Speaking on God's Behalf (Session 1)

Mastering The Skills of Teaching the Bible

Mastering The Skills of Teaching the Bible

Mastering The Skills of Teaching the Bible

Lecture #1

I. Introduction and Requirements

I. Introduction and Requirements

Why are you taking this course?

Why are you taking this course?

What do you hope to gain from it?

What do you hope to gain from it?

Are you willing to make the commitment?

Are you willing to make the commitment?

A. The purpose of the course

A. The purpose of the course

1. To help potential teachers develop the skills necessary to determine the meaning of Bible passages, develop a coherent teaching outline that is faithful to the passage, and present the lesson in such a way that life change is accomplished in the students.

1. To help potential teachers develop the skills necessary to determine the meaning of Bible passages, develop a coherent teaching outline that is faithful to the passage, and present the lesson in such a way that life change is accomplished in the students.

2. To produce competent, trust-worthy teachers for the educational ministries of this church. It is the task of the elder/pastor to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry,” and part of the ministry is “teaching them to observe all things…”

2. To produce competent, trust-worthy teachers for the educational ministries of this church. It is the task of the elder/pastor to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry,” and part of the ministry is “teaching them to observe all things…”

Note that Stephen in his magnificent address in (the one that got him killed) demonstrated in an impromptu discourse an amazing grasp of the Old Testament, both the “big picture” and the details.

Note that Stephen in his magnificent address in (the one that got him killed) demonstrated in an impromptu discourse an amazing grasp of the Old Testament, both the “big picture” and the details.

Philip was not only an effective evangelist in Samaria (), but he was also able to step up into the Ethiopian’s chariot and deliver an on-the-spot exegesis of the writings of Isaiah. Both of these men were deacons, laymen in the Jerusalem church. Hopefully, this course will produce some Stephens and Philips.

Philip was not only an effective evangelist in Samaria (), but he was also able to step up into the Ethiopian’s chariot and deliver an on-the-spot exegesis of the writings of Isaiah. Both of these men were deacons, laymen in the Jerusalem church. Hopefully, this course will produce some Stephens and Philips.

B. The structure of the course

B. The structure of the course

1. Weekly lectures covering the following areas of study:

1. Weekly lectures covering the following areas of study:

a. Hermeneutics—how to interpret the Bible. In order to teach, you have to understand. You cannot give what you do not possess. It is essential that a teacher know how to accurately interpret the Scriptures.

a. Hermeneutics—how to interpret the Bible. In order to teach, you have to understand. You cannot give what you do not possess. It is essential that a teacher know how to accurately interpret the Scriptures.

b. Lesson Development—how to organize the truth of the passage in to a logical, presentable lesson. The three essential elements in the actual lesson are:

b. Lesson Development—how to organize the truth of the passage in to a logical, presentable lesson. The three essential elements in the actual lesson are:

(1) Explanation

(1) Explanation

(2) Illustration

(2) Illustration

(3) Application

(3) Application

c. Presentation—the least important part of the teaching process, but nevertheless something that can, with a minimum of effort, become an asset to our teaching efforts.

c. Presentation—the least important part of the teaching process, but nevertheless something that can, with a minimum of effort, become an asset to our teaching efforts.

2. Quiz—covering the material presented the week before.

2. Quiz—covering the material presented the week before.

3. Outside projects—actually exercising the various skills necessary to the teaching process; i.e. interpreting passages, creating lesson plans, etc.

3. Outside projects—actually exercising the various skills necessary to the teaching process; i.e. interpreting passages, creating lesson plans, etc.

4. Laboratory exercise—presenting an actual (brief) lesson in front of the class, subject to review by the class.

4. Laboratory exercise—presenting an actual (brief) lesson in front of the class, subject to review by the class.

5. Assorted supplemental reading

5. Assorted supplemental reading

*** Hendricks, Howard; Teaching To Change Lives

*** Hendricks, Howard; Teaching To Change Lives

Gangel and Hendricks; Handbook on Teaching

Gangel and Hendricks; Handbook on Teaching

*** Ryken and Wilhoit; Effective Bible Teaching

*** Ryken and Wilhoit; Effective Bible Teaching

Vos, Howard F; Effective Bible Study

Vos, Howard F; Effective Bible Study

*** Wayne McDill; 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching

*** Wayne McDill; 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching

C. The reason for the course

C. The reason for the course

1. The church of Jesus Christ has fooled itself about Bible teaching

1. The church of Jesus Christ has fooled itself about Bible teaching

Two Case histories…

Two Case histories…

Bob’s class—why it failed

Bob’s class—why it failed

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Mary’s class—why it failed, too

Mary’s class—why it failed, too

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2. Leading failure factors in typical Baptist adult Sunday School classes:

2. Leading failure factors in typical Baptist adult Sunday School classes:

a. Inability to come to grips with a Biblical text

a. Inability to come to grips with a Biblical text

(1) Failure to account for genre

(1) Failure to account for genre

(2) Inability to identify the “big picture”

(2) Inability to identify the “big picture”

(3) Escaping from the Bible text to other material

(3) Escaping from the Bible text to other material

b. Excessive confidence in published materials

b. Excessive confidence in published materials

c. Too many facts, not enough meaning

c. Too many facts, not enough meaning

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d. Misconceptions about the Bible

d. Misconceptions about the Bible

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e. Leaving the class in the dust

e. Leaving the class in the dust

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f. Biting off too much

f. Biting off too much

g. Failing to bridge the gap

g. Failing to bridge the gap

3. Solutions to the “boring class” syndrome

3. Solutions to the “boring class” syndrome

a. Focus on the Bible itself

a. Focus on the Bible itself

b. Promoting the “big idea”

b. Promoting the “big idea”

c. Exercising imagination

c. Exercising imagination

d. Interpreting the meaning of Bible passages

d. Interpreting the meaning of Bible passages

e. Bridging the gap

e. Bridging the gap