Transformed & Transformational

What does it look like to wait with intentionality rather than apathy or impatience? For the final episode of season 5, co-hosts Heather and Keane are joined by TeachBeyond Executive Vice Presidents Howard Dueck and Brian Delamont as they reflect on Acts 1 and waiting with urgency. Acts 1:4-26 “Waiting for something definitive is so much different than waiting for something that’s undefined.” -Brian Delamont “The fact that they are together in the waiting brings growth to one another in that time.” -Brian Delamont Romans 8:22-25 Pursuing God’s Will Together by Ruth Haley Barton “It’s our transformation in the waiting that actually enables us to act with love and wisdom in the world. There’s no quick and easy way to get there.” -Brian Delamont “He has given me accountability and responsibility to be involved in some level of decision making, but the Kingdom does not hinge on the decision I’m about to make in that moment, and that helps right-size the decision for me.” -Brian Delamont “Our hope isn’t on ourselves or our plans, but it’s on the Lord.” -Howard Dueck The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith by Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich “Take this period of waiting as a period of eager anticipation of what God [is] going to do next, as opposed to slipping into apathy or impatience or precipitated action. That’s where our whole soul is being shaped in that time.” -Howard Dueck “God is combusting something new within us.” -Howard Dueck “Rather than being stuck in this empty void of life, we have the opportunity to do what we can do because in God’s sovereignty, in His love and care for you, in His shepherding, you are right where you are and He’s right there with you.” -Brian Delamont “There’s this inner compulsion that builds with the waiting [...] and this growing our longing and capacity for the fullness of the Spirit so that then He can speak through us.” -Howard Dueck “Who you are wherever you are in that waiting stage is exactly what you’re going to be able to bring to wherever that other place may be.” -Brian Delamont “This is your time. Seep yourself in Scripture, in your craft that you’re learning, become all that you can be within your time of waiting. This is your apprenticeship.” -Howard Dueck Matthew 25:14-30 Complete our Season 5 survey here. Thanks for your feedback! MONTH Reflection: What am I waiting for? What’s changing our lives: Keane: Kids packing their own lunches Heather: Savannah Bananas baseball on streaming platforms Brian: Learning from and doing life with others in TeachBeyond Howard: Grandparenting Weekly Spotlight: TeachBeyond Opportunity Board  We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Dr. Helen Vaughan, author and long-time educator, shares a definition for transformational education and fleshes out what this can look like in different educational environments. This conversation is foundational to understanding how we can live out our faith in the classroom in an authentic, impactful way! The Handbook for Transformational Education “The Holy Spirit transforms; we’re there as co-laborers.” “Transformational education is an education that creates learning environments where a student is encouraged by every aspect of the environment to embrace wholeheartedly and in every dimension of life God’s amazing design for him or herself. It’s God’s empowerment for a full, rewarding, and impactful life now and in the life to come.” “We are transformed for now, and it’s not just a question of what happens when we die.” “A full, whole transformation is when a learner, a student, bows before Jesus as Lord and Savior in their life. That is the epitome of a transformed life.” “I feel so much more freedom to love and embrace people and know that God’s got this. My role is to follow God and not just immediately try to jump in and convert people.” “Transformation is an ongoing process.” “Transformational education is founded upon a distinctly Christian worldview; however, it is more encompassing than instruction in worldview assumptions or propositions or upon our gaining information about our duties and behavior. Transformation is formational - the student is changed - and that rarely happens by information alone. The teacher must live out the worldview.” “How can I create a condition that cultivates transformation?” “We’re not in charge of manipulating kids or adults or campers or players into faith.” “I love Jesus passionately, and [...] I want people to have what I have because of Jesus.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Gathering with coworkers in person Heather: New nephew Helen: Chair yoga Weekly Spotlight: International School of the Caucasus 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/

Michèle Phoenix returns to the podcast to share about her new book, Pieces of Purple, based on personal experience and years of ministry with children of missionaries. This is a must-listen for parents, caregivers, teachers, and friends of Third Culture Kids (TCKs)! Find Michèle’s book, Pieces of Purple, here! “Even parents who have lived cross-culturally for thirty or forty years will never fully understand in an embodied way what it means to have grown up with all of these cultural and experiential and all of these other inputs shaping who you are.” “Being a TCK is indescribable. It is hovering darkness; it is glimmering light. May we embrace the wonderful as we wrestle with the hard. And may the God who cherishes His purple people reach through the layers that make us so unique to touch the parts that need His love and free us up to flourish.” “We need to tell our stories so that they know that there’s an after picture and that this is not the end. We can be the embodiment of hope to them. We can point to other people [...] we know who have been through challenges like this and who have found their footing again.” “I actually believe that our greatest strength is in mostly belonging, not fully belonging. If we can mostly belong in multiple places, we become bridge builders and change makers.” “I don’t think we realize how much just living in proximity to us is teaching the TCKs in our care about life and faith and holding the tension that we all feel.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Getting up earlier Heather: Daily devotional from the Worship Initiative Michèle: Learning about attachment theory and baking sourdough bread Weekly Spotlight: Schools serving Third Culture Kids (TCKs) We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

In this bonus episode, Keith Carey shares about his work with Joshua Project, defining unreached people groups, and reaching the unreached through prayer. Learn more about Joshua Project! Learn more about the 10/40 Window here. “We’re praying according to God’s will because He wants every one of those tribes, tongues, and nations to be reached.” Perspectives on the World Christian Movement What’s changing our lives: Keane: Painting bedrooms in his house Heather: Vegetables growing from seed  Keith: The Holy Spirit and cross-country running through desert scenery Weekly Spotlight: 10/40 Window and the SEND Campaign We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Have you heard the term Fernweh (German “fern-vay”) or Wanderlust? What if God is calling us beyond a desire to explore far-off places? TeachBeyond member Natalie Kardol shares her story of longing to travel the world before she knew Jesus and longing to reach the world with the Gospel now that she does. Natalie’s story invites us to consider how we are using our gifts for God’s glory, whether at home or far away. “As long as I can think of, I always had this longing to go.” “When I became a Christian, I thought, ‘Wow, I wasted all these years traveling to these different cultures just because I wanted to be there, and I wasted it and wasn’t able to share Jesus [...] If I ever have a chance again to do anything like this, then I just want to do it for the Lord and share the Gospel with people around the world.’” “I don’t think it has really changed; I just didn’t know in my younger years that it was God’s calling on my heart.” Check out TeachBeyond’s Annual Report! “I translated the annual report, and that just opened my eyes, and I saw more and [thought], ‘Wow, this is an amazing organization.’” “God is working in the background.” “However fast or slow the process works, God is in charge. I cannot take credit for it; I am not fully responsible for the outcome of it.” “It’s an honor when you can connect people. It’s not about you.” “I don’t know what God is all of a sudden deciding to open up or not. I’ve learned by now that I cannot [...] plan what God has in store for me. It’s okay to not have it all figured out.” Complete our Season 5 survey here. Thanks for your feedback! What’s changing our lives: Keane: Better Internet Heather: Working from a friend’s house during a power outage Natalie: Ability to travel with her husband on his work trips Weekly Spotlight: Short-Term Opportunities We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

How are you commemorating the end of the school year? What does it look like to reflect, celebrate, and anticipate rest? Listen in for inspiration from our Season 5 guests and a special reflection from Mark Giebink, TeachBeyond’s Director of Global Member Care. Ruth Chou Simons: Begin thinking now about how you will rest by learning something new. George Durance: Daniel 12:3 Wyndy Corbin Reuschling: Do something different and get some rest. Heather Powers: It’s okay to admit that you’re tired and looking forward to a break. Brian Delamont: Do something accomplish in 15 minutes or less. Katy Boatman: How you spend your time outside of school is just as important as your time in school. A more rested you will be a more impactful teacher. Lori Neumann: Your impact is well beyond how it may feel! Ruth Mbennah: You have the opportunity to impact lives. Emmanuel Mbennah: 1 Corinthians 15:58 Kevin McClintock: You are respected and loved more than you know. Mark Giebink: Keep a healthy doable pace, keep your eyes focused on God, and serve as an act of worship. Dave Totman: Philippians 1:6 Complete our Season 5 survey here. Thanks for your feedback! Weekly Spotlight: Guided Journal We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Dr. Arianna Molloy shares hopeful and practical guidance as we seek to understand and live out our calling. Arianna defines key terms, unpacks professional research, and shares personal anecdotes to cast a vision for a healthy, reflective practice for flourishing in work and in relationship with the Caller. Healthy Calling by Dr. Arianna Molloy | Learn more from Arianna Molloy “As believers, our primary calling is to love God and love others, and to do that well in everything that we do.” “[God] is a personal, intimate designer, and He has equipped each of us with skill sets and passions.” Work as a calling: meaningful, identified Caller, skill set and passion, and pro-social “Passion alone is fine, but it makes you a great fan; passion and skill set make you a great employee.” “It becomes unhealthy when we confuse our relationship with the Caller with the calling, when we become so consumed with the calling that we forget about the people that we’re impacting on the other side.” “An unhealthy kind of calling in the workplace is not work as an expression of who I am, but work as the definition of who I am.” “The virtue of humility enacted [...] keeps us on the healthy calling path.” Micah 6:8 “Deep shame comes from the idea that work is a calling, and when you don’t want to do it anymore, it’s not the task that you don’t want to do anymore, it’s that relational connection that feels severed [...] It’s not ‘I don’t like what I’m doing anymore, it’s I don’t know who I am anymore.’” Communication when stressed: withdrawal, reduced awareness, physical tension “Burnout doesn’t go away on its own, so we have to stop romanticizing pushing through.” Saundra Dalton-Smith’s Seven Types of Rest “Sabbath is not meant to just be for a day; we’re meant to live a Sabbath lifestyle. Sabbathing is turning our hearts and minds to the Lord, and remembering that all of the time all of the resources that we have are His, and we are not God and He is enough.” “Because calling is a process, even jobs that don’t feel exciting at all can teach you something about yourself.” Make Your Job a Calling by Bryan Dik and Ryan Duffy: task crafting, relational crafting, cognitive crafting “Calling is about relationship. Focus on and pursue the relationship, and the Lord will clarify your calling.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: The Power Broker by Robert Caro Heather: Yuka app Arianna: Voice messaging with her husband Weekly Spotlight: Residence Life Positions We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Brian Delamont returns to the podcast as we explore the Biblical theme of creation, beginning in the garden of Eden and culminating in the city of God. Drawing from voices like Alistair McGrath and Albert Wolters, we consider what it means to live as faithful stewards of God’s world and reflect His image in our spheres of influence. From Genesis to Revelation, we are invited to participate in God’s ongoing work of transformation, restoration, and renewal. Listen to “Christ Be Magnified” by Cody Carnes Genesis 2:8-20 Creation Regained by Albert Wolters  “God gives humanity the occupation of partnering with Him in order to bring this garden to the fullness that God envisions for it, to partner with God in transformation.” Revelation 22 Psalm 19 Romans 1:20 “God’s revelation of Himself is so clearly seen that humanity is without excuse to know that there is a God and that He exists.” Romans 2:15 “To be created in God’s image means that we have these echoes of God’s design and God’s intention innately connected and integrated into our humanness.” “God wants us and created us and designed us to live integrated lives. There’s nothing that doesn’t have His fingerprint on it.” “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’ - Abraham Kuyper “The Kingdom has come – it’s here – and yet there is more to come.” “When we bring care or compassion or provision to others, we’re making small transformations that point to the King and point to the Kingdom, both now and the Kingdom to come.” Creation by Alistair McGrath “Stewarding creation is an expression of love for God because God loves what He has created.” “We don’t worship nature or creation, but we esteem it.” The Parable of the Faithful Steward in Luke 12:42-48 Jeremiah 29:4-7 “When we try to make God look like us, we are miscreating, but when we understand that we are created in God’s image, it enables us to integrate our faith, our spirituality, with the physical world, because that’s the way He intended it from the very beginning, all the way through Scripture.” “Science is never going to threaten God. How we apply science can threaten our understanding.” “What evidences do I see in creation for Him? What evidences, like Psalm 19, do I see in the law of God?” Revelation 21:1-5 “What started in a garden does become a city.” “In God’s city, there is life and light. The river that flowed in Eden now flows from the throne, and it’s the water of the river of life that is there for all nations. It’s part of our inheritance, it’s part of our sonship and daughtership with God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 May Reflection: Am I actively engaging in God’s creation mandate for the part of the world that I’m able to influence? What sphere of influence has God given me? What am I stewarding? What’s changing our lives: Keane: Water flavor drops Heather: Marking Bible passages while watching The Chosen  Brian: Springtime and tulips blooming Weekly Spotlight: Bible Teacher Positions We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

On this Good Friday, author Justin Schell traces the mission of God as seen in the sacrifice of Christ – to reveal Himself to humanity so that we may know Him in the world He’s made – and calls the Church to witness to this Master who invites us to feast with Him. Learn more about Lausanne’s Younger Leaders Generation “Mission is one of those things in ministry and in Christianity that so easily can become about other things than about God.” “The mission of God is Him revealing Himself to humanity so that we might know Him in the world that He’s made.” “That’s our role as a Church – we are witnessing to the God who has made Himself known.” John 12:23-24, 31-32 “You want to see the glory of God? You want to see the defeat of evil? Look at the cross.” “The cross is ground zero for the mission of God.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 Romans 12 “Our suffering isn’t a hindrance to the Gospel going forward; it’s actually the way it goes forward.” “God will use your fragrance, your sacrificed life, to bring men and women to know Him and to join the procession.” “There is no Christian ministry that isn’t cross-shaped. There is no such thing as true Christian ministry that’s not a dying to ourselves so that Christ might live through us.” “What will we do for Him if we will not feast with Him?” - Richard Sibbes “We can only serve the master for so long if we don’t actually enjoy Him.” “Don’t pray for perseverance, pray for joy, because you’re going to persevere in anything that you have joy in.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 John 11 “The Church is growing and being missional, even in the midst of their suffering.” “Christ is worth everything, and when things get hard, that’s a time to be on mission. We can be confident calling the world to Jesus, no matter what it costs, because it’s worth it.” “If you feel insignificant, you might finally be prepared to be someone who can witness to the all-sufficient God.” Luke 14 “The Master’s heart is set on a feast.” “Do you know how good the Master is? Do you delight in Him? Do you think you could have a ministry of inviting people to a feast? If so, that’s what mission is.” “Whatever capacity you think you need, whatever brilliance you think you need to develop or that you’re missing – that’s not what you need. You need to know the heart of the master, and then with joy, go out and invite men and women [to] come [...] That kind of evangelism is Biblical evangelism.” “If you can spend your days allowing your heart to be warm in the sunlight of Jesus and then go out and invite people to enjoy Him with you, then you’re ready to be a missionary.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Sons learning to ride bicycles Heather: Microsoft Translator app Justin: Discovering a jazz radio station and sharing the book God Shines Forth  We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Humor is one way to build rapport with your students, but there’s more to it than just being the “fun teacher.” Kevin McClintock – better known as Mr. McTiktok – shares from his experiences as a teacher and social media influencer, underscoring the importance of consistent boundaries and connecting with your students. Follow Kevin: Instagram | TikTok “When the kids come into class and they know what’s expected of them inside the class, we can get stuff done. We still can be funny, but we have certain goals.” “When you are kind of an entertainer, there’s always going to be this ebb and flow. Sometimes you have to be more direct.” “If they know that there are boundaries, they feel safe. That’s when you get to be silly, that’s when you get to be goofy and it’s not a detriment to class.” “My advice is to not just throw in humor but to get to know the kids. You have to observe them, you have to know their interests.” “Consistency is the key. Consistently pouring into those kids, you will break down their barriers.” “Consistency and showing interest in your students [are] way more important than just being goofy.” “The one thing that I miss [about teaching] is the relationship with the kids.” “You can’t teach a subject to someone that’s not willing. When you know them, that’s when they’re going to want to learn.” “I’m not going to get them to try to love history, but they know that I love them.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Replacing older shirts Heather: Messaging with her cousin’s daughter Kevin: Getting diagnosed with ADHD Weekly Spotlight: Social Studies positions We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Are you moving internationally or returning to your passport country? Have a friend who will be relocating soon? Worlds Here and There is a guide for navigating this significant life transition. Listen in to hear from one of the creators of this resource, Paul Snider of MK2MK, as he shares about how this book came to be and the importance of processing the impacts of moving abroad, whether upcoming, recent past, or many years ago. Worlds Here and There: An Activity Book for International Transition MK2MK “How can we name and grieve the things that they’re losing [...] and look at what they’re entering into?” “Here and there is really about the magnitude of both places and naming all of the different parts of both places.” “It’s never too late to grieve a past transition.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Trading kids with neighbors during spring break Heather: Having her voice back after a cold Paul: Goodreads and reading more Weekly Spotlight: Puebla Christian School We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

What does it look like to bear with one another? What message are we proclaiming, and how does the message dwell within us? Brian Delamont returns to the podcast this week to unpack Colossians 3. “Learning is actually so rich and so all-encompassing. It’s not just hearing a tidbit of information or being able to do a single skill; it’s understanding and applying that skill in context, in community, in relationship to other things that are happening.” “It’s our churches, it’s the community of Jesus followers that we find ourselves in, that can be greenhouses and accelerators for transformation. They’re the places where we can really grow and mature together.” Colossians 1:28 “When they welcome Onesimus back, this group of Jesus followers proclaims something. They proclaim that there is forgiveness. They proclaim that there is repentance. They proclaim that there is acceptance, regardless of what your social status is or what you may have done. You are welcome in this community. That is a proclamation because it’s verified by their actions.” Colossians 3:12-17 “Bearing with one another is a continuous process.” “When we worship well, we let the message of Christ dwell among us.” “Worship, by its very nature, means that we submit our thinking, our voices, our bodies to God and align together with His truth. There’s a willing submission to participate with the larger group.” “Just as God is omnipresent, in everything and everywhere, there’s no space or action in our lives where He should not be, where His Name, His character isn’t seen and proclaimed.” March Reflection: As a community, what do we proclaim to those around us? What’s changing our lives: Keane: More frequent visits from his brother with the Frontier Airlines annual pass Heather: Rewatching episodes of The Chosen during Lent Brian: Using Pinterest for a home renovation project 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/ 

Emmanuel and Ruth Mbennah serve as TeachBeyond leaders in Tanzania with an amazing story and vision for their country. Hear how Emmanuel’s childhood experience with school and Ruth’s background as a teacher play into their ministry today. “Where I was born and where I grew up, there was no church, there was no school, there was no hospital, there was no road going to that place.” -Emmanuel “No matter the circumstances in which one grows up, education can really define the destiny of the person. Education is key, education is possible. People regardless of where they are born and where they are raised; they have the potential to pursue education.” -Emmanuel “I was fortunate to have a teacher who also had a heart to expose us to the Word of God, and then somehow God used that to propel me into a further search.” -Emmanuel “You need education, but one that acknowledges and makes space for the learner to encounter the exposure to the Gospel so they can change.” -Emmanuel “I celebrate telling this story because I see the hand of God in my life.” - Emmanuel “We want teachers to know the Bible and to be able to transform students, and also students can transform communities.” -Ruth “The Gospel story is actually our strong instrument when we talk about transformation.” -Ruth “This is the kind of ministry that carries the mechanism that can lead to the realization of the promise of education.” -Emmanuel “We want them to know this is a very unique opportunity for the transformation of communities through the Gospel, using education. So I would like to impact schools, owners, managers, teachers, to have the philosophy of transformational education become the philosophy of education for Tanzania.” -Emmanuel “Everyone who has access to education must have access to education that can transform their lives.” -Emmanuel “I’m not in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am a product of divine orchestration to be here now to do what I’m doing.” -Emmanuel “I was not just lucky. God was up to something, and that something was for today, for such a time as this.” -Emmanuel “I want the Gospel to transform every group that I meet when I train using Sparrow Project strategies.” -Ruth “For us as believers, it’s not so much accomplishments as much as the grace of God that has propelled us to this point.” -Emmanuel What’s changing our lives: Keane: Online book club Heather: Visiting a friend from university Ruth: Sparrow Project techniques Emmanuel: Speaking at a retreat and reflecting on his level of commitment Weekly Spotlight: Sparrow Project We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Dr. Benny Fong joins co-hosts Heather Brown and Keane Fine to share perspectives and tips for leveraging AI as a teacher. Dr. Fong provides practical applications, ethical considerations, and how AI, when used wisely, can help minimize the mundane and allow educators to focus on relationships for Kingdom impact. What are your experiences with AI in your classroom or school? Share with us at podcast@teachbeyond.org. Episode 147: Being Human in the Age of AI “The misconception is that the kids will just shift totally to using an artificial teacher or something. [...] We know that book learning is really only one part of learning. The bigger part of learning comes from a mentor, a teacher, a guide to light that fire of curiosity.” “The whole idea of generative AI is to generate new content based on past context and experiences and information.” “You have to treat it as a new technology, emerging technology. What are you comfortable with?” “As with any technology, we [have] to know the ethical boundary and the privacy first,” Suggestions for practical application: ChatGPT for lesson planning with differentiation Perplexity or Copilot search engines Real-time translation Multi-modal feature “We don’t want to shortcut the process for beginning teachers to become good teachers. We don’t want to shortcut the process for students to learn their content.” “I think the danger obviously is always viewing tools as good or bad. It’s always nuanced. I think that the more that we understand the tool [...] the better we can wield this tool [...] for God’s work and for His Kingdom.” “As educators, we are lifelong learners.” “AI is really just the latest in terms of tools that forces us as educators to be flexible in how we engage our stakeholders.” “Education leaders have to start [...] They need to recognize that things are changing. They need to work with the teachers and parents and students to formulate prudent policies first to get on the same page. Then, once things are on the same page, then that frees up the teacher to the next step, which is to innovate and learn.” “We want to build [...] salt and light and ambassadors to the world that needs the Gospel. What does that look like with the help of AI?” “Minimize the mundane stuff so that I can maximize the relationship.” “Real leaders are created through mentoring and through relationship. So, what I feel is that AI, if used properly, can actually maximize that relationship building and mentoring aspect with those around us.” Learn more about TeachBeyond’s Transformational Teaching Conference here. What’s changing our lives: Keane: Doodling on a Boogie Board LCD writing tablet Heather: HabitShare app Benny: Being reminded about grace at a recent marriage conference Weekly Spotlight: Belize Christian Academy We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/ 

Thinking of serving in missions someday? Hear from co-host Heather Brown, along with mobilization coaches Rachel Schmitt and Amanda Cameron, about practical steps you can take now as you consider missions for the future – and in the meantime, make an impact where you are and continue to grow in Christ!  Pray. Operation World Joshua Project Serve where you are. “How can I be plugged in? How can I use what God’s given me and actually build and grow those skills that could be used in the future? Those things can be used now, too, and benefitting the communities that we’re in. It can help with our discernment in the future, but also has an impact now.” -Heather Take a trip internationally. “I love that God is the same God everywhere.” -Heather “It was a great opportunity for me to see life outside of my own small little bubble that I had grown up in, to expand my horizons, to learn more about what it looks like to live in another country, to see how things are done differently, and to see how the church functions in other countries.” -Rachel Learn more about TeachBeyond’s short-term trips here. Get involved in a missions-minded church. “I remember feeling inspired, like, ‘I want to go to Africa. I want to be at a school in Africa.’ That stirred in me that desire, and it wasn’t until years later that God opened the door for me to actually do that.” -Amanda Seek wisdom from others. “With wisdom and discernment, bring people in who can help you with wisdom and discernment.” -Heather Befriend internationals. “There’s such a value to spending time with people and learning about their cultures.” -Amanda Give sacrificially to missions. “We cultivate a heart for missions as we invest in missions.” -Heather Attend a missions conference or class. Urbana Missions Conference Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Read, listen, and learn. A Life Overseas Mission Smart by David Frazier Follow TeachBeyond on social media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn Missionroadmap.org Download our free Next Steps journal!  Closing Advice: “Be proactive [...] and move forward and God will reveal where He wants each of us to be.” -Amanda “As long as you’re continuing to move forward, He’ll guide you and lead you in the direction that He wants you to go.” -Rachel Want to connect with a mobilization coach? Fill out this quick form to begin a conversation! Read the article related to today’s conversation here. What’s changing our lives: Heather: Gather25 Amanda: Thrift stores Rachel: Pacas socks Weekly Spotlight: Sign up to receive TeachBeyond News We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/