers. In I Corinthians chapter twelve, verses twenty eight and twenty nine both use the word didaskalos (1320) which means a master or instructor. II Peter mentions false teachers (pseudodidaskalos 5572) which has the connotation of *spurious teachers. The same Greek word is translated master several times in the AV.  Sometimes it was referring to Jesus and others who were also referred to as “master’.  It was translated once in James 3:1 as many masters (pokus didaskalos 4183 1320).