Check out the So We Speak podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
How does Terry Feix prepare his Wednesday night lessons? In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss sermon and teaching preparation, routines, and delivery. Everyone can learn to be a better teacher. Here are some of the best resources and practices from this episode.
Great teaching comes from teaching what you love to people you love.
Teaching also requires a constant study of scripture. As Bible teachers, this is vitally important because we too are on a journey of growth, just like those we are teaching. Teaching directly from scripture leads to humility. It reminds everyone that we are simply delivering God’s Word.
Seven steps to developing a Bible lesson:
1) Identify the main point a text is making (an example is Galatians 3 in Adam’s relationship to Christ).
2) Study the setting and context of the story. This can be very simple. It’s important to know the context of biblical events, so we can fully understand the depth and importance of the story.
3) What kind of lesson will this text be? Is it a story or narrative? Is it instructions on how to live a godly life? Spend time in the text and make observations to find out the logic and flow of the text before going to commentaries or extra-biblical sources.
4) Identify the conclusion. What do you want your audience to walk away with?
5) Study commentaries and other sources/observations, word studies, etc. Keep these rabbit trails clustered around your main idea and conclusion. Don’t try to teach too many things at once. This is an easy pitfall for new teachers. Preparation requires discipline and a willingness to eliminate unneeded information that has nothing to do with the main point. Weeding out extra information is a very important but hard step in lesson preparation.
6) Have multiple points of contact with your lesson throughout the week before it is taught to make sure you are touching on the main points of your lesson. Welcome feedback from other experienced teachers.
7) Add illustrations, examples, humor, etc. Lessons have to give people room to breathe and some mental downtime.
Remember: use the gifts God has given you in your teaching and preaching. Your gifts may not be the same as someone else’s. Find your own teaching voice and work to be the best you can be. A “good lesson” involves faithfully representing a biblical text and leaving the results up to the Holy Spirit. Speak the Word boldly and clearly.
Resources for Teaching:
Online:
Books:
The Tyndale Old Testament and New Testament Commentaries
Brittany Proffitt lives in Dallas, TX, holds a BA in Religion, and is a student at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is passionate about Scripture and how God’s Word impacts individuals’ hearts and lives.
Comments