Teaching | Knowable Word

Choose Good Sunday School Materials for Children

April 18, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

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

What’s the Substance?

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.

Teach Children the Bible

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.

Broad Recommendations

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.

Don’t Be Afraid to Teach Children’s Sunday School

April 4, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

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?

A High Calling

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.

Four Fears

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.

1. Doubt about calling

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.

2. Fear of missing out

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.

3. Doubt about the Bible

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.

4. Doubt about your skills

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.

Who Will Go?

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?

Play the Long Game When Teaching Bible Study

March 21, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

“You can’t win a golf tournament on Thursday, but you can lose it.”

Professional golf tournaments stretch over four days (usually Thursday through Sunday), so a strong opening round is essential. But without excellent play through the weekend, a player has no shot at the trophy. He needs a good start, but he needs more.

Stefan Waldvogel (2012), Public Domain

Indirect Instruction

A Sunday school class is a great venue for teaching Bible study skills. But direct instruction like this, while necessary, is only the beginning of lifelong training.

Imagine an aspiring novelist who attends an intense, week-long workshop, complete with all the instruction, feedback, and discussion one could want. A wise writer won’t just lean on this experience; he’ll use this learning, along with inspiration and ideas from ongoing reading, as he works toward a final product.

Over the long term, we all need reminders and examples of good Bible study. So whenever we teach the Bible, we should model and pass along Bible study skills.

How to Model Bible Study Skills

Most churches have numerous openings for Bible teaching: Sunday school classes, Wednesday night studies, even weekend seminars. To build a Bible study culture in our churches, we must take advantage of every opportunity.

When a teacher is intentional, modeling Bible study skills is neither difficult nor time consuming. Here are five suggestions.

1. Practice sound Bible study skills.

The other suggestions on this list are worthless if you’re not studying the Bible using a solid method. Teachers are an example of how to think about, understand, and apply the Bible. By God’s grace, make sure you’re an example worth following. (Start here if you need help learning to study the Bible.)

2. Choose your language.

Develop a “local language” around Bible study at your church so everyone knows what you’re talking about. On this blog we advocate the Observation, Interpretation, Application (OIA) method of Bible study, but the specific words you use aren’t important so long as the meaning is clear.

When teaching the Bible, discuss your observations about the text and use that word. Talk through the different interpretations that came up in your study. And so on. Repeating these words will remind the class about the different phases of Bible study.

3. Structure your teaching around Bible study principles.

If you want discussion in your class, use the structure provided by the different aspects of Bible study. Ask broadly for observations from the text, then start a conversation about repeated words, comparisons, connector words, etc.

On the heels of your observations, ask interpretation questions to move the class along. Having studied the passage yourself, you should be able to explain the main point.

Don’t forget application! Spur on your class by sharing how God has worked in you.

4. Recommend resources.

When modeling Bible study skills, the resources you recommend to your class are a powerful tool for Bible study instruction.

You might prepare a sheet for students to use for notes during class. Construct something simple with Bible study principles in mind. When I taught 1 Corinthians last fall, I emphasized the main point of a passage and subsequent applications. I designed my class handout with this in mind.

Additionally, consider recommending other resources on Bible study to interested students. There are many excellent websites and books on Bible study, including the Knowable Word book by Peter Krol (founder of this website). When people are looking to read and get training on their own, you can give them reliable places to turn.

5. Provide homework.

Some students in your class will be eager for extra work, and some…will not. Be careful to structure your class so no one is excluded.

Make a special effort to connect with the people who are hungry to learn, study, and grow. Your assignments may offer just the extra boost they need.

If you can work a week ahead in your class preparation, distribute a sheet of questions for your students to ponder between meetings. As they think about the relevant Bible text, your handout can guide them through the stages of Bible study.

If you aren’t this far ahead in your planning, encourage the class to study the upcoming passage on their own. Provide them with a few general Bible study guidelines, and urge those who are interested to take some OIA worksheets home with them.

How Leaders Read the Bible

February 3, 2016 By Peter Krol

I’ve written before about how we must learn from the Bible before we’re qualified to teach it. Seminary professor Dan Doriani has similar thoughts. He writes to pastors, but his words apply equally to Bible study leaders, Sunday school teachers, and parents.

I especially appreciate the section where Doriani explains the stages of a ministry leader’s devotional life:

Naive and devotional – new Christian, or new to the Bible, and excited about every word.
Sophisticated and devotional – learning basic principles of Bible study, reading in context, etc.
Technical – becoming an expert in language and interpretive techniques.
Technical and functional – expert interpreter who considers how to communicate these truths to others.
Technical and devotional – expert interpreter who considers applying these truths to himself or herself.

As we spend more time in ministry, we’ll be tempted to separate our study from our own application. We must not do this. We must keep pushing ourselves into that fifth stage.

Doriani’s article is worth reading for anyone who feels the tension between “ministry prep” Bible study time and “personal devotions” Bible study time.

Check it out!

The First Step for Training a Bible Study Apprentice

October 30, 2015 By Peter Krol

The best way to grow a Bible study is to multiply it, which involves training a new leader for the newly birthed group. To train a new leader, you must first choose an apprentice who is faithful and will be able to teach others. But once you’ve chosen your apprentice, what do you do with that person? How do you get started?

Justin Kern (2011), Creative Commons

The following posts in this series will focus on training an apprentice in the skills of leading a Bible study group. Before we get to those skills, however, I must clarify the first step: Teach your apprentice how to study the Bible. When I move on to leadership skills and training, I will assume your apprentice understands the basics of OIA Bible study (observe, interpret, apply) and can do them well in his or her own study of the Scripture.

So how do you teach someone to study the Bible? I’ve written on this at greater length in another post, but I’ll recap my points for you here.

1. Teach OIA

You’ve got to be explicit about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Explain why OIA is the best Bible study method. Give an overview of the process (this can be done in 5 minutes) and walk through the steps over time. Explain how to observe repetition, comparisons, contrasts, names and titles, and connectors. Walk through the process of asking questions, answering them from the text, and synthesizing the answers into a coherent main point. Fight for the main points. Explain the two directions and three spheres for application. Call your apprentice to get specific and focus on Jesus throughout.

The categories and concepts will give apprentices a vocabulary to see what they’ve never seen, understand what they read, and see everything in their lives change. When done well, this won’t feel academic but thrilling.

2. Demonstrate OIA

Talking about the methods and skills isn’t enough. People need to see them in action. That’s why you can’t really teach someone to study the Bible unless you actually study the Bible. Pick a book and go through it together. If your apprentices have been part of your Bible study for a while, they’ll have had time to see you do OIA study. And when you teach the skills (step one above), it will feel like opening a machine to see the inner workings.

3. Practice/Coach OIA

People won’t get it until they have to do it on their own. They might learn all the lingo and be able to tell you the difference between a summary and a main point. But unless they practice the skills regularly, in their own Bibles, and without relying on study guides or commentaries—they’ll end up with a few short circuits in their bionic implants.

Because of this need for practice, I find it crucial to meet with an apprentice outside of the group meeting. I’ll tailor my coaching to the needs and passions of the person. Sometimes we’ll collaborate to prepare the study for the next meeting. Sometimes we’ll review the previous meeting’s study and review how the OIA model guided the discussion. Sometimes we’ll do our own 1-on-1 study of a book other than the one the group is studying. The point is simply to give the apprentice an opportunity to practice OIA independently and come back for frequent feedback and coaching.

Again, for more details on these three steps for teaching OIA, please see the model I proposed here. If we don’t teach the steps for OIA, our Bible teaching will feel like secret dark arts that the uninitiated can’t ever replicate. If we don’t demonstrate OIA through books of the Bible, our teaching will feel academic and won’t take root in people’s regular practice. And if we don’t coach them through their own practice of the skills, they’ll never gain full confidence that they can do it.

And you’ll want your apprentice to be confident in his or her ability to study the Bible. That’s why you’re training, right?

It’s Worth It to Know Your People

January 23, 2015 By Peter Krol

I used to meet with a guy to study the Bible. He was a quick learner and teachable, and he became a good friend. In general, our Bible study was not extraordinary, but quite good nevertheless. I remember, however, the day the Bible study went from being merely quite good to being great.

The girl of this young man’s dreams had just broken up with him. He had the guts to meet with me anyway; in his place, I would have chosen to stay home in bed. Instead of having our regular discussion, I took him out and bought him the tallest mocha he could handle. Then we walked it off along a busy road and spoke of life, love, hurt feelings, and how God’s word spoke to us in those painful moments. Our time in the word paid back many dividends that day and launched us into weeks of richer study than we had yet enjoyed together.

According to the Lord’s perspective, no Bible study will succeed unless the leader loves the participants (1 Cor 12:27-13:13). In this case, I did something anyone would do, which was simply to listen, encourage, and enter this fellow’s life. Most of the time, however, I’m too stingy to pay the cost of loving others. Love feels like an interruption. It requires more forethought or creativity than I’m willing to invest. And it takes me away from other, more “productive” tasks on my to-do list.

Jerm (2008), Creative Commons

One of the best ways to love the people in your group is to get to know them. In a pristine world, we might be motivated to do this simply by knowing it’s what God wants us to do. But God has no problem motivating us to obey with the promise of reward, so neither will I.

When I struggle with the call to invest in relationships with people (Mark 1:17, 1 Thess 2:8, 2:17-3:13), I try to remember why it’s worth it. In particular, why is it worth it to build relationships with people outside of the Bible study meeting?

It makes your application more relevant. When you know what’s going on in people’s lives, you’ll be more equipped to help them make specific application.
It shows them Christ. When people know their leader cares for them personally, it’s easier for them to believe Jesus cares for them.
It sharpens your insight. You’ll know their highs and lows, and you’ll be able to steer the Bible study discussion toward those very things they have on their minds.
It bolsters your credibility. When they know you care about them, they’ll trust you. When you speak hard truths from God’s word, that trust helps the truth sink in more deeply.

Of course, we should love people because God wants us to. And he made the world to work in such a way that everyone benefits from honoring him. When you struggle to believe love is worth the inconvenience, remind yourself of how much more you have to lose than a bit of time or forethought.

One Vital Behavior Determines the Success of Your Teaching Ministry

January 16, 2015 By Peter Krol

Have you attended a Bible study with a leader who had no people skills? Have you been to Bible conferences where the speakers refused to hobnob with the proletariat? Have you taken a Bible class where everything you heard was true and precise, but you wondered if the professor had ever interacted with a live descendant of Adam?

What you do outside your Bible study meeting is just as important as what you did during it. You can reinforce the lessons you taught, or you can undermine them with your own hands. You can guide softened hearts into beneficial spiritual disciplines, or you can subsidize the calluses that deaden people to the very truth you proclaim.

It all depends on whether you live to serve the teaching, or whether the teaching exists to help you serve others. This goes for small groups, youth groups, Sunday school classes, and sermons. It goes for conference talks and classroom lectures. It even goes for 1-on-1 mentorship. Your teaching ministry matters, but it will be counterproductive if you don’t care about the people you teach.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Heb 13:7)

One Vital Behavior

I’ve spent many weeks focused on the mechanics of leading a Bible study. I’m a firm believer in a strong ministry of the word, and I affirm that bad (shoddy, false, ignorant) Bible studies are costly and dishonoring to God. But I also deny that the ministry of the word is limited to the truthful and precise words that pour from a leader’s mouth. The ministry of the word is incomplete apart from the love and mercy that pour from the leader’s heart.

Therefore, to all who want to learn how to lead a Bible study, I commend one vital behavior above all others: Love your people. Get to know them. Learn their names and their histories. Find out what in life encourages them and what discourages them. Ask about their disappointments, dreams, and values. Make sure you understand them before you disagree with them. Find out why they come to the Bible study. Ask them regularly how they think it’s going and how you can improve. Ask them what God is teaching them through it.

You’ll never be able to do all these things during the meeting itself. Love requires investment; a price must be paid. You’ll have to spend time with them (both in groups and 1-on-1). You’ll have to learn what they do for fun so you can learn to have fun doing it with them. You’ll have to express your love in ways they feel loved, which won’t necessarily be the same ways you like to express love. I write “you’ll have to…you’ll have to…you’ll have to…” not because your righteousness depends upon it, but because love has the inscrutable power of compulsion.

The Cost of Failure

Simon Webster (2011), Creative Commons

The success of your Bible study—or of any teaching ministry—depends upon this one vital behavior. Is that a naïvely bombastic claim? I think not.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:1-2)

I’ve performed in orchestras when the gong and cymbals crashed at just the right time. Few earthly experiences are as moving as such powerful musical climaxes.

I’ve also performed in orchestras when the percussionist dropped the cymbals on the floor during the concert. Few earthly experiences are more embarrassing, more useless, or more counterproductive.

It is good for us to earnestly desire teaching gifts and to diligently develop teaching skills. But let us never forget: There is a still more excellent way (1 Cor 12:27-31).

Does Your Bible Teaching Hijack Your Bible Learning?

September 12, 2014 By Peter Krol

Personal study time is costly, especially when there’s a flock to shepherd.

The Scenario

Afghanistan Matters (2009), Creative Commons

You might be a teacher, with lessons to prepare. You might be a mentor, with students who need direction. You might be a parent, with children who need constant nurture. You might simply be a friend, with confused or inquisitive companions who have questions about Christianity.

Whatever the case, your personal Bible study time perpetually drifts toward “teaching prep(aration)” time.

You can’t read a passage without envisioning how you would teach it. Your mind focuses on what might help your students. Your parental concern drives your application. Your study consists of finding answers to your friend’s latest questions.

What’s Good

Part of your struggle is really healthy. You should seek the good of others. Application of Scripture can go in two directions: personal growth and influential leadership. Many people focus on the former and exclude the latter. You have the opposite tendency.

God may have given you – and your teaching ability – as a gift to your church (Eph 4:11-14). Talk to your elders to see if they confirm the gift and have opportunities for you to exercise it more in the church.

Whatever you do, keep growing as a teacher, mentor, parent, and friend. Just because you’re good and gifted at something doesn’t mean you can’t get better at it. Hone that skill. Shape that passion. Refine it to the glory of God.

And don’t ever feel guilty by your inclination to help others. It does not make your Bible study any less personal or acceptable to God.

What’s Not So Good

However, part of your struggle might be pretty unhealthy. You may need to revisit your definition of how to teach or lead others.

Sometimes leaders feel the need to schedule separate time just for personal growth. They think, “I’m going to have time to study the Bible so I can learn from it – not just so I can teach it.”

But the failure here is not actually a failure to learn from the Bible. It’s a failure to understand how to teach the Bible.

You can’t teach the Bible effectively without first learning from it. And your teaching ought to embody your learning. The teaching and the learning are not and cannot be exclusive to each other (as though you can do one without the other).

Look at some of Paul’s ministry methods:

He committed himself to sharing not only the gospel of God, but his own life, with his people (1 Thess 2:8).
His own example was his most influential persuasion (1 Cor 10:31-11:1).
His teaching affected him personally long before he expected it to affect others (Gal 1:11-2:10).
He taught only what he had learned. His own life – not just his ideas – provided the model to shape his students (Phil 4:9).
He didn’t hesitate to use both his strengths and weaknesses as illustrations of God’s grace (2 Cor 11:16-12:10).
He wouldn’t ask someone to do something unless he had been there and done it first. And he didn’t mind drawing attention to it if it would motivate the student (2 Tim 2:1-2, 4:1-8).

What do these things mean for our teaching?

First, don’t feel guilty if your “teaching prep” time invades your “personal study” time. Your teaching prep should include personal study and application, so why not combine the tasks?

Second, when you teach other people (whether formally or informally), share how the principles have affected your life. People need more than ideas; they need role models. When God wanted to teach us, he became one of us and lived out his teaching among us. We ought to follow his example.

Unless people see how you’ve learned what you teach, your teaching won’t have any bite. Your principles will sound like platitudes. Your education will feel empty. Your recommendations will ring hollow. Your learnedness will lose its luster.

I’ve seen it happen over and over. I’m counseling someone on an issue, and it doesn’t “click” for them until I share how I’ve struggled with the same issue. My children respond best when they understand that I need to grow in Christ as much as they do. My small group’s application discussion hits 5th gear after I’ve shared my own failures and my hope in the grace of Christ.

I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s the most difficult part of my “teaching prep,” as it requires me to hope in Christ and not my performance.

But I’ve got to share my life with those I lead. My effectiveness depends upon it.

Why I Write

July 23, 2014 By Peter Krol

My goal on this site is to help ordinary people learn to study the Bible. I pursue that aim through a few practices:

On Mondays, I demonstrate Bible study skills on a particular text of Scripture.
On Wednesdays, I link to other pages on the Internet that either demonstrate good Bible study skills or lay the ground work for good Bible study skills.
On Fridays, I usually back away from the text to reflect on the skills themselves. Currently, I’m explaining methods for leading effective Bible studies.

All three practices fit into a larger model for teaching people how to study the Bible. But as each post comes and goes, and we focus on very specific skills, we can easily lose sight of the model.

That’s why I occasionally write brief posts like this by way of reminder.

And that’s also why I created a table of contents page for my series on Proverbs 1-9. It’s gone so long that the forest has been long since overgrown with trees. This table of contents will let you know all the main topics I’ve hit so far, and it will let you know what remains before the series finishes. I didn’t link to every post but only to the first post for each segment of text. From that post, you should be able to click through to the next post and the next if you’d like to read through a particular section.

I’ll activate the last few links as I finish those posts over the next few months. Please let me know if you have any ideas for making this page more useful!

« Previous Page