Bible Teachers Have a Multifaceted Role

Share:

To make the most impact on students’ lives, Bible teachers need to see themselves as more than communicators. Bible teachers have a multifaceted role that takes them beyond merely dispensing knowledge to being used by God to change lives. It’s about making a difference for eternity by truly caring and investing into people’s lives.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. (1 Thess. 2:7b-8)

Impacting Bible Teachers Have a Multifaceted Role in Students’ Lives

Here are eight different facets of a Bible teacher’s role that, when all seen as a part of a teacher’s responsibility, will help them make a true difference in people’s lives.

Communicator

verbally informs students of what God’s Word says in ways that hold interest, fit their age level, accurately represent God’s intent, and encourage students to do something with what they learn

Conduit

lets God’s message flow through them in ways that pull on God’s power and guides students to faith by not only words but also demonstrating its reality

Disciplemaker

helps students know, love, follow and serve Jesus and become more like Him in all they say and do

Equipper

looks for opportunities to train students to serve and become more of who God desires them to be, preparing them to live for God in all kinds of situations

Friend

comes alongside of students, taking steps to get to know them, personally relate with them, and care about them as individuals

Model

not only tells students what they need to know but demonstrates it by their own lives through actions, words, and attitudes both in and outside of the classroom

Motivator

connects with students’ needs, interests, and development in ways that spur them on toward belief and application of God’s Word

Servant

willingly sacrifices one’s own time, convenience, and effort for students, exhibiting not only Christ-like actions but also attitudes that demonstrate His love and grace

Bible Teacher's Multifaceted Role
Check out the 70 page Bible Teacher’s Role training resource that looks at each of the above facets of a teacher’s role in greater depth with some questions that should spur you own to enhancing your effectiveness in these ways.

Share:

It All Matters When We’re Teaching the Word of God

Share:

Teaching the Word as a Lesson Worth Teaching
Whether preaching, teaching, or facilitating a small group, we must always remember that we’re teaching the Word of God. Unlike the author of any other book, God has full authority and the power to carry out anything written therein. When we approach the Bible with this mindset, it affects everything we do in the teaching-learning process. We want to make it A Lesson Worth Teaching that is so worth learning.

Curriculum Matters Because It’s God’s Word We’re Teaching

Lesson Preparation Matters Because We’re Teaching the Word of God

  • We will pray that God gives us the understanding we need.

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. …(1 Cor. 2:13-16)

  • We will study as one accountable to the Author of the Text, to accurately represent His intent.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)

  • We will prepare a lesson that accurately and adequately reflects the Author.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet. 1:20-21)

Lesson Presentation Matters Because We Want People to Know “All Scripture is God-breathed”

  • We will pray that God gives us the strength, grace, and wisdom to teach in ways that keep the focus on the Lord Himself.
  • We will make sure students understand it is God’s Word and that He’s the One behind all the stories and teaching therein.

Follow-Up Matters Because We Know God Works Through the Power of His Word

  • We will trust God to continue working in students’ lives as He promised that His Word will not return void (Isa. 55:11) which means we will keep praying.
  • We will do what we can to remind students of the power of God’s Word for their everyday lives which means we will in some way contact students with reminders.
Share:

Effective Bible Teaching Takes Time

Share:

Training Category: Teaching Ministry
Effective Bible Teaching Takes Time Management

We want the results of effective Bible teaching but are we willing to make the investment?

No matter how we look at it, effectiveness will take time and effort.

The Kind of Commitment Needed for Effective Bible Teaching Takes Time

We already looked at how effective Bible teaching takes a commitment based on …

  • being the kind of teacher who makes a difference.

Certainly the nurturing of our own walk with God will take time.

  • relying on the work of the Holy Spirit.

Relying on the Spirit involves trusting God to work in and through us but it also requires making a prayer investment which takes time.

Effective Bible Teaching Takes an Investment of Time & Effort

It’s hard to imagine doing “your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15) without spending time doing the following:

  • structuring lessons that make a difference — lesson planning
  • planning methods that best communicate the content and fit group factors — teaching methods
  • incorporating variety, attention-getting, relevance, and involvement — creativity
  • discerning and meeting students’ needs, developmental abilities, and learning styles — student-oriented

Though effective Bible teaching takes time, the results are so worth the investment.

Help for Bible Teachers: Time Management for Teachers Worksheet

Share:

Effective Bible Teaching Takes Commitment

Share:

Training Category: Teaching Ministry

Whether a parent, preacher, or Bible teacher, we should want our teaching of God’s Word to make a difference in people’s lives. But, are we willing to make the commitment?

While such a commitment will take time (the topic of the next post), effective Bible teaching takes more than outwardly doing all the right things.

The Kind of Commitment Needed for Effective Bible Teaching

Effective Bible Teaching - Commitment Based on Who We Are

Effective Bible teaching requires that we “be” the kind of teacher who makes a difference. Who we are matters, not just what we say and do.

To be effective we need to …

focus on being over doing in our own lives and in our students’ lives,

so that what we do grows out of a good heart.

When what we say and do doesn’t match what’s in our hearts, people soon pick up on hypocrisy and even the “right” words can lose their effectiveness.

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Matt. 12:33-34)

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” (Matt. 15:7-9)

Effective Bible Teaching Therefore Takes a Divinely Empowered Commitment

Think about it: Who builds within us the kind of inner qualities, or spiritual fruit, we need to be effective? — To “be” the kind of teacher who makes a difference takes the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Effective Bible teachers therefore acknowledge their need for God’s wisdom and power and submit to and rely on His Spirit. They realize that they can’t be effective on their own. It takes a divinely empowered commitment.

Share:

Scripture Memory: For All Ages

Share:

Scripture Memory for All AgesIn a previous post we looked at how memorizing Scripture is a powerful tool in our walk with God. Look back at the verses used in that post and you will find that the verses have no age for beginning to memorize nor an ending age attached to them. From the youngest among us to the oldest, we all can benefit from having Scripture memorized.

from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:15)

Age Appropriate Considerations in Scripture Memory:

1) Think about the length of the verse.

The younger the age, the shorter the length of the verse should be. Preschoolers might only memorize a phrase from a verse as long as it is meaningful.

2) Think about the relevancy of the verse’s content.

Due to life experiences and age level developmental needs at the various ages, certain verses are better for the different ages.

You will find a number of posts on the Train Bible Teachers Blog with verses that fit the different age level brackets. Click on the ages below that fit you or the age you serve.

Preschoolers
Grade School Children
Teenagers
Young Adults
Middle Aged Adults
Senior Adults

All Ages Will Memorize Scripture Similarly:

  • Repetition is required to memorize and retain what has been learned regardless of your age.
  • Using a variety of means can be beneficial in memorizing Bible verses at all ages.

You will find more tips for Bible teachers in this worksheet: Effective Scripture Memorization Requires Getting Beyond

Share:

Can We Ever Overemphasize Application?

Share:

Application of truth is important.  Just ask God:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Matt. 7:24, 25)

But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25)

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:17)

The title of a teacher training worksheet says it well:  Application: It’s God’s Idea, Not Merely a Good Idea

However, if we emphasize application (obedience) over a love relationship with God  … we could have mere religious activity.

Jesus died on the cross to bring us into a relationship with the Father. (Jn. 14:6; Rom. 5:10-11; 2 Cor. 5:18; Heb. 4:16)

  • It’s about showing love to God by doing what He says not trying to earn His favor.  (Matt. 22:37-38; Jn. 15:10; 1 Jn. 5:3)
  • It’s about getting to know God better which comes as we step out in faith and do what He says.  (Col. 1:9-10; 2 Pet. 3:1)

When we are in a love relationship with God, we have added motivation to do what pleases and honors Him.  Obedience is not burdensome.

A Word to the Church: When life in Christ becomes little more than religious activity, we have little to offer people who need Jesus.  We could find ourselves with a dull, lifeless group of people busy doing what appears to be all the right things with little to show for it.  Where is the appeal in that?

If we emphasize application over internal change … we could have mere external conformity.

God isn’t looking for mere external conformity.  He looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).  Notice how the heart factors into loving Him, trusting in Him, and also obeying Him.

“love the Lord with all your heart …”  (Matt. 22:37)
“trust in the Lord with all your heart …”  (Prov. 3:5)
“keep your precepts with all my heart …” (Ps. 119:69)

When our whole heart is given over to God, we will do what we are supposed to do.  Obedience is not in question.

A Word to the Church: If we are satisfied with mere external conformity, we could be building a church full of hypocrites.  We could find ourselves with a group who are quick to give up when the going gets tough because their heart is not in it.  How is that honoring to God?

Whether you preach, teach, or disciple others one-on-one, remember that application is important to God but we must put more emphasis on a relationship with Him and on what is happening in the heart out of which obedience flows.

Share: