Acerca de

Starting A Special Interest Bible Study Group… 

​

In the past several sections, we took a look at the four specific ingredients that must be a part of the complete focused Bible study package – the activity, the leaders, the Bible study and the participants.  But as you begin to make plans for a special interest Bible study group, it is important to note that even though each of these areas is important by itself, it will also be necessary to consider all of the ingredients together as you begin your planning work.  In other words, you can’t just pick a random activity and expect to base a successful group on that alone.  You must also consider who the leader will be, someone who has the ability and the knowledge to lead the activity.  In addition, you must consider the participants.  Who do you want to reach and what are the activities that they would find interesting and appealing?  And you need to consider what you might do to link the activity to an interesting and relevant Bible study and who will lead this part of the group.

​

When you begin to plan a special interest Bible study group, you really need to look at all four areas.  And it’s difficult to say exactly where or how you should start.  Perhaps you see a particular interest from a group of people in a certain activity.  For example, maybe you have a number of new babies in your community and can see the possible need for a parenting class or maybe you hear people talking about needing to lose weight and can see the need for an exercise or dieting class.

You might also start with the leader.  Maybe you or another person in your church or community has a particular skill or ability and you can see this as something that could be shared with others through a special interest group.  Maybe you enjoy building model airplanes and would like to share your hobby with the children and youth of your community.  Or perhaps you know someone who has the talent to take just about any piece of “junk” and turn it into a beautiful craft item.  That person might be asked to share their ideas with others through a craft class.

​

And then you might also start with the potential participants.  Maybe you hear people talking about something that interests them, like older adults who would like to learn the basics of computers.  You might also use a survey sheet to find out what people are interested in.

​

In addition to these four major areas of concern, you will also need to consider some of the other things already mentioned, like when the group will meet, how often you will meet and where you will meet.  It is important to have plans in place for each detail before you start promoting your group and trying to recruit participants.  But it is also important to have input from your potential members as you make your plans.

​

Recruiting Participants For Your Group…

​

          Obviously you can’t have a very successful group if you don’t have any students.  The purpose of any Bible study class is to teach the students about God, His Word and His will for their lives.  Remember, teaching isn’t teaching until learning takes place and for learning to take place, you will need some students.

​

          Getting students to make a commitment to your special interest study group may be one of the hardest parts of the entire planning process.  We live in a time when just about every person of every age finds their schedules full and overflowing.  Most people are so busy with work, school, school activities, family and social activities that they won’t even consider anything new.  Many people are very reluctant to make more than a week-to-week commitment to new programs and activities.  And, for most people to even consider anything new, they want to know the personal or family benefits that they will get out of the activity.

​

          Why should anyone come to the special interest group that you are planning?  Before you start to invite people to come to the group, this is a question that you need to answer.  Be positive!  Focus on the fun, personal improvement and other benefits that the a person will get out of the group – both from the activity and from the Bible study.  As mentioned before, don’t try to hide the fact that the group will include a Bible study.  The Bible is not what scares most people away from Bible study groups; it’s the bad past experiences with boring teachers and lessons that have had no relevance to their lives.  Therefore, you need to be ready to tell potential members about the interesting, relevant and fun things that you will be doing in every group activity.

​

          Before you try to recruit members for your group it is also important to make sure that you have all of the basic elements of the group in place – the activity, the Bible study and the leaders.  It is important to remember that many of the people that you approach about being a part of the group will be influenced by one or more of these basic elements.  Maybe they have a real interest in the activity or perhaps they know one of the teachers.  By having all elements of the group in place and by being able to tell the potential members about the benefits that they can expect, the recruiting process should be a lot easier.

​

          As a part of your basic planning process, you should also have some ideas as to who you want to involve in your group.  Is your target group very narrow, like only to elementary school-age boys or young married couples, or is it for a broader group?  Knowing the primary target group that you will try to involve will help you as you plan your recruiting drive.

​

Promoting Your Focused Bible Study Group…

​

          To get members involved in your group, you need to get them interested and that involves promotion!

​

          As you begin to think about ways to promote your group, one of the first things that I would suggest is that you create a promotional brochure or flyer about your new special interest Bible study group.  This brochure or flyer should include information about the basic elements that will be involved in the group - the activity, the Bible study and the teachers or leaders plus information about when and where the group will be meeting and who to contact if they are interested in becoming a part of the group.  It should also tell the prospects about the personal benefits that they will get out of the group.  Take your time to carefully plan what you want to say about the group and the best way to say it.  Remember to use headlines that will catch the attention of the prospect.  Have the flyer or brochure created by someone who is good at computer design, using lots of color, catchy lettering, illustrations, etc.  You will also want to keep in mind the age and interest of your target group.  Use the activity as the “hook” to get the prospect interested and involved, but don’t try to hide the Bible study.  Rather, tell how it will relate to the activity or be interesting or relevant to the life of the student.

​

          Once all of the basic elements for your special interest Bible study group are in place, a promotional brochure has been created and most of the other details have been worked out, it’s time to actually start recruiting new members.

​

          In most cases, person-to-person, face-to-face contacts are best.  This means finding a small group of people who will help distribute the promotional brochures and talk with their friends, neighbors and others about the planned group.  These people who help promote the event may or may not be prospects for the group themselves; that isn’t always important.  But what is important is that these individuals realize the importance of Bible study and the effectiveness of programs like special interest Bible study groups.  These persons need to know the target group that you are trying to reach and might even be given a list of specific people that they agree to contact.

​

          As these people talk with others about the planned special interest group, they should tell them briefly about what will be happening – the activity, the Bible study and the leaders.  They should give the prospect a copy of the promotional brochure or flyer and then they should invite them to attend.  Many times people will not be ready to give a definite commitment right on the spot.  If they aren’t ready to give a definite “yes” or “no,” make sure someone gets back to them and follows up the invitation with a phone call or personal contact.

​

          Here’s another good promotional idea to use with children and youth – give them a “ticket” that will admit them to the meeting.  Have all of the basic information about the “who, what, where and when” of the group printed on the ticket.  Of course, you don’t actually have to have a ticket to attend the meeting – all persons, even those without tickets, are certainly welcome – but the ticket will serve as a reminder about the meeting and will be an encouragement for many people to attend.  Knowing how many “tickets” have been distributed can also help you gauge your publicity and potential attendance.

​

          Another very personal way of communicating is the telephone.  The phone can be especially effective as a follow-up or reminder tool.  Once you have talked in person with a prospect, a phone call is a great way to follow up and extend a reminder about the group.  E-mails and text messages are another great way of reminding prospects about the meetings.  Many churches have established phone, text message and E-mail directories that could be of help as you promote your group through these methods.  Don’t forget that your church website is another great tool for promoting events and encourage your church members and friends to use their social media contacts to promote your new special interest Bible study group, too.

​

          One other quick note about E-mails; I have a good friend who E-mails every member of the small group that he leads several days before each meeting.  In the E-mail he usually asks a question or in some way gives the members something to think about before they come to the next meeting.  The E-mail also is a great reminder to each of the members about the meeting and an invitation for them to bring a friend.

​

          Other ideas that you might consider to promote your special interest Bible study group would include your weekly church bulletin, announcements within the regular weekly services, your monthly church newsletter, posters, letters mailed to prospects, “door knockers” (announcement cards that are hung on the door knobs of the homes in your area) and door-to-door visitation.

​

          If you want to promote the group throughout your community, you might also consider announcements in your local newspapers, public service announcements on your local radio stations, posters, your church signboard and others.  But, again, remember that your most effective publicity and recruitment will come through the personal contacts and invitations that you and others extend to friends, neighbors, co-workers, family members, etc.

​

          An old hymn reminds us that we should “give our best to the Master.”  As you plan your special interest Bible study group and as you invite prospects to come and be a part of the group, remember that you are called to give and do your very best for Christ.  Our Lord doesn’t want your halfhearted efforts; he wants your very best!  As you think about starting a special interest Bible study group, make sure that you and everyone involved are willing to do their best.  Christ gave his all for you!  What are you doing for him?

​

Leading The Group’s Special Activities…

​

          Because the list of topics and activities on which a special interest Bible study group could be based is so varied, it’s almost impossible to set down a list of specific rules and guidelines that teachers might use as they lead these activities.  Remembering that these groups might also include a wide variety of persons who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and who are of a wide variety of ages, it becomes even more difficult to say exactly how or what a teacher should do as they lead a group activity.  In other words, the leader of the group’s activity will, in many cases, need to be a little creative and develop their own teaching plan for the activities.

​

          But even though specific rules for teaching every special interest group activity might not be possible, there are a number of general guidelines that the teacher should keep in mind:

​

          First, the teacher needs to know their subject.  This knowledge might come from the person’s work experience, education, hobbies or other source.  And, of course, they need to have a genuine interest in sharing this information with others.  But even though the teacher might have a basic knowledge of the activity subject, they may feel that they do not have enough background or knowledge to teach others.  In that case, the teacher might want to “bone up” by checking out additional information on the subject.  Information on just about every possible subject can be found today in books at your local library or from the Internet.

​

          The next most important thing for every teacher to remember is about the importance of preparation and planning.  Earlier I mentioned that the average Sunday school teacher today only spends about 15 minutes in preparing their weekly lesson.  Is that enough time to properly plan any kind of lesion?  I don’t think so!  I believe that every teacher needs to make a real commitment to the job to which they have been called.  Teaching needs to be a priority not an afterthought.  If your specialinterest Bible study is to be a success, all of the teachers need to be prepared well.

​

          Other general guidelines that every teacher should keep in mind might include.

​

• Keep it fun.

• Keep it interesting.

• As much as possible, involve the students in the activity.

• Keep your teaching “age appropriate.”

• Encourage students to ask questions.

• Don’t lecture, guide.

• Encourage discussion and thought.

• As much as possible, use a variety of activities and teaching methods in each presentation.

• Combine your instruction, information and education with hands-on student activities.

• Encourage “discovery learning.”

• Give the students “work sheets” that contain basic information and ideas from each lesson.

• Encourage students to continue working or reading outside of the class, but don’t expect students (especially children and youth) to do a lot of “homework.”

• Share what you know; don’t be afraid to use personal experiences.

• Remember your time limit and plan appropriately.

​

​

    One other important thing to keep in mind is the attention span of your students.  As a general rule, if you take the age of the student in years and then cross out the word “years” and substitute the word “minutes,” you will have the approximate attention span for children and youth.  A five-year-old, about five minutes.  A ten-year-old, about ten minutes.  Unfortunately, the theory doesn’t work very well for adults.  If you expect to get a full hour of attention from a group of 60-year-olds, you will probably be disappointed unless you have a really great and interesting presentation.

​

    Why do we need to think about our students’ attention spans?  It means that rather than boring students by using one single activity or method for the entire lesson period, you will be much more successful by using several shorter activities that employ a variety of teaching methods and activities that each relate to the general area of interest.  And even though this is a strategy that is most often used in teaching children and youth, it’s also an important thing to keep in mind if you are teaching adults.

​

Selecting The Bible Study Topics For Your Group…

​

    Throughout this book we have noted that the “special interest activity” is the “hook” to get people interested and to get them involved, but the Bible study is the real reason for your group.  Most participants in your group will first come because of their interest in the activity, but they need to be aware that there will also be a time of Bible study.  As I have said before, you don’t want to “hide” the Bible study or try to “sneak it in” on unsuspecting victims, rather you should try to make it interesting, relevant and attractive for each of the participants.

​

    To have a Bible study that is “interesting, relevant and attractive” will require some work and planning on the part of those who plan the group and by the teacher.  Probably the most important part of this planning will be to select topics for the Bible study…a topic that will be “interesting, relevant and attractive” to the prospective students.  One of the best ways to do this is to try, as much as possible, to relate the studies to the general interests of the group as defined by the activity that has brought everyone together.

​

    For example, young couples would probably be very interested in what the Bible says about families and raising children.  Members of a group that gather to discuss movies, books or music would probably be interested in what the Bible says about the messages that are conveyed through modern media.  And an arts and crafts group might explore the scriptures to find out what the Bible says about using one’s talents and abilities for the Lord.

​

    Once you have decided on the topic or theme for your group’s Bible study, the next step is either to find a prepared study about your selected topic or for you to write your own Bible studies.  If you are going to try to find prepared curriculum materials to use, the place to start would probably be your local Christian bookstore.  Most Christian bookstores stock a wide variety of Bible study materials and can order even more.  Talk with someone at the bookstore and tell them what you are looking for.  They should be able to tell you if they have any study materials on the topics that you have selected.  They may also be able to direct you to books and other resources that relate to your theme.  The Internet is another great place to look for Bible study curriculum materials. 

​

    If you absolutely cannot find a prepared curriculum study that fits your needs, you will probably need to consider writing your own study.  This may sound like a rather daunting task to many people, but it probably won’t be as hard or as much work as you think.

​

    If you are planning to write your own Bible study, the place to start would be by identifying as many passages as you can find in the Bible that relate to your study topic.  Use a concordance, topical concordance or a resource book like Nelson Publishing’s “Where To Find It In The Bible” (a book that lists over 3,700 contemporary topics and scriptures that relate to each) to identify verses and passages that relate to your topic; passages that could be used as the basis for your Bible study.

​

    You probably will want to have at least one passage or several Bible verses as the basis for each week’s study.  A good way to start might be to select either four or six different passages or verses that could be used for the first four or six meetings of your group.  After you have selected the verses or passages that you will use, write a short sentence or two on 3” x 5” cards about what you see as the connection between each scripture and the general topic that you are using for your Bible studies.

​

    Next, look at the passages and the information about each that you have written.  Use this information to put the passages into the order in which you will use them for your meetings.  Generally, you would start with a lesson that will either be an introduction or overview of the entire study or your purpose.  Subsequent lessons will probably follow a progression that will lead the students through a study that will take an increasingly deeper look at the topic or at adding additional information through each lesson.

​

What will Be Your “Aim” For Each Lesson?

​

    Once you have decided on the scriptures that you will use, their basic connection to your topic and the order in which you will use the passages, it’s time to begin to actually put your study together.  The place to start any lesson plan or outline is by establishing your aim.

​

    When we talk about the aim for each lesson, what are we talking about?  Well, first, let’s think about what an aim is not.  If you are using a prepared curriculum, your aim is not the title of the lesson.  It is not even the heading title that is listed in your Bible for the passage that you will be studying.  The aim is the specific purpose for the lesson that directly relates to the problems, needs, concerns and interests that you see in the students that you will be teaching.  In other words, it’s the primary thing you want your students to learn from the experience.

​

    Far too many Bible lessons are presented in a sort of “shotgun” manner.  The information is just shot out there in hopes that something will hit someone and maybe be of interest or importance to them.  Rather than just shooting blindly in all different directions, establishing a definite aim for the lesson helps you target the lesson to those specific concerns that you see in your students.

​

    Establishing an aim involves asking the question, “What do I want my students to learn from this lesson?  This will help give your lesson purpose and it will help you select the teaching methods and tools that will be used to present the lesson.

​

    Once you have selected the aim for each lesson and have a clear purpose and objective for the study session, selecting the elements that will be used in the lesson presentation will be a lot easier.

 

Teaching The Bible Study For Your Group…

​

    Whether you are using actual Bible study curriculum materials or writing your own study, it is essential for the teacher to be very well prepared and to have a complete outline for every lesson.

​

    As the teacher begins to put together each weekly lesson outline, it is important for them to remember to start their planning early.  The best time to start planning for next week’s lesson is as soon as this week’s lesson is done.  Early in the week the teacher needs to read the scriptures and skim through the curriculum.  As the teacher starts to think about this material, they need to establish their aim for the lesson.  As the week goes along, they need to build on the lesson aim by selecting the teaching methods, tools and other elements that they will include in the lesson presentation and use it to write an outline for the lesson.

​

    Whether the teacher is using a prepared curriculum or writing their own lessons, the material to be included in your lesson outline will be basically the same.  As a general rule, each Bible lesson should include three distinctive parts – the opening (how you will get the lesson off to a good, interesting start and get the students involved), the body of the lesson (this is the “meat” of the lesson, where most of the actual Bible learning will take place) and the closing (this should include a summary or review of the lesson, ideas for the application of the lesson and possibly a look ahead to next week).  Here are some things to consider:

​

1. How will you start the lesson? 

 

As you set about planning, remember that you don’t need to be pounding facts and information into the heads of your students during every minute of every lesson.  Yes, you want to have some very serious times of learning, but you also want your students to relax, have a little fun, be active, stay interested and enjoy the total lesson experience.  Sitting for 30 minutes while listening to a steady stream of facts and figures being preached in a boring presentation is not an enjoyable experience, especially for children and youth.  For your students to get the most out of each lesson, they need to enjoy the experience.  And remember, if they learn one important lesson from the class – something that truly produces a change in their thinking or their actions – the teacher has been wildly successful!  Success should not be measured in the volume of facts and information that you can pound into your students but by the quality of what they really learn and put into practice in their lives.

​

    As you begin to create your lesson outline, the first thing you need to plan is the opening for the lesson.  Someone has observed that “as goes the first five minutes of a class period, so will probably go the rest of the lesson.”  That’s true!  If you start dull and boring, that’s probably the way the rest of the lesson will go.  But, if you start in an exciting, interesting way, you have a good shot at maintaining that excitement and interest through the rest of the lesson.

The teacher’s goal should be to “start with a bang;” starting in a way that will catch the attention of the students and get them involved, focused and prepared for the learning to follow.

​

    The opening activity is not necessarily meant to teach any deep spiritual lesson.  These activities may simply be fun.  They could be “mixers” to get the students acquainted or “ice breakers” to get their minds focused and ready for the study to follow.  Games and physical activities are good.  Objects that the students can see and touch can get them interested.  You also might use a word, a map, a story from everyday life, a story from the scriptures, a current event or newspaper article, music, a question, a photo, a video clip, a quote or a drawing to get the lesson off to a good start.

​

2. What basic teaching methods and/or tools will you use? 

 

Next you want to think about the “body of the lesson.”  This is the place where you will use a variety of activities to help the students learn the primary Bible lesson of the day.  Before we think about specific elements that might be used to put together the body of the lesson, there are several things that you need to remember.

​

First, you need to remember that just like your body is made up of many different parts, so the bodies of the best lessons should be made up of a variety of different parts and activities.  You need to remember the attention span of the students that you will be teaching.  Then, by using a variety of appropriate activities, you should plan a presentation that will keep the students’ attention and help them learn the lesson you have in mind for the day.

​

Second, you need to be aware that different students learn in different ways.  As you present your lessons by using a variety of activities, utilizing a variety of learning styles, more students can find things in your lesson tailored to their personal needs and the learning style or styles that they prefer.

As you plan the methods and tools that you will use, it is also important to remember that students learn the most when they are involved in the actual learning process.  This is called “active/discovery learning;” learning by doing.  Researchers tell us that the average person remembers about 10% of what they hear, about 20% of what they see, but up to 90% of what they do.  That’s why it’s so important to involve the students in the actual learning process.

​

Examples of good “active/discovery learning” include:

• Direct experiences.  This might include making crafts and then taking them to a nursing home or involving the students as helpers at a homeless mission.

• Role-play.  This is where people are given parts to play in contrived situations.  There is no prepared dialogue; the participants just “wing it.”

• Demonstrations.  Things like magic tricks and science experiments or “guess the object in the mystery box” are forms of demonstrations.

• Purposeful games.  These might include active games like “Simon says,” word games or other activities to illustrate the lesson aim or as a springboard for making a particular lesson point.

• Purposeful activities.  These are usually group activities.  They might include things like giving the students a number of craft sticks and a roll of masking tape and having them work together to build their own “Tower of Babel” (This is a way to illustrate working together.) or you might have an assortment of ingredients that could be used to make brownies but have no recipe.  Let the students make their own “brownies” by combining what they think would go into them.  Bake a little of the batter and taste.  (This is a good illustration of the importance of planning and seeing God’s plan for our lives.)

• Bible search.  Have concordances and other Bible reference books available for students to use as they search for verses in the Bible that speak about the theme of the day.  You might have them paraphrase the verse and put it into their own language or put it into the form of a bumper sticker slogan.

• Drama.  Let the students rewrite a Bible story or scene and put it into their own words or modern situations.  (Jesus’ parables like “The Prodigal Son” and “The Good Samaritan” work very well for this.)  Then allow the students to act out the story or present it with puppets.

• Interviews.  Have students interview members of the congregation to ask them questions about their faith.  For example, “How important is prayer to you and why?”  You might also use a video camera to record these interviews.

• Video.  Let students use a video camera to crate their own “commercial about the lesson topic.  For example, you might create a commercial for what the Bible says about healthy eating.

• Research projects.  Research projects encourage students to work together to dig deeper and find more information related to the topic or issue being studied.  For example, you might have students go back through old church records and then chart Sunday school and worship attendance.  They could then use this information to help plan ways to build church attendance.

• Personal expression through arts and crafts. You might give students a lump of clay and have them sculpt something that illustrates the lesson theme.  You might also allow the students to express ideas and feelings through other art forms.

• Scavenger hunt.  Send students to search for objects to illustrate the lesson theme.  The hunt might be in the area around the church, only in the church or just in the room where you are meeting.  Rather than having the students bring back the actual scavenger hunt item, you might have them use a digital camera to take a picture of the item or just make a list of what they find.  You can also do a virtual scavenger hunt by looking for objects in the Bible or in mgazines.

• Field trips.  Take students to visit locations in your community related to your Bible study topic or your general activity.  You could also take a “field trip” in your church or with the aid of a video, DVD or the Internet.

• Special guests.  Invite persons from within your church and others to share personal experiences related to your topic of study.

​

Active/discovery learning is focused through debriefing.  Once you have used an active/discovery learning activity, don’t just end it and move on.  Talk with the students about what they have done and how they felt during the activity.  Ask, “What does this mean to you?” and “What will we do about it?” as you use the activity to illustrate your lesson and to focus the students toward putting the lesson to work in their lives.

​

            Active/discovery learning activities will also often create “teachable moments.”  Teachable moments provide some of the best opportunities for discovery learning.  As situations arise within the classroom, don’t just ignore or pass over the situation; take advantage of it and use it to help illustrate a positive lesson.  For example, if a child shares a concern because his grandfather is very sick,  Use this “teachable moment” to talk with the kids and then to pray for the one who is sick.  Teachable moments can help students ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” and then to look at the Bible as you try to find what it says about the question.

​

            One other note to add here: In several of the “active/discovery learning” examples we listed, we talked about students working together as groups.  One of the hottest trends in modern education is “interactive learning.”  Interactive learning involves students in working together on projects.  Classes are usually divided into groups of two to five students, depending on the size of the group, to work on projects and learn from each other as they work together toward the common goal.  Through interactive learning activities, students are focused on cooperation rather than competition.

​

Story Telling…

​

            Story telling is another very effective teaching method.  Long before there was writing, history and traditions were being passed down from generation to generation verbally through stories.  The Bible tells us that the early Jews were great at passing on their traditions and information about God and His relationship with their nation through stories.  In fact, we believe that many of the stories that are recorded in our Bible today were first passed down orally, from person to person, until they were finally written down.

​

            Jesus was the master storyteller.  What we know as the parables of Jesus are among the best and most effective stories ever used to illustrate moral truths, God’s kingdom, faith and the many other things that Jesus was trying to teach.

​

            Today, storytelling continues to be a very effective method of teaching for all ages.  Stories can introduce students to other times and cultures.  They allow them to “walk in someone else’s shoes.”  They lead to greater understanding of cause and effect.  They teach lessons that are contained in the stories and are delivered in a nonthreatening way.  And, yes, stories can be a lot of fun.

​

            Before the teacher decides to tell a story as a part of their lesson, there are some things that they should remember. 

 

First, some storytelling “do’s”…

• Select a story that is on the students’ age and intellectual level.

• Read and study the story carefully.

• Know the characters and plot well.

• Use lots of dialog.

• Assemble props and pictures that will be used to illustrate the story.

• Practice.

• Maintain eye contact.

• Use your voice carefully and effectively.  Vary your tone, mood and loudness to set the mood and add drama to the story.

​

Then some “don’t’s” for story telling…

• Don’t talk down to your students.

• Don’t rely on only Bible stories to get across your point.

• Don’t distract attention from your story with unnecessary actions or by wearing unusual clothing.

• Don’t interrupt yourself with corrections.

• Don’t moralize.  Good stories often do not spell out the meaning at the end.  The meaning discloses itself as the story develops.

​

It is also important to remember that stories don’t have to be told only through the traditional setting of the teacher talking while the students sit quietly and listen.  Storytelling aids such as a short video presentation, a chalkboard, an overhead projector, objects or props, reading as a dialog, and puppets can be effective in helping to focus the student’s attention as you involve even more of their senses in the story and learning experience.

​

“Active/discovery learning” activities and story telling are both very effective teaching methods, but they are far from the only effective teaching methods that are available to today’s teacher.  In fact, the list of methods that can be incorporated into preparing and presenting a lesson are almost endless.  Just about anything that you can do, just about any object, just about anything you can say can be used as a learning experience.  It’s all how the teacher uses these things, these situations and these activities.

​

Additional teaching methods might include:  creative writing, speaking, singing, musical performance, maps, games, debate, poetry, jokes dance, sports, miming, graphs, Bible search, pictures, discussion, simulation games, codes and many more.

​

When selecting teaching methods for your class, remember:

• The method should fit the educational objectives of the lesson.

• The method should fit the abilities and interests of the students.

• The method should involve the whole student, requiring the use of several senses.

• The method should involve all of the students in the group.

​

Teaching Tools To Consider Using…

​

            A tool, by definition, is something used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a job: a means to an end.  It’s something that makes a job easier.  I’ve never met a good teacher who didn’t appreciate all of the help that he or she could get.  Good teachers are always looking for “tools” that will make their teaching better, easier and more effective.  Popular teaching tools available to today’s teacher include:.

• Video projector.  Video projectors are the modern version of the old overhead projector.  These machines can project images directly from a computer onto a screen.  Video projectors are great;  however, with a price tag of between $500 and $5,000, their use may be limited in some churches.

• TVs – Today’s flatscreen televisions are great for use in the church.  Today just about every church has a TV in each of their Christian education rooms.  Teachers can just plug their computer into the TV to illustrate their lesson.

• Flannel board.  This is an older teaching tool that can be just as useful today as ever.  The flannel graph allows the teacher to manipulate the material visually as desired.  Students can also be allowed to use the same figures to retell the lesson and to assist in a review of the lesson.  Colorful homemade visuals can be produced from construction paper.  Games, contests and memory work are just a few of the presentations that can be placed on the flannel board.

• Objects.  To touch, to feel, to guess or to collect, are all part of working with this tool.  Perhaps you can introduce an object from a “mystery box” and add suspense to any lesson.  Bringing in objects from nature, or familiar items found around the house and the community, can be used to reinforce a lesson.  Simple magic tricks, scissor cuttings and models are other forms of object lessons.

• Sound recordings.  With the availability of computers and CD players, new audio dimensions have been added to the classroom.  When once phonograph records were dominant, today the entire field of music and audio information is readily available at the push of a button.  Recording equipment can also be used by teachers to record their own lesson for self-evaluation.  Many songs and “sound bytes” can also be downloaded from the Internet.

• Puppets.  Puppets in the classroom serve a variety of purposes other than just entertainment.  As an assistant to the teacher, puppets can be used to introduce a new song, announce a visitor or recite a memory verse.  Teachers can allow the puppets to be the “referee” for games and quizzes, to sing special music or deliver an object for an object lesson.  Students can be encouraged to use the puppets to act out a story or to retell a lesson as a part of review.  Often older teens and parents will come to the classroom to serve as puppeteers, if needed.

• Drawings, sketches, charts and maps.  Today, almost anyone can be a clever artist with the variety of books on the market that even show how to take letters of the alphabet and change them into characters.  Using a blackboard, whiteboard, a piece of poster board or an overhead projector, the teacher can draw an outline or a sketch that will help explain a lesson point.

• Video.  The variety of topics available on video and DVD is almost endless.  Videos are available for sale and for rent from film libraries, public libraries, Christian bookstores and denominational offices at little or no cost.  This format provides an exciting, dramatic presentation of a story that can be skillfully followed up with discussion and/or review.  Even short segments of secular movies and TV shows can be used as discussion starters with youth and adult classes.  And remember, video is about more than just your TV-VCR or DVD player.  Think of ways that you can use the video and photography capabilities of your student’s smartphones, video cameras and digital cameras as teaching tools, too.

• Computers.  Computers can be especially effective with children and youth, who regularly use them in school and at home.  Many very good teaching programs are now available for use on computers.  These include Bible games, simulation games, Bible lessons, virtual tours, educational software and more.  It is also possible to get the Bible, books and other resources for your computer.  And don’t forget to check out the Internet for ideas, resources and much more.

​

One additional reminder about teaching methods and teaching tools.  As you think about selecting the methods and tools that you will use in presenting your lesson, always remember that the tool and the method should be selected because they will fit into your lesson plan and make your presentation better, easier, more interesting or more relevant.  You should never put a teaching method into your lesson plan simply because it sounds like a good idea or it might be fun.  Teaching methods must be relevant to the lesson’s theme and help you reach your overall aim.  The same goes for teaching tools.  Don’t use a video projector just because you have one.  Use it or any other tool because it fits into your plan and will make your job of presenting the lesson easier and more effective.

​

3. What questions will you ask? 

 

No matter what methods or tools you are planning to use, there will undoubtedly be many opportunities during the lesson for you to stimulate additional thought and discussion by asking questions.  Many good teachers seem to be able to think of questions as they go along through their lesson, but for most of us, it’s a good idea to write down the questions that we will use during the lesson.

​

Basically, there are three types of questions:

• Information questions.  These are questions that ask for a recall of facts.

• Analysis questions.  These are questions that ask the students to make a comparison or application of information.

• Personal response questions.  These are the “what do you think?” or opinion type of questions.  They put the student into the situation and ask them how they would respond or what they think.

​

Information questions are best used for review or as you summarize a lesson.  They are used to make sure that the students have learned the lessons and have gotten the facts that you want them to learn.  But, as you ask information questions, keep in mind that the understanding of the concept or meaning of a lesson or story is much more important than knowing the exact words, facts and figures.  Don’t get hung up on searching for one word that really doesn’t have a lot of meaning relative to the lesson.  I’ve heard it said that “ten good answers are often better than one perfect answer.”

​

      As you use questions throughout your lesson, most of the questions that you use should be designed to make the students think.  Good questions require more than a “yes” or “no” answer.  When students give their initial response to your question, follow it up with a “why” question to get them thinking even deeper.  But remember, when you ask students to think, give them a chance to think.  When you ask a question and no one responds immediately, don’t think that you have to jump right in and talk.  Allowing students to discuss a question in small groups or having students write their answer may be helpful.

​

Another important note about “what-do-you-think” questions.  If you are asking a student for his or her opinion, don’t put them down because their response might not be exactly what you think it should be.  There should be no wrong answers to opinion questions.  For example, if a student gives an answer that is unbiblical, the teacher should try to direct the students to an understanding of what the Bible says or how a Christian should respond.  But again, don’t put down the student.  If you do, you may find that the students will stop giving honest answers or, even worse, stop attending your meetings.

​

As mentioned earlier, most teachers find it helpful to write down some of the important questions that they want to ask as they plan their lesson.  That doesn’t mean that these are the only questions the teacher might ask.  As the lesson progresses, questions will often come to the teacher and often one question will generate other questions.  Encourage your students to ask questions, too.  And remember, if you don’t know the answer, say so!  These hard questions often provide an opportunity to dig even deeper into the issues that are important to the students.  If the teacher doesn’t know the answer to one of the student’s questions, talk with your pastor, check the Bible, check other books, check the Internet and encourage the students to try to find the answer, too.

​

4. How will you close the lesson? 

 

I’ve talked about ways of opening your lesson and the importance of “starting with a bang.”  I’ve also talked about the body of the lesson and some of the different methods and tools that can be used in its presentation.  But now I want to turn to another important part of your overall plan and presentation – how you close your lesson.

​

What should a teacher do when they realize that they have only about five minutes left in the class period?  For far too many teachers, it becomes “panic time.”  They look at the clock and then at their lesson plan and realize that they have only covered about half or less of the material that they wanted to cover.  So what do they do?  They panic, put it into high gear and try to cram as much of the remaining material as possible into those last few minutes.

​

Is this what the teacher should do?  Certainly not!  First of all, they shouldn’t worry about what they didn’t cover.  If they were able to help the students learn something from what was covered – something that they can really use, something that can affect their lives or their actions – then the teacher has been wildly successful.  Perhaps they had an opportunity to use a “teachable moment” and maybe didn’t even get to their lesson outline.  Again, if the students were interested, if they got excited, if the lesson touches their lives and helped meet their needs, the teacher has done a great job.  They shouldn’t worry about what they didn’t get to.  If the material was really important, pick up the lesson at that point next time.  If not, move on.

​

      So, when there’s only about five minutes left in your class session, stop!  The first thing to do is summarize what has been covered in the lesson.  The teacher might list important facts or notes related to the lesson aim on a blackboard.  Ask questions to make sure that the students have grasped what the teacher wanted them to learn.  Ask students to paraphrase the important messages of the lesson and to put those messages into their own words.  Make sure that they know what the teacher was trying to get across to them in a way that they can verbalize and a way that is relevant to their lives and their needs.

​

      The next thing that the teacher should do is talk to your students about applying the lesson to their lives.  What would you think of a man who went to college and then medical school for eight years or more, but when he graduated, never did anything with his knowledge?  He never established a practice or saw a single patient.  We’d think that it was a big waste, wouldn’t we?  Well, that’s what many Christians do.  They read their Bible.  They attend church, Sunday school and other Bible study groups.  They can quote all kinds of scripture and are just loaded with knowledge in their head, but that’s as far as it ever gets.  They never do anything with it.  They never put it to use in their lives.  What a waste!

​

      One of the most important parts of every Bible lesson – no matter what the age of the students – is the application.  As the teacher summarizes the material covered in the day’s lesson, they should ask this question: “What are we going to do with this information and this lesson that we have learned?  As much as possible, involve the students in helping to answer this question and get their ideas on things that they could do with the lesson to put it into action in their day-to-day lives.  Teachers should also be prepared to give specific ideas to the students about things that they can do.

      For example, if the lesson was about prayer, give the students a card that has prayer reminders listed for each day of the upcoming week.  Or if the lesson was about loving others, talk about specific responses that they should make if someone says something mean or hurtful to them.

​

      As you come to the end of your Bible study time, it is also important to take a brief look ahead to what you will be doing next week.  True, you probably won’t be able to get many of your students – especially children and youth – to do much “homework” for your group.  But it’s still important to give them an idea about what you will be doing next time.  You might give them a card that lists the scripture to be studied next week and urge them to read the passage before they come to the next meeting.  You might list several questions on the same card for the students to think about.

​

      And then, as you come to the end of your meeting, close with prayer.  Whatever your focused activity and your Bible study topics, prayer should be an important part of every lesson for every student.  I hope that you and the teachers of your special interest study group believe that there is indeed power in prayer.  I hope that you pray regularly.  And I hope that you will pray for each of your students regularly and encourage the students to pray for each other.  Prayer is so powerful, yet many people – even many Christians – often fail to tap into the power that is available.  That’s why it is so important that all persons of all ages be taught about prayer, encouraged to establish their own active prayer lives and seek every opportunity to go to God in prayer.

​

Prayer helps us strengthen our relationship with God.  Prayer helps us seek God and the direction that he has for our lives.  Prayer helps give us strength to stand up to temptation.  Through prayer God wants us to tell Him our desires, our fears, our hopes, and He wants us to “sing songs of joy” to Him when we are happy.  Prayer before meals and at bedtime is good, but He wants to hear from us more often than that.  He wants to be involved in all areas of our lives, to comfort us when we are sad, to strengthen us when we are scared and to laugh with us when we are happy.  And, as we pray, we also need to learn to listen.  Through prayer, God speaks to us, to help us know His will and the things that he wants us to do.

​

      As you close your meeting, close with prayer.  Ask God’s blessing on all of your activities.  Pray for God’s guidance, direction and protection for each of your members.  Pray that God will help each person be a witness for Him and for the special needs that you and the students in the class may have made known or have in their hearts.  You might ask members to pray sentence prayers.  You might ask a different student to have the closing prayer each week.  With children, you might use “finish the sentence prayers,” where the kids complete the sentences that you begin (for example “Lord, thank you for _____________,” or “Lord, please help ______________________,”)

 

One other very important thing to keep in mind.  For many people, membership in your special interest Bible study group may be their only contact with a Christian group or the church.  It may also be the only opportunity that you or anyone within your church has to tell these persons about Jesus Christ, his great love for them and the Way of Salvation that is available through him.  Therefore, you should, from time to time, look for opportunities to present a message of salvation to your students and to challenge them to accept Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior.

 

Ask God to show you opportunities to witness to your students about your faith and your own personal experiences as you came to know Jesus Christ and how you sought his forgiveness.  Also, ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you present these important messages to the entire class and to individual students.  And please note, when we talk about witnessing and presenting a message of salvation to students, we are not just talking about children and youth.  Remember, there may be adults – of all ages – in your group who don’t know Jesus Christ as Savior.  Helping each class member to make a greater spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ – no matter what their age – should always be one of the primary goals of any Bible study experience.