Elder Christofferson Highlights How Teachers Can Help Develop Lifelong Disciples of Christ

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By Rachel Sterzer Gibson, Church News

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a modern Apostle, said he is moved more and more by the words of his “brother Paul,” the ancient apostle, to the elders in Ephesus.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:28-30).

Speaking to the thousands of religious educators throughout The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Christofferson emphasized that the students for which they are “overseers” are “infinitely precious, purchased with the Savior’s own blood.”

Teachers are charged to feed and strengthen their students against what Paul called the “grievous wolves,” who speak falsehoods and seek to make their own disciples rather than disciples of Jesus Christ, Elder Christofferson said. “We must help [students] learn truth, wise use of agency and, above all, deep and abiding love of the Father and the Son,” he declared.

As the chair of the executive committee of the Church Board of Education, Elder Christofferson opened the second annual Church Educational System Religious Educators Conference with a keynote address on Thursday evening, June 12, on the purpose of a CES religious education — “to develop lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.”

In that quest of discipleship, educators must help students “take personal ownership in learning,” said Elder Christofferson.

As students exercise personal agency, “their conversion will deepen in ways that lead to lifelong discipleship,” he promised.

Hundreds of religious educators and their spouses gathered in the 900-seat Conference Center Theater in downtown Salt Lake City for Elder Christofferson’s remarks, which were broadcast on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and will also be published in the Gospel Library app and Media Library.

While conducting the meeting, Brother Chad H Webb, the administrator for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and a counselor in the Sunday School general presidency, noted that the address would be available in 30 languages by June 28.

Following Elder Christofferson’s instruction, the conference convened the next day at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, for classes, discussions and instruction for the thousands of religious educators from each entity within the Church Educational System — Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii, Ensign College and BYU–Pathway Worldwide.

On behalf of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the entire Church, Elder Christofferson thanked educators for their work with students throughout the world. “You are on the front line of laying and defending the foundation of this Church — the kingdom of God on the earth — for the future,” said Elder Christofferson.

Agency’s Role in Discipleship

One of the most important gifts of God was moral agency, Elder Christofferson taught. “This power and privilege — and responsibility — to act for ourselves, is essential to realizing our full potential as children of God.”

One of the ways that Satan seeks to diminish personal responsibility is through deception, Elder Christofferson said, but the antidote to deception is truth.

“Our role is to help students hear and choose to embrace truth,” said Elder Christofferson.

But agency in the context of religious education requires a further step beyond just imparting truth, he continued. “It is essential that we teach in a way that invites students to exercise their agency in the learning process. We want to help them become active participants in the process and take responsibility for their own learning. Activating students’ agency to take personal ownership in learning has implications for the development of lasting belief and testimony. It is in so doing that they can become active and lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

Consider how the Savior taught, Elder Christofferson encouraged. “Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples what they should do, nor did He do everything for them. He taught in ways that required them to think, participate, discuss and apply His teachings. Because of this, when the Savior was no longer with His disciples in person, they were more prepared to receive and be led by the Holy Ghost in acting for themselves.”

The Savior found ways to help His disciples take responsibility for their learning, including using parables, asking inspired questions and extending personal invitations, Elder Christofferson noted,

Invite Diligent Learning

The latter-day Apostle told teachers, “When we teach in a way that only invites listening and ignores active engagement on the part of the learner, we risk signaling to students that we value our teaching above their learning.”

He emphasized three ways — highlighted in the “Teaching in the Savior’s Way” manual — that teachers can help students invite diligent learning.

First, invite learners to prepare to learn through pre-reading assignments, study questions or personal invitations.

Second, encourage learners to share the truths they are learning.

Third, invite learners to live what they are learning.

In his Worldwide Devotional to Young Adults in 2022, President Russell M. Nelson encouraged young adults to take ownership of their personal growth. “I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. Care for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth.”

Said Elder Christofferson: “That ownership of learning needs to be supported in the ways we structure our instruction, so students have opportunities to engage with the depth and rigor required to develop true discipleship. … Do our classrooms invite this type of individual engagement to further testimony and discipleship? Are there ways we can each improve our own efforts to invite diligent learning?”