It might be intimidating to think about teaching the Bible, knowing how important it is to do it correctly and in a way that communicates the need for change in our lives, but with the right message, focus and purpose you will find this process much easier.
Here are three simple questions you can use to guide your preparation:

3 Guiding Questions:
• Who is the audience?
• What do they need to know about the passage?
• How can they live by the biblical principle of the passage?

The best approach to teaching from the Bible is to communicate your ideas in a focused way think of your role as a teacher like that of a surgeon a surgeon has very specific knowledge and operates on one area of the body to fix a problem this is unlike a general physician who might examine the whole body for overall health. The surgeon has a narrow and focused approach. in the same way the teacher must narrow the scope through their own study to a specific biblical principle and its relevant application to the audience's needs. We will call this a focus statement summarizing the Bible passage in the one concise thought. Even with the very best teacher students cannot remember all the possible points you could teach from the Bible passage. The teacher must do the hard work of focusing the students’ attention on the two most important things: what you want them to know from Scripture and what you want them to do about it. You must understand these two things clearly then craft a one-sentence focus statement that describes your purpose.
This is also important if you are writing a Bible study that will be taught by other leaders you may have an idea in your mind of what needs to be communicated but another teacher might not understand it the same way. Your focus statement will show them how and what to teach. Let’s look at how to develop your focus statement. Each letter of the word FOCUS helps you remember the process.
Start with the two questions you have already asked and answered. You have Figured Out what your students need to know from the Bible passage and you have identified a Course of action what you want them to do about this knowledge.
The U in focus stands for Unbelievable benefits. You will want to communicate to your students how life will be different and better when they live in light of God's truth.
The fourth and final step is to Simplify all of these into one sentence.

You now have your focus statement. This tells you what direction to go with your teaching.
Well the next thing to consider is the purpose of the Bible study. This will be determined by one of three motivations: to persuade, instruct, or empower.
• persuasion focuses on doing something in light of new knowledge
• instructing highlights knowing the benefits of something and
• empowering is the act of doing something because of the benefits
Let’s explore how each of these would play out if we were teaching from John chapter 3 verses 16 and 17
“for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him.”
If the purpose of the Bible study is to persuade you we'll combine a truth in the passage with a desired action step.
Looking at the verses in John your focus statement could be because God loves you believed Jesus came to save you from the consequences of your sinful choices. Notice how this emphasizes knowing something then doing. Evangelistic messages often take this form with the purpose to persuade people to come to a saving faith in Jesus.
But your focus statements will look different if you determine that the purpose of the Bible study is to instruct youth in an area of spiritual life. To instruct, you teach a truth and the benefits of that truth.
Using John chapter 3 again the focus statement could be “eternal life is available to all of us because God loved all the world.” This statement highlights both what students should learn about God and the benefits of that knowledge.
Alternatively, if the purpose of the Bible study is to empower, your lesson will associate obeying the truth with receiving desired benefits.
if teaching John 3:16 and 17 from that perspective your focus statement could be eternal life is received through believing in Jesus. There is a clear call-to-action in this approach that empowers students to act in response to a desired result.

The Bible passage was the same in each of these examples but it was taught in three very different ways. Your knowledge of the audience man their spiritual needs will determine which purpose will be most effective.
Let’s practice identifying a focus statement for Jesus teaching in Matthew chapter 4 verse 17.
“From that time on Jesus began to preach repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Based on what we've just learned which purpose would you say Jesus has and saying this? Is he trying to persuade, instruct, or empower?
Pause the video to think this over then come back when you have an answer.
What did you decide? It is pretty clear that Jesus purpose as described in this verse is to persuade. Look at the passage again. It is a call to repent which is something we do based on knowing the truth that the kingdom of heaven is near.
Let’s practice with one more passage
“Come follow me Jesus said and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Which purpose does Jesus have in this verse? Pause the video while you read the passage and decide on your answer.
We can actually see two possible purposes in the statement. It can either be instructing or empowering. When he says to “come follow me” this is both a truth that Jesus is the one we should follow and an action for us to obey. This is connected to the benefit of preaching the gospel to people. In doing so we partner with Jesus in his work.
Some verses are like this and that they can have multiple purposes to choose from. As a teacher you can decide which is the best one to share with your students.

You now have a good understanding of how to develop the focus and purpose of your message. Following these steps will help you be successful in teaching from the Bible. But remember too that it is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction and transformation. We do our best but the results are not up to us and that should be encouraging. We can rely on the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of our students to make up for any lack in our teaching.

Modifié le: mardi 8 octobre 2024, 07:38