YOU CANNOT TEACH WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
How Do I Teach These Lessons?
The lessons are meant to be studied. They are designed to help the reader gain a better understanding of the Bible through a deeper study of the Word of God.
What the lessons are not:
The lessons are not “grab and go” material.
You cannot walk into the classroom, pick up this lesson, quickly read it, and teach it five minutes later.
The lessons are meant to be studied. They are designed to help the reader gain a better understanding of the Bible through a deeper study of the Word of God.
The lessons are not scripted.
Some materials tell you exactly what to say, and tell you how your audience will respond. These materials are NOT like that.
The lessons are not meant to be a lecture.
The lessons are designed to be interactive. Ask a lot of questions, and allow your students to ask questions also. Questions and discussions make the listeners think.
This guide is meant to be
a Bible study for the instructor.
Each lesson is designed to show historical context, Biblical context, and what was happening on or around that time. Some lessons refer back to the original Hebrew language in which the Old Testament was written, or the Greek in which the New Testament was originally written. Each lesson has multiple crossreferences to take the reader to other places in scripture that are relevant to the story. The author of this curriculum is not attempting to write doctrine, but to tell a story and highlight other scripture references within the Bible so that the reader can decide. The Bible is meant to be interpreted by the Bible. It is the most complex piece of literature ever written, and contains over 63,000 cross-references.
1. Study the material.
Before the lesson, read the Bible passages first. Then, study the notes and re-read the passage. If the story is found in more than one book or passage, familiarize yourself with accounts in all passages. When you study, always read a few verses before and after to help get the proper context.
Many stories in the gospels are found in more than one book of the Bible. Read and study all the passages. Take notes, combining the information in a way that is helpful to you. Then choose the gospel from which you prefer to teach that particular story. Each lesson may have a different gospel that holds more information or present a more clear narrative, and is up to you as the teacher to choose the passage that speaks to you.
The leader guide contains many cross-references. These are not necessarily intended to be read to the students; it is up to your discretion given the age of your audience. The cross-references are included for personal study of the material, and designed to help the teacher gain a deeper understanding of the material and its relevance to other scriptures, to enable the instructor to give a better explanation to the students
2. Teach ONLY from the Bible.
Read the lesson and know the material, but always teach from the Bible. You do not need to read the Bible passage word-for-word, but paraphrase it for your audience without changing the meaning. Teaching directly from the Bible allows the Holy Spirit to speak directly to the teacher and the students.
3. Help create a mental picture of the scene.
Help your students imagine what it would like if they were there. Talk about what the characters would have heard, seen, or felt. You may elaborate on the story, while at the same time being careful to distinguish between what is speculated, and the definitive details told in the Bible.
4. Ask a lot of questions.
Do not limit yourself to the discussions suggested in the material. Make up your own questions, begin your own discussions. Discuss things in the story relevant to your students.
5. Relate to the characters.
Remember that the Bible is a real story about real people doing real things. Help your listeners to see it as a story with people they can relate to.
Find Jesus in every lesson.
Every lesson ends with “Jesus in the Story.” The lessons in the gospels will point back to prophecies of Jesus; the lessons in the Old Testament will point forward to the prophecies of Jesus. He IS the Word of God, and the central core, focus, theme and meaning of the entire Bible. Tell the story first, and incorporate the Jesus in the Story themes into the lesson, being sure to make Him the ultimate focus of everything you teach.
Hear LAURA TEACH A LESSON ABOUT JESUS
Pray First!
Ask for wisdom and understanding as you begin the lesson. The Holy Spirit can reveal things to you and give you a greater understanding.
For all ages:
This material is for ages 3-99. The lessons can be adapted for any age level
Ages 3-5:
When teaching very young children, tell them the story in a way that they can understand. Show them the picture and ask them what they see. If you have the resources, print the coloring sheet and allow the children to color the picture; talking to them about the things in the picture.
Ages 6-11:
If teaching older children, simply take the story and give them much more information. The prophecies may not be understood by a very young child, but a child of six or older can understand this concept if presented in a way he or she can understand.
Ages 12-17:
When teaching young people, you can bring in some of the cross-referenced scriptures, and discuss how they connect with the story. Students in their teens can look up the referenced scriptures. Ask them how these other scriptures relate to the story and let it prompt discussion and help them understand even deeper concepts.
Discipleship training:
Ages 18 & up:
The material can also be used to teach adults as a complete study guide. Have them look up all of the scriptures. Discuss the story, compare the stories of Jesus in the different gospels. Look up the cross-references and discuss their relevance to the passages.
How to act out a psalm with your students
You are the Teacher!
You know your students. The Bible is relevant to everyone, everywhere, all the time. Help your audience see that the people in the story were people just like them. They had the same needs, and faced similar challenges as everyone of us around the world. As the teacher, come prepared. Be ready to answer questions, and willing to search it out if you do not know the answer. Always teach a little above what you think they can understand; you may be surprised at the comprehension of your audience.
A story you know is a story you can tell.
Is to equip pastors and teachers around the globe by distributing free Bible curriculum and training resources to help children see Jesus in every story of the Bible.