I had no idea at all where to start when I was first approached with the idea of teaching a Bible class. I was unable to go to a workshop on Bible instruction. I promised them I’d try my best, but I would appreciate their prayers. I have been involved in bible teaching for at least twenty years, and that was roughly thirty years ago Blue and purple clothing.
What exactly does the Bible teach?
I would condense it to the following four steps if I had to:
- assisting others in learning
- providing direction
- caring about a person’s development; 4. applying biblical interpretation.
Let’s now examine each of these in more detail. When teaching others, emphasis is placed on what the student does rather than just what the teacher says. Learning and teaching go hand in hand. I found that posing questions to students aided them in coming up with solutions. In reality, the solutions they found were the result of their own thinking. I could make learning easier for the students, but they still needed to put in the effort to learn.
The teacher serves as a navigator, leading the way and directing the pupil in the right direction. Inform the student if they are veering off course. Once they get it right, let them know.
The development of the students must be a priority for the teacher. It is crucial to create an environment that promotes personal development. What matters most, in my opinion, is that teachers “labour together with God.” I have to admit that in the classroom, God is my only source of strength. Christian educators must constantly remember the promise made by our Lord that “when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will lead you into all truth” (John 16:13)
All Christian teaching is fundamentally based on biblical interpretation. According to Jesus’ words in John 8:31–32, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Having a solid understanding of the Bible is a requirement for Christians. Biblical interpretation entails more than merely explaining each verse of the Bible verse by verse. It extends past this. The ultimate goal of Bible study is to lead people to experience Jesus and live under his lordship, not to inform them about God or to recount the life of Jesus.
To help people develop into loving individuals who care about everyone, just like Jesus, is the responsibility of a Bible teacher. There are many ways to explain the meaning of the Bible to students, but we must never forget that it is the basis for Christian discipleship and salvation. The central concern of the Christian teacher must always be how to correctly divide the truth as found in the Bible.
To sum up, there is a direct connection between teaching and learning. A teacher’s work ought to result in learning.
No teacher can transmit learning. A learner must do his or her own learning. A teacher’s task is to arrange conditions in which learning is most likely to happen.
Teachers are co-laborers with God. The spirit of God is always present to “guide us into all truth” in Bible Study experiences.
My name is Lloyd Erickson. I’ve had the honour of participating in lay ministry for a while. In addition to preaching, working in discipleship and evangelism, vacation bible school, and other areas, this also includes teaching Sunday school and Bible classes for adults. You might be interested in a book on my blog if you need more information on teaching the Bible.