Roles of the Household Leader: Teacher
Teaching with Authority, Wisdom, and Love
A household leader is more than a provider, protector, or decision-maker—he is also a teacher. Whether he realizes it or not, he is teaching something every day through his words, actions, habits, and priorities. The question is not if he is teaching, but what he is teaching.
God has given men the responsibility of teaching truth in the home. This is not about academic knowledge but about shaping the hearts and minds of those under their care. A biblical household leader teaches God’s Word, righteous living, and wisdom for life.
Biblical Foundation for Teaching
Teaching is a fundamental part of God’s design for leadership. Throughout Scripture, God commands fathers, husbands, and leaders to teach truth so that future generations may know and follow Him.
1. Teaching is a Command, Not an Option
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – “These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
This verse establishes the daily, consistent nature of teaching in the home. A leader is to teach God’s commandments diligently, meaning persistently and intentionally, making God’s Word central in everyday life.
Psalm 78:5-7 – “He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”
God calls fathers to teach so that their children—and their children’s children—will place their hope in Him. Without intentional teaching, future generations can drift into forgetfulness and rebellion.
2. Teaching is a Qualification for Leadership
1 Timothy 3:2 – “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
While this verse speaks about church elders, it applies to all men who lead. Being “able to teach” is not just for pastors—it is for any man who desires to lead his household well.
Ephesians 6:4 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
A man’s role is not to be a tyrant, but a gentle and wise teacher, guiding his family in the instruction of the Lord with patience and consistency.
What Does It Mean to Be a Teacher in the Home?
A household leader is responsible for teaching in three key ways:
1. Teaching God’s Word
Godly teaching starts with knowing and applying Scripture.
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
A leader’s first responsibility is to ensure that his household is learning, applying, and living according to the Word of God.
How to Apply This:
✅ Lead Family Devotions – Set aside time to read and discuss Scripture together.
✅ Ask Questions & Discuss – Engage your family in conversations about faith.
✅ Pray Together – Teach your family to seek God in everything through prayer.
A man cannot teach what he does not practice. He must first be transformed by the Word before he can lead others in it.
2. Teaching Through Example
A man is always teaching through his actions, whether he intends to or not.
1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
Titus 2:7-8 – “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech.”
Children and spouses learn more from what a man does than what he says.
What Are You Teaching Through Your Actions?
How You Handle Conflict Teaches Either Grace or Bitterness
How You Work Teaches Either Diligence or Laziness
How You Love and Serve Teaches Either Leadership or Selfishness
Jesus taught by example, washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:12-17). A man must lead by living out what he teaches.
3. Teaching Wisdom for Life
God calls men to prepare their families for life’s challenges by teaching them wisdom and discernment.
Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 4:1-5 – “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight… Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.”
A man must train his family in practical, biblical wisdom:
✔ Financial Stewardship – Teach how to manage money wisely.
✔ Emotional and Mental Resilience – Teach how to handle stress and hardship.
✔ Decision-Making Skills – Teach how to seek wisdom from God’s Word.
A father or husband who fails to teach wisdom leaves his family unprepared and vulnerable to life’s challenges.
Obstacles to Teaching Well
Many men feel unqualified or unprepared to be teachers.
Lack of Biblical Knowledge – Some feel they don’t know enough. Solution? Start learning alongside your family.
Fear of Failure – Some avoid teaching because they fear getting it wrong. Solution? God doesn’t expect perfection, just faithfulness.
Busyness and Distraction – Work and entertainment can steal time away. Solution? Prioritize your family’s spiritual growth.
Joshua 24:15 – “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Teaching is about leading by faithfulness, not perfection.
Teaching is Discipleship
Teaching is not an optional role—it is part of God’s calling for every household leader.
✅ Teach God’s Word
✅ Teach by Example
✅ Teach Wisdom for Life
A household leader’s teaching will shape generations. What are you teaching your family today?
