This series began when I was thinking about Sunday School lessons that are interesting and those that help me make spiritual progress as a disciple. I asked a couple of questions: Can a lesson be interesting but not help me grow as a disciple? Can a lesson help me make spiritual progress but not be interesting?
I believe they can be neither or either. But what can we do to ensure lessons are BOTH interesting and disciple-making? In this four-part series, I have been sharing a dozen ways Sunday School teachers can make lessons interesting AND disciple-making. In Part 1, I shared the first three: be confident, believable, and passionate. In Part 2, I shared three more: be knowledgeable, compassionate, and a clear communicator. In Part 3, I shared three more: be a role model, creative, and flexible. In Part 4, I will share the final three:
- BE FACILITATIVE. Prepare well. Encounter God prior to the session and then seek to lead your class to do the same. Facilitate that encounter. That means get them involved. Don’t just lecture. Don’t just tell them what happened in your encounter and what you learned through lesson preparation. Keep the Bible study session heading toward conclusion, toward application and obedience. But be flexible. Reign in rabbit chases. Bring out their experiences and learning. Be facilitative.
- BE A LIFE-LONG LEARNER. When you stop learning, you stop growing and stop teaching. Spend time daily with God in prayer and Bible study. Study your lessons. Read articles and books about the Bible, Bible times, as well as the age group you teach. Get to know your people and their affinities. Learn from them. A little invested in learning every day can pay big dividends. Be a life-long learner.
- BE A STEP-PLANNER. Think vision and goals. Think people and discipleship. But also think about how to make progress. Think about steps. Don’t be afraid to make assignments. Ask for people to help you. Take people with you. Plan together. Dream together. Set deadlines and make assignments together. In every lesson, lead toward application. Ask them what they need to do and how they need to do it. Hold them accountable to take the next step. Be a step planner.
All three of these ways can make your lessons more interesting and help in making disciples. How do your lessons measure up? Do your attenders see you as facilitative, a life-long learner, and a step-planner? On which of these do you need to focus? What can you do to take steps in that direction? Review the previous three parts of this series: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Care enough to invest time to encounter God. Be a facilitator who is a life-long learner and a step-planner. Be revolutionary!
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