Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
Erik Raymond wants Christlike, Bible reflexes. Do you?
Jesus directs them to the authority on the matter. Amid the swirling debate about divorce in the community around them, Jesus cuts through the fog and points to the Word of God. Jesus pointed people to the Bible, not because the cultural voices did not exist but because they were inferior. Jesus understands the authority of the Scriptures to settle matters of debate. He doesn’t salute the wisdom of the age; he dusts off the wisdom of God.
FDV (2008), Creative Commons License
How does a visitor to your church know what you value? The sermon and other elements of the worship service are a huge clue. He’ll notice the friendliness (or coldness) of the congregation as well. But outside of the worship and the people, your church’s resource table may be the most important pointer he’ll get.
In some churches, the resource table is a footnote. It’s another flat surface that collects dust, styrofoam cups, and out-of-date signup sheets. But we miss an enormous opportunity to guide our congregation and inform visitors if we ignore it.
The resource table is a place where your church takes a stand. With these recommendations and pointers, you say: We think these materials will help you love and glorify God.
You might think your church doesn’t need a table at all. After all, you have a website. You have a presence on Facebook and Twitter. Isn’t a resource table terribly old-fashioned?
Of course it is, and that’s why you need it. The older saints at your church aren’t scrolling through your tweets. Further, your recommendation has more compulsive power when you can walk someone to a specific place and put material in their hands.
And don’t forget the visitor. The man who arrives at your building by invitation or providence will want to learn about your church. What do you value? Where do you stand? What is it like to be part of this body?
The church resource table is an opportunity to display and develop your church’s culture. Stock it with resources to help your people reach others and grow themselves.
Stock your table with aids for the worship service. This includes pens, paper, sermon outlines, and children’s sermon resources. Consider a display about your current sermon series, including dates and texts, so people can read and study the passage ahead of time. Consider producing a few sermon CDs and pointing people to your online sermon home.
Even if you have Bibles in your pews, arrange a stack on the resource table. Make space in your budget for a need-one-take-one policy. Everyone should have a Bible.
Make it as easy as possible for people to join a Bible study in your church. Produce clear, attractive signs or flyers, and highlight the contact person for each opportunity. Small group Bible studies can be the heartbeat of a church, so we should do our best to help people get connected.
Visitors will want to know the theological waters they are entering, so the resource table is a good place for any confessional or doctrinal pamphlets. If possible, supply something short that can be taken by anyone.
Finally, consider books, magazines, and articles that would be especially helpful to younger Christians. Beware of cluttering the table, but if there’s room, gather the best material you can find and make it available to take or borrow. One of the most important skills to teach new Christians is how to study the Bible, so an excellent book on this topic or a free booklet containing the same principles would find a welcome home on the table.
Without solid preaching, good leadership, and vibrant small groups, a church resource table carries as much weight as a wet tissue. But as an aid to these essentials, good resources can help highlight, reinforce, and broadcast the culture you want to take root in your church.
anonymous, public domain
What role does the Bible play in weekly, corporate worship? What role should it play?
When discussing worship, it’s easy to get stuck in controversy. Some of those conversations may be worthy, but today I offer a simple proposal: We should feature the Bible during our corporate worship services.
By “feature” the Bible, I mean use it everywhere possible. I suggest this for two reasons.
First, worship elements recorded in the Bible use the Scriptures. From reading and explaining the law (Neh 8:1–8) to sermons (Acts 2:14–36, Acts 3:11–26, Acts 7:2–53, etc.) to testimony (Acts 26:4–29) to sacrament (1 Cor 11:23–26) to singing (Eph 5:18, Col 3:16), we see God’s word all over the place.
Second, consider the alternative. If the Bible is not the dominant voice during worship, we default to the voices of men. Even casual readers of the Bible should hesitate to prefer man’s words to God’s. The Scriptures are a corrective, a true north. Though we fill our minds with nonsense and lies, the Bible teaches and reminds us what is true. In particular, the Scriptures tell us what God is like and why we should worship him.
This post falls in a series on Bible-study culture within the church. We help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible when the gatherings and relationships of our churches are chock-full of Bible study.
As a church features the Bible in corporate worship, the congregation becomes familiar with it. They hear it, say it, and sing it. The Bible becomes more accessible. People taste the truth and hunger for more. The same Scriptures that abound on Sunday morning then spill over into personal and small group Bible study.
There are at least five occasions within the worship service where the Bible can take center stage.
Your pastor probably reads a passage from the Bible before preaching his sermon. But we should read and hear the Bible frequently as we worship.
Because we forget so often, we need to be reminded who God is, what he requires, and what he has done for his people through Jesus Christ. The words of Scripture teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness. They equip us for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16–17)
God’s people need to say and hear God’s word. Worship leaders should include solo readings, unison readings, and responsive readings throughout the service.
The Bible should be the starting point for every sermon ever preached. We ignore the Bible and rely on the wisdom, storytelling, or cleverness of man to our own peril.
I’ve written previously on preaching and listening to sermons. Check out these three posts for a deeper dive.
Let the Bible fuel corporate prayer. This doesn’t have to be perfunctory or predictable, but it does require preparation.
When I lead prayer, I use the familar ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) structure, and I choose portions of the Bible appropriate for each section. I do not read these Bible verses to the congregation, but I pray them to God. Each unit of prayer has this form: “God, you said this, so we praise you/confess/thank you/ask you for this in response.” (For a guide to praying this way in personal devotions, I recommend The Heart of God, by Kenneth Boa.)
Our singing during corporate worship should be based on the Bible.
If what we sing should be true, we must rely on the Bible. The lyrics of our songs should be taken from or inspired by Scripture. The pastors or elders of the church should oversee all musical choices so the congregation is singing what is true and good and beautiful, and not just the latest Jesus-is-my-boyfriend number from the radio.
The Protestant church has traditionally recognized two sacraments: baptism and the Lord’s supper. These are signs and seals of the covenant that God makes and keeps with his people.
However frequently these sacraments are celebrated, the Bible should be present. The sacraments are not dusty liturgical elements to be endured; they are ways God engages our senses to remind us what is true. As we see and feel and taste the sacraments, we should hear the words from the Bible reminding us of their meaning.
It might seem that I’m recommending a worship service full of Scripture. That you might not hear or sing or say much of anything besides the Bible. That you’ll get so full of the Bible it will be oozing from your pores when you leave the building.
Now you’ve got it.
This article on the 9 Marks website was very helpful in preparing this post.
Disclaimer: The link to Amazon in this post is an affiliate link, meaning that we will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make on Amazon if you make that purchase after clicking through this link.
How many people in your church regularly study the Bible on their own? Beyond devotional or five-minutes-a-day readings, how many dig deep into God’s word?
Regular attenders of a good church hear lots of Bible teaching through the sermon and Sunday school classes. They might see Bible study up close in a small group. But far too many Christians opt for easier practices in their own devotions.
Personal relationships are a powerful part of a church community. Underneath programs and structures, most of a church’s ideals and habits are communicated through friendships. This includes personal Bible study.
Cheryl Holt (2014), public domain
Two things must be in place before you can encourage someone at your church to study the Bible.
First, you need a real friendship. The closer your relationship, the more powerful your voice in their life. Good friends trust that your suggestions have their best interests in mind.
You also need shared values. Your encouragement to study the Bible will only be effective if your friend shares this goal. (Here’s an article explaining why we study the Bible.)
On one level, both of these requirements take care and effort on your part. But true Christian friendship and a love for God’s word also require spiritual intervention. Our first order of business, therefore, is prayer.
If your friend is a new Christian or is unfamiliar with the Bible, they’ll need guidance as they begin. Give them resources that explain an easy-to-follow Bible study process. At this blog we advocate the Observation-Interpretation-Application (OIA) method, and the best place to start reading is here. (Peter’s book would also make a great gift for a beginner.)
Once your friend knows the main components of Bible study, help him dive in. If you attend or lead a small group, take him along. If that would be uncomfortable, offer to study the Bible one-on-one. Suggest some preparatory work, and talk through the passage together when you meet. (Our OIA worksheets might be helpful at the start.)
Your goal with a new Bible student is to strap on the training wheels and help him pedal down the driveway. Give him an example and some practice. Help him understand the main point of a passage. Show him how to see Jesus in any passage and remember him in application.
While some of us have new Christians to train, all of us can think of more veteran Christians who could use Bible study stimulation. (We can all use help in this area!) These folks know how to study the Bible but no longer do so regularly.
Some friends might benefit from a weekly get-together to study through a short book or passage. But, since you’re aiming to strengthen individual Bible study, most encouragement you’ll give will take place in informal conversations, not scheduled meetings.
As a matter of habit, talk about Bible study with your friend. This might seem unusual at first, but it doesn’t have to be awkward. Simply ask what they’re studying and learning, and be willing to share yourself. Thank God for what he teaches you, and speak honestly when you’ve neglected the Bible.
If your friend admits a distance from the Bible and your prayers and questions don’t help, you’ll need to take a more direct approach. In love, emphasize the importance of God’s word. Ask direct questions about his habits and patterns of behavior, but don’t stop with his actions—point toward his heart.
Despite the protests, we won’t change into diligent students of the Scriptures if we just get up earlier, turn off the TV, or try harder. Our behavior follows our hearts (Matt 15:18-20), so if we genuinely want to worship and interact with God, nothing will stand in our way. Your friend needs to recognize and repent of the desires that overshadow and quench his love for God. Help your friend identify and kill these idols.
Don’t forget the gospel in these conversations! Over and over, remind yourself and your friend that your success or failure with regular Bible study does not determine God’s love for you. For Christians, God’s love is secure, full, and free because of Jesus.
We all need reminders and support to study the Bible. Even regenerate hearts follow the gaze and desires of the old man at times. We need others to tell us the truth, pray for us, and point us in the right direction.
Take a minute to think about your friends, and pray for them. Pray for strong relationships, ample opportunities, and rich conversations. Pray that God would use you to point them to his word.
Last week, the blog for Logos Bible Software published a piece I wrote entitled “How to Empower Your Church for Serious Bible Study.” In the article, I explain 4 simple habits churches and ministries can pursue to foster a culture of strong Bible study among the membership.
A reader of my blog recently emailed to say, “I was never intentionally taught how to lead a Bible study, and, when the time came for me to teach others how to do it, I had no idea even where to begin.” Do you know this guy? Does your church have such people, eager but directionless? They might never go to seminary, but I assure you they can become terrific Bible students and teachers.
I present Exhibit A: my friend, who is a theoretical physicist. He wrote a dissertation about non-standard neutrino interactions and their oscillation degeneracy. You might expect such an intellectual giant to struggle communicating with mere humans. And you might not expect such an academic to thrive in relational ministry. But one night I witnessed him leading a knockout Bible study for ordinary folks. He never held church office, and his Bible training came only from his experience as a church member. Yet he got so much right:
- He knew the text cold and could state its main point in a single sentence.
- He asked thoughtful questions that kept us transfixed on the text.
- He responded to the flow of the discussion without getting sidetracked.
- He showed us the beauty of Christ.
- He applied the text with both broad principles and specific life examples.
I’ve served in campus ministry for 17 years, and I’ve been a local church elder for more than half that time. I could recount many similar stories about regular church members—engineers, financial planners, school teachers, military officers and enlisted, factory workers, teenagers, medical professionals, accountants, artists, widows, retirees—who’ve learned to study, apply, and teach God’s word. My church and campus ministries have managed to empower people for serious Bible study.
How did we do it? By applying these four principles.
To learn the four habits, see the full post at Logos. If you’d like to hear more about the knockout Bible study led by the theoretical physicist, see my post on how to lead a great Bible study. To learn more about fostering a vibrant culture of Bible study in your church, see my post with a model for teaching Bible study or Ryan’s excellent series on building this culture.
Building a Bible study culture in your church is a huge job, only possible by the grace of God. Because such a culture is reflected in every area of church life, this hard work requires creativity and a long-term view. But the effort is worth it.
anonymous (2012), public domain
While a Bible study culture begins with church leaders, it is caught and carried forward from the pews. Godly leaders point down the road and give their people provisions for the journey.
Leaders must grasp the opportunity small groups present. As Christians meet to discuss and study the Bible, these groups become a powerful culture-making tool.
So, how exactly do small groups build a Bible study culture?
As a church creates, supports, and advertises small groups, it highlights their importance and advances their purpose. Church leaders promote small groups so their people will grow in Christ. The more people who engage in Bible study, prayer, encouragement, and fellowship, the better.
By building this ministry on a foundation of Bible study, your church repeats its reliance on the Bible. We want to know God through the study of his word.
This strengthens the Bible study culture in your church by establishing a common aim. If everyone knows the destination and the essential tools to get there, the swell of the crowd will attract attention, questions, and others drawn by the vision.
Christians grow as they study the Bible. Perhaps this is obvious, but it bears repeating.
We need to know God, what he is like, what he has done for us in Jesus, and what he calls us to as his ambassadors. As we understand and apply the Bible, we renew our minds with truth and repent of our idolatry. We believe the truth and trust in God to greater degrees, and his Spirit produces increasing fruit in our lives.
We are animated examples, living proof both of the goodness of God and of his work through his means. As we grow, love abounds in the church, and we trace this overflow back to God, his grace, and the study of his word.
Small group studies offer unique opportunities to sharpen Bible study skills. The flexible and informal nature of these groups make them an ideal training ground.
Though most meetings focus on studying a specific passage, the group can take short detours for direct instruction in Bible study skills. The leader can structure his questions to make explicit the Bible study components of observation, interpretation, and application. (These ingredients form the core of the OIA Bible study method.) Group members have the chance to ask honest questions about the Bible and to interact with the responses. Perhaps the greatest training tool is the ongoing example of friends studying the Bible together and helping each other apply it.
This training builds a Bible study culture in obvious ways. You’re gathering forces. More people are equipped to model Bible study skills and pass them on to others. More people can serve as resources to those getting started.
Small group Bible studies have many benefits. Consider attending or even leading one. As you do so, pray that God would use your group to bless your church in building a Bible study culture.
anonymous, public domain
Leaders set the tone. A greedy, money-grabbing CEO will find his employees less than generous. Those who work for a patient, caring boss are likely to follow suit. Like a river into a lake, the culture of an organization flows downhill from the leadership.
Over the past five months, I’ve written about the importance of a Bible study culture within the local church. Today we examine the fount of that culture: the church leaders.
If a healthy Bible study culture begins with church leadership, we should consider this important question: How can we encourage our leaders in their Bible study?
Above all, we should pray. We must plead for our leaders, that they would love God by reading and studying his word.
It’s easy to take this for granted. Surely my pastor studies the Bible; that’s part of his job! But a pastor’s life can quickly fill with meetings, hospital visits, phone calls, and administrative tasks. A pastor can wake up on Friday and realize he’s been “doing ministry” all week without much of a devotional life. Most pastors feel this tension acutely and know their weakness.
Church members can support their pastors by praying! We need our leaders to prize the Bible and give it serious, studious attention. The battle lines are spiritual, and we can pick up arms by folding our hands in prayer.
Sunday mornings are busy, especially for pastors and elders. But leaders can point to the importance of the Bible by the way they use the Sunday school hour.
Elders are often called to counsel or teach on Sunday morning, and preachers occasionally need before-service time to collect their thoughts. These are important callings.
But, whenever possible, elders should be with their people, learning with and from them. They should participate in the classes, join the discussions, and help people think through and apply God’s word. In this, leaders show they need to learn and that the Bible is as important for them as they say it is for everyone else.
When the elders of the church meet, time is precious. There are events to plan, finances to discuss, requests to consider. Taking 20 minutes to study the Bible might seem like a waste.
It isn’t!! In fact, it might be the best use of your time together.
Studying the Bible brings a purpose and direction that’s hard to match. You see the gospel clearly and you break free from guilt, performance, and a hundred other wrong ideas about relating to God. What could be more important for a leadership meeting than passion for and unity around the most important truths in the world?
An elder might attend Sunday school and participate during elder-meeting studies, but what happens at home? Our priorities are revealed in our personal time, so how can we encourage our church leaders to study the Bible in private?
If we know our leaders well enough to converse with them (and we should), the answer is simple: Ask questions and give encouragement.
Ask your elders how you can pray for them. Mention you’d be glad to pray for their devotional life, since consistency and depth can be difficult, especially for leaders. Pray consistently and follow up after a week or two.
Ask your elders what they’re learning in their personal study time. Ask in humility, eager to learn.
Gracious, Christ-like leaders welcome these questions and ask them of each other. They admit to seasons of spiritual dryness and stretches of inattention to the Bible. They are glad for the support, encouragement, and prayers of others in the church.
A robust Bible study culture in a church begins with the leaders. With grace, love, and courage, let’s persevere in our prayers and encouragement for them.
Over the last ten years or so, we have seen an explosion in books, sermons, and teaching materials focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a glorious, precious development!
Giovanna Orlando (2010), public domain
These publishers, writers, and speakers focus on the central story of the Bible: Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Jesus himself taught that all the Scriptures pointed to him (Luke 24:27).
Instead of extracting broad, moral lessons from the Bible, these authors and speakers connect the passage, book, or character to Jesus. They look for themes within the text which anticipate or flow out of Jesus’s saving work. Further, they show how the gospel is essential to our growth in Christian faith and obedience.
As a result, we have seen the adjectives gospel-centered, gospel-driven, and gospel-powered (and others) used in relation to parenting, work, marriage, productivity, and many other aspects of the Christian life. Like many others, I have been strengthened in my faith and walk with God through books which fall under this umbrella.
I thank God for this abundance of helpful resources. And I am grateful for the writers, publishers, speakers, and organizations that loudly and joyfully proclaim the central importance of the gospel of Jesus.
We should use all of God’s gifts appropriately. Oranges are great for your health, but your body would object if you ate only oranges. In the same way, I have two concerns about using only gospel-centered resources in our churches.
As Christians, our central written resource is the Bible. And most gospel-centered writers love the Bible.
But when a writer is eager to connect his topic to the gospel, he may focus on Bible stories, characters, or themes and not the Bible text itself. His readers will see evidence of Bible study but may not learn to study the Bible themselves.
Making disciples demands both teaching and equipping. If our training materials never pass along Bible study skills, the next generation will be hungry on the dock instead of baiting hooks in the boat (and showing others to do the same).
Books and curricula that show gospel connections without instruction in how to find these connections can create an unhealthy dependence. Younger Christians especially may develop a reliance on materials which, while terrific, are not the word of God.
Don’t miss the forest for the trees! This warning lifts our eyes from the details to the bigger picture. But the details are still important! How can we know the forest if we don’t examine the trees?
When we’re over-eager to connect a passage to the Bible’s large, gospel story, we miss some of God’s purpose in that passage. We need to give each part of the Bible its due. Consider two illustrations.
Do you know the story of the creation and fall, or do you know Genesis 1–3? To explore the difference, ponder this: What was the name of the person who first ate the forbidden fruit? Those who know only the bigger story might say “Eve.” But those with eyes on the text will say “the woman.” Eve wasn’t named until after the fall and the curse (Genesis 3:20). Names are crucial in the Bible, so we gloss over an important detail if we call her Eve (mother of the living) throughout the story.
For another example, consider Genesis 22, when God commands Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Those on the lookout for gospel nuggets might rush to note how Abraham’s faith and willingness to sacrifice his son teaches about God’s willingness to do the same. But a closer reading reveals a different angle. God calls Isaac Abraham’s “one and only son” three times in this chapter. But Isaac wasn’t Abraham’s only son! (Don’t forget Ishmael!) This doesn’t make God a liar, of course, but points to the covenant promise. God promised Abraham blessings specifically through Isaac (Genesis 17:21), and God reaffirms this in Genesis 22:15–18 after Isaac’s life is spared. By grace, Abraham trusted God and knew that if Isaac died God would restore his life (Hebrews 11:17–19). This story is more about promise and resurrection than sacrifice and death.
The process of correlation involves understanding Bible passages as part of a single whole. (Check out our posts on healthy correlation.) When handling God’s word correctly, we should study the passage at hand, draw out the main points, and connect those main points to other passages and themes of the Bible.
Though all the Bible points to Jesus, the connections are not always obvious. When we smooth over the details and nuances of individual passages, we miss much of God’s instruction for us.
Resources that explain and trumpet the gospel of Jesus Christ are a great blessing to the church. Embrace these works, but cling to the Bible above them all. If we want to create a Bible study culture in our churches, we cannot use gospel-centered materials by themselves.
Thanks to Peter for his help planning this post.
Sunday school materials for children—they fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. The sheer number of options is dizzying.
Organizations produce these materials using a lot of thought, time, and talent. The illustrations are professionally designed. The coloring pages and craft ideas are creative and instructive. The projects and activities are memorable and moving.
But the core of a Sunday school curriculum is the content. How should churches choose what their children study?
Anonymous, public domain
Below, I’ll argue for the Bible as the cornerstone of a Sunday school curriculum, but there are many other approaches in use.
Moral lessons/examples — We’ve all seen these lessons that don’t quite ring true. Dare to be a Daniel! What are the five smooth stones you need to defeat the Goliath in your life?
Sunday school lessons as moral examples spring from the belief that a child’s behavior is of primary importance. The main lesson each Sunday is either be good, be nice, or be courageous. They treat the Bible as a baptized version of Aesop’s Fables.
Theology — Theology is inescapable when talking about God, but some curricula focus only on theological lessons. Children hear about angels, tongues, baptism, heaven, or the end times, often using extra-Biblical stories or dramas.
Materials like these are often tied to a provincial, denominational approach to Christianity. Parents and elders want the children to grow up and agree with all their theological points, large or small. They want more members of their church or denomination.
Christian life issues — This approach applies a vague Christian morality to common youth concerns. Some churches try to pick “edgy” titles in the hope of attracting teenagers.
Applying the Bible means that Sunday school lessons should land on all the difficult and interesting parts of life. But without a grounding in the Scriptures, to kids these lessons can sound like finger-wagging warnings from adults.
The Bible gives us morality, theology, and practical instruction for life. But a Sunday school curriculum addressing only these topics is incomplete and imbalanced.
For Christians, the Bible is essential. In it, we learn who God is, what he has done, and what he demands from us. Most importantly, in the Bible we learn the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Church leaders confess the importance of teaching these truths to children. So perhaps it seems obvious to teach children the Bible.
But there is a strong pull, for both children and adults, to move on from the Bible. Whether due to boredom or spiritual dullness, Sunday school lessons are often Bible-adjacent instead of Bible-focused.
Because children need the Bible, they must learn to study the Bible. Any Sunday school program that neglects Bible study skills sends warriors into battle without the sword training they need.
Here’s my big-picture recommendation: Find a Sunday school curriculum that points children to the Bible and trains them to study it. The material you choose should accomplish this in age-sensitive ways.
In early elementary school, children are ready to observe and ask interpretive questions. Sunday school materials can provide structure to develop these skills. Patient teachers can guide the children toward the main point of a passage and help them to apply it.
In late elementary school, children should be able to go through the OIA process themselves. They might benefit from worksheets or Sunday school supplements, but this age group is ready for full-fledged Bible study. The emotions and changes in their lives provide plenty of opportunities for application.
Middle school students might not need a curriculum at all. Churches can invest those Sunday school dollars into Bibles for the children. Tell them to bring a notebook and pen on Sunday morning and show them how to study the Bible.
As you look for material for children’s Sunday school, make sure the kids take long drinks from the Bible. And as they get the Bible, make sure they learn how to study it themselves. Training the children with these skills is a sure way to build a Bible study culture in your church.
Here are two follow-up links: our resource page for teaching Bible study to children, and a review of an Advent family devotional and classroom curriculum.
Ralph Häusler (2013), public domain
As reliably as winter gives way to spring, churches need teachers and helpers for children’s Sunday school.
Not everyone is called to this ministry, but far more are equipped than are enlisted. Why do we have a shortage?
Sunday school is not just a way to occupy the children. For those 45 minutes, teachers talk to students about God, point them toward Jesus, and train them in Christian disciplines. What a high calling! What an opportunity!
We can become fearful when facing a weighty mission like this. Like a pot on the stove, the heat accelerates the anxieties in our hearts, and they bubble to the surface and pop.
Teaching children is difficult work, to be sure. But if we put the difficulty aside, I suspect fear and doubt are at the heart of our reluctance to step into this service.
Some people think they’re not the teacher type. They worry about connecting with children, answering their questions, and handling crises. They’re afraid of causing long-term damage.
But if you love the youth of your church and are willing to serve, you are ready to talk about teaching. You don’t need to be perfect. In general, children are resiliant and eager to forgive. And your mistakes will be more evident to you than to your five-year-olds.
An additional note: The church at large needs more men teaching our children. Boys and girls need to see godly men and women serving and caring for people of all ages.
Many people don’t serve the children because they want to hear Bible teaching themselves. They’re jealous for their own sanctification.
However, your Christian growth will not be stunted by teaching children. In fact, you’ll likely mature more through service than through study.
The crucible of preparation and explanation brings a unique clarity and conviction. And your growth isn’t just intellectual. God refines our character through challenges (James 1:2–4) because we’re forced to rely on him. So as a teacher you’ll have tremendous opportunity to flourish, especially if you don’t think you’re a natural.
The Bible should play a central role in Sunday school instruction. But many people think the Bible is too difficult for kids to understand.
They shrink from teaching because they fear the material won’t be engaging, relevant, or meaningful. They yearn for supplements that do all the work and leave nothing to chance. But when we pull the Bible away from our children, we keep them from the fountain.
Children might not understand every passage right away, but they’re usually ready for the Bible before we hand it over. Because it is God’s word, it is powerful and appropriate for Christians of any size, height, or age.
Some shy away from teaching because they don’t feel qualified. They know they will be teaching the Bible, and they don’t consider themselves intelligent, studious, or insightful. They would rather the duties of studying and teaching the Bible be left to the pastor and elders of the church.
But the Bible is for everyone. You need no degree, certification, or minimum IQ score. The Scriptures are for the children in the classes and the teachers. Everyone can learn to study the Bible.
While churches need pastors, the most vibrant churches foster a Bible study culture where everyone embraces the privilege and responsibility of digging into God’s word.
I don’t write to provoke guilt. Rather, think of the vast opportunity! The children of your church need a teacher, someone who loves God and is committed to His word. Someone who wants to help young people follow Jesus and be changed by the Scriptures. Someone who wants to influence the next generation for the kingdom of God.
Might God be calling you to step forward?
