Former AIM summer missionary Rachel Gossett Hamilton is now sharing the Gospel with teenagers as part of their regular school day.

She works with the Morgan County Christian Learning Center (CLC). The organization partners with public school districts to allow students to take elective Bible classes with parental permission.

Rachel’s Work at the Christian Learning Center

Rachel is the lone teacher at the Madison location. Her students range in age from the 8th grade to the 12th grade. She teaches the middle-school students in a separate block from her high-school students.

“Each groups learning needs vary,” explained Rachel.

The majority of her current students are unchurched, so she wants them to be able to answer, “Who is Jesus? How do I have a relationship with Him?”

They are focusing on foundational theology and Christian living topics.

Rachel also puts a strong emphasis on living out what they’ve learned. Earlier this month, her older class visited a senior living facility to sing worship, share Scripture, and deliver encouraging letters.

They’re also encouraged each week to share a Bible story about Jesus with somebody else.

God’s Guidance into the Position

The former schoolteacher started her new position in August and says it fulfills a desire God placed in her heart to teach the Bible.

“I decided not to resign my contract at teaching at my previous school unless it meant teaching the Bible,” she said. “I got a call over the summer asking if I would be interested in the CLC position.”

But Rachel didn’t shared with anyone she was interested in teaching a Bible class. The call also came just weeks after she moved into Morgan County.

“It was clear that God was leading me to where He wanted me in this next season of life,” she said. “I want to be a part in growing biblical literacy in the next generation. I want to focus on not merely attaining head knowledge but heart change in the lives of believers.”

Rachel credits attending a Christian high school and university with her spiritual growth and early desires to become a Bible teacher.

God Used Friendship Camp and Advancing in Ministry to Prepare Rachel

Friendship Camp also played a role in preparing her for this position. She began attending at age 7 and serving as a volunteer missionary at age 14.

“I spent thirteen summers at Friendship Camp,” she said. “The ability to spend a week or multiple weeks with other believers that were my age had a huge impact on my life. I loved the community I had at camp and was always excited to return the next summer!”

She was also an Advancing in Ministry (formerly Advancing in Missions) summer intern in 2014 under Deryk Stoops and in 2015 under Luke Fendley. Her time as an AIM summer missionary trained her in how to lead Bible Studies, worship, game time, and share the gospel with others.

Those are all skills she uses in her current position.

“Practicing these skills as a teenager under the guidance of our director helped me grow in these areas and are a part of what has made me successful at my job,” she said.

Friendship Camp and the AIM program are both ministries of the Friendship Baptist Association that is supported by FBA churches.

The Morgan County CLC is fully funded through donations. Please be in prayer for Rachel and her students.