Group's Bible Big Books - Click to go to our affiliate store

Examples of God Using Audiovisuals:

There are visual representations of His ways, what He can do, has done, or will do.  The above are a small number of examples.

Why does God use audiovisuals?

1. Obviously God knows we learn best the more our senses are involved because He created us that way.
    
2. He is a purposeful and creative God who employs a variety of means to communicate.
    
3. He meets us where we are, taking something we are familiar with to help us better understand something unfamiliar.
    
4. He wants to reinforce the truth so we remember it better so the more senses that are employed, the more we will retain what we learn.

On the other hand, there are times He warned against using visual aids:

God said, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Ex. 20:4).

It is one thing to let visuals represent His ways or the truth He is communicating, and another for it to represent God Himself.  Graven images that represent Him should never used because . . .  

God knows that we human beings would be too quick to substitute the pretend image for the real Person.  To think that we would let lifeless wood, stones, gold, silver, or bronze take His place might seem absurd.  Remember the golden calf during the Exodus?  Remember why the Israelites were sent into exile?

Further, nothing could ever adequately depict His greatness and glory.  Our visual representations of God would always fall short.  Only God could come up with a visual aid adequate to represent Himself — God Incarnate.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Heb. 1:3)

What does all this infer for communicators of God’s Word?

• Audiovisuals should be used but purposefully to reinforce truth, not merely to entertain or hold attention.
• Audiovisuals should be carefully chosen to enhance the lesson, not to take the spotlight.
• Audiovisuals should never supplant the teacher.  We have a personal God who communicates truth relationally.

Tips for Choosing & Using Audiovisuals Worksheet Download

   convention – what we’ve always done
   comfort – what fits my learning style or personality
   convenience – what fits my busy schedule

To keep from getting into, or staying in, a teacher training rut, I needed to constantly put myself in places where I would be challenged — getting into God’s Word and letting His Spirit prod me, reading books, attending training sessions myself, networking with others, finding a prayer partner, taking time to listen to the teachers, etc.

As I allowed myself to be stretched, I was in a better position to equip others.  I learned that:

1. One size does not fit all.  Doing training the same way it’s always been done is bound to miss meeting the true needs of the teachers as it does little to tailor training to them.
    
2. It is not all about me.  Each person on the teaching staff also had their own preferred ways of learning due to learning styles and personalities.
    
3. Some things are worth the extra time and effort.  Having well-equipped teachers makes such a difference for eternity as they more effectively invest into the lives of their students.

Out of these challenges comes the need for variety in how teacher training is done.

Learn more at TrainBibleTeachers.com: Means of Teacher Training

One of the biggest drawbacks I found was knowing where to find training resources.  The Internet was not readily accessible through the earlier years of my church work.  We did have a local Christian bookstore so that helped somewhat.

Now, however, if you are reading this post, you, like me, have instant access to a wealth of information through the web.  Still, however, Christian teacher training is not always easy to find, especially on specific topics or formats.  And, a lot of time can be consumed searching.

With this in mind, the MinTools.com site has always included a fair amount of helps for those involved in a teaching ministry.  Every month a new Be-Attitude for teachers, discipline tip, and teaching method replace the previous one in addition to content that remains more static and a teaching resources page.

In time I sensed an even greater need so TrainBibleTeachers.com was developed as a teacher training division of Ministry Tools Resource Center.  What began as primarily a membership based site has now opened lists of training resources to the world.  Having worked in a church, and knowing what it can be like to find resources, my heart’s desire is to see more churches develop a teacher training plan tailored to teacher needs which takes resources.

Check out TrainBibleTeachers.com: Teacher Training Resources

Out of that background, of having served in the educational ministry of a church in both paid and volunteer positions, I have drawn this conclusion about teacher training:  You need a plan!

Both full-time staff and volunteer leaders are busy.  Other week to week responsibilities can quickly consume your time, etching out a long-range effort of equipping teachers.  Developing a plan will put teacher training on your schedule of important tasks not to be overlooked.

The people you recruit are at varying places in Bible knowledge, teaching experience, and skills that need to be honed.  Because you are so busy, it is all too easy to settle for a one-size-fits all approach to teacher training.  Developing a plan will increase the likelihood of providing training tailored to individual teachers.

The people you recruit are also busy.  To include training into their hectic schedules, they need sufficiently advanced notice of these expectations and they need to feel it is worth their time.  Developing a training plan will communicate the worth you place on equipping and will enable you to avoid last minute notifications.  You will be able to share training opportunities when recruiting so people know what to expect.

Learn more at TrainBibleTeacher.com:  Teacher Training Plan

Future posts will look at the next two points about teacher training.  Subscribe to this blog to receive e-mail notification of new posts.

• beyond merely telling them what to do to solving the problem together
• beyond merely stopping the misbehavior to helping them become who they should be
• beyond merely dealing with symptoms to getting to the core of the issue
• beyond merely confronting the individual to protecting him/her and others from harm (physical, social, psychological, emotional, etc.)

To get beyond, you must have the right focus, purpose, and pursuit in disciplining:

Dignity must be guarded by avoiding tactics that ridicule, demean, or put them down.

Involvement in establishing rules and consequences must be sought to bring a greater sense of ownership.

Spirit of God must be at work to provide motivation and enablement to do good.

Character development must be essential so they become who they should “be” in Christ, not just “do” the right things.

Intrinsic Motivation must be the long-range objective, not mere outward conformity.

Peer Relationships must be protected by dealing with most issues privately as social acceptance and belonging are important.

Learning must be the goal requiring a conducive environment and an instructive purpose in disciplining.

Importance of the individual must be stressed which can eliminate much attention-getting behavior.

Needs must be met which requires discerning the core issues as needs usually motivate behavior.

Expectations must be communicated leaving them without excuse in bearing responsibility for their choices.

Learn more in the Handbook on the Basics of Classroom Discipline.

As the Master Teacher, we will find in Jesus many more important lessons for us as Bible teachers.  Let’s look at three more lessons.

Authority of the Master Teacher:  Though God Himself, Jesus submitted to the Father.  He spoke and acted as the Father directed (Jn. 5:19, 30; 10:18; 14:10).  He let the Father set the parameters, not Himself.  He yielded His will to the Father’s will, even when it meant a cruel and torturous death (Matt. 26:39; Phil. 2:5-8).  He made sure others knew the Father was the standard and that they were not to believe Him unless He did what His Father did (Jn. 10:37).

Questions for Bible Teachers: 

Help for Bible Teachers:

Approach of the Master Teacher:  Though Jesus knew all things, He didn’t inundate people with everything He knew.  He didn’t tell all the answers to their questions. He used an approach that made them think.  He often threw it back on them in the form of a questions, sometimes answering a question with a question.  (See: Matt. 16:13; 22:45-46; 23:17; Mk. 2:25-26; 3:4; 8:29; 10:3)

Questions for Bible Teachers:

Help for Bible Teachers:

Accommodation of the Master Teacher:  Jesus knew how to connect with people, to meet them where they were.  Though He was God, He refrained from using lofty language that would show His academic superiority.  He spoke using words and concepts from their everyday life.  Jesus was a master at using object lessons to teach truths in order to make a bridge from the known to the unknown (Matt. 18:1-6; 22:15-22).

Questions for Bible Teachers:

Help for Bible Teachers:

Jesus’ teaching ministry provides many valuable lessons for Bible teachers today.  The three lessons I want to share in this post deal with

     His power source,

     His character,

     His methodology.

 Power Source of the Master Teacher:  submission to God as seen in His prayer life

Jesus enveloped what He did with prayer.  He prayed before, during, and after.  “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Lk. 5:16).  He made prayer a priority.  He had purpose in praying.  His disciples learned the value of prayer from His example.  “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’” (Lk. 11:1). 

Question for Bible Teachers:  Are your students learning from your example of submission and dependence on the Father?

Help for Bible Teachers:  Praying Like You Truly Believe HE is the Source of All You Need

Character of the Master Teacher:  servanthood as seen in His selfless acts of love for others

Jesus laid aside His heavenly glory, “taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:7).  “For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45).  “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13).  Jesus invested into the lives of His students.  He did not merely teach lessons.

Question for Bible Teachers:  Are you truly there to serve students and not merely teach a lesson?

Help for Bible Teachers:  DISCIPLESHIP: Isn’t teaching a lesson enough?

Methodology of the Master Teacher:  storytelling as seen in His constant use of parables

While Jesus used a variety of methods, His primary means of reaching the masses was through parables (stories) as seen in Matthew 13:34-35 and Mark 4:33-34.  Jesus used familiar objects and situations from their culture in stories to make connections.  People were able to identify with the characters or situations which challenged them to want to understand more (Mk. 4:10) or make up their minds about what they would do with the Truth (Matt. 21:45-46).

Question for Bible Teachers: Are you effectively using stories to connect with your students?

Help for Bible Teachers:  Keys to Visualizing the Story Without Visual Aids
 

More Lessons:  3 More Important Lessons for Bible Teachers from the Master Teacher