I've agreed to lead a session on the topic of teaching adults in a church context. This will be on a Saturday at a teacher's workshop hosted by a Church of Christ here in Connecticut. I've got to check, but right now I'm assuming that I'll have an hour or less.
The event is about two months away, so I've got a little time to prepare. Naturally, I plan to read and reflect. But I also want to ask for your help.
I'd like your responses to one or more of the following questions. Feel free to add your own:
1. What was the best Bible class you were ever a part of, and what made it so good?
2. What is it about Bible classes at church that really should be changed or improved?
3. If you attended my workshop session, what would want or expect to come from it?
4. Can you offer some ideas for the format of the session?
5. Do you know of a book, internet resource, magazine article, etc. that I really should know about (and recommend or pass along to those who attend)?
Thanks.
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6 comments:
Bible classes hum.....
My favorite as a teacher was when we taught through the book of John at Homewood. We had every adult class being taught the same thing. The teachers would meet on Sunday night and go over the lesson for the next week. I don't know if the group benefited but I know I did as a teacher. Greg Newton was a part of that planning process but Tim Palmer who now worships with him at Disciples Fellowship did much of the planning.
I don't know that I can pinpoint a Bible class that stands out above and beyond any other. They all kind of blur together over the years.
However, I can say that I think Bible classes need to be changed/improved by changing the focus. They should be based in real life situations, scenarios, and struggles -- backed by applicable scriptural references. If you are going to teach through a particular book of scripture, then get the overriding reason behind it and compare it to struggles we have today. Often I feel that the academic motions of pouring through scripture and historical context leaves no room for discussion on how we as Christians today can take these writings to heart in our interaction with the world.
If I attended you workshop, I would not expect to walk away with a formula for a new kind of bible study, but perhaps a new perspective or two on how turn bible class into Cristian life discussions.
I think the format of the session should follow from the way that you propose to shake up classes. If it were me doing it, I would try to get away from the lecturer/audience or teacher/student format. I would shift to more of a guide or counselor and colleague type of setup. The topic is out there open for discussion, you exist to ensure that things stay somewhat on topic and perhaps you interject guiding questions when there is a lull. There should some kind of focus to the discussions, a point to be made, but not one by showing the 3 bullet points. Rather, everyone is led to the idea through open discussion and a few pointers in the right direction. I think this builds a kind of "ownership" of the concept that is more authentic than being taught or told something.
I know that I am often a zealous proponent of Brian McLaren, but I really liked his book More Ready Than You Realize as a good read for what it looks like to interact with people in the world who ask tough questions. Or if you want an internet resource, just look at the whole concept of blogging as a discussion tool and the dynamic that it has for give/take of ideas.
That's just my $0.02 ;)
A few other thoughts:
Q2: I think there should be more intergenerational interaction at Bible class. This is more of a big church issue but we tend to do classes based on demographics. This is not the way things were intended in church relationships.
Q4: I wonder if it would be helpful to have the class brainstorm characturistics of good classes and those of classes that didn't meet needs.
Guys and Girl,
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate you passing along some of your thoughts.
I realize that there are some huge foundational questions like one about purpose: What do we even think we're doing in Bible classes? And outcomes: What do we expect can and should result from, say, a year's worth of class attendance? etc.
I appreciate your sending responses to some of my questions. I'll plan to keep you posted.
I have resisted commenting on this, but here's the truth:
I have very little use for adult Sunday School. Sunday School, in my experience, is a place where just about the time someone starts to make a practical application from the Scriptures, another person jumps in to argue about the Greek meaning of a word in the text. It's woefully overstated, of course, but that's my take on Sunday School.
Why do I need Sunday School when I have a perfectly wonderful small group, anyway? :-)
Matt,
Thanks for weighing in. Again, my questions are starting with all kinds of assumptions that should be examined, although that task seems daunting to me.
Maybe "adult Bible classes" (what I've been talking about) should become more and more like the small group that you're talking about? I suspect that the very best traditional "classes" are really incognito "small groups."
However, I wonder if intimacy of a small group makes difficult what a "class" can easily do: i.e., be open to anyone.
If something's labled a "class" at church, that implies anyone who fits the category whether it's teen, college, young adult, senior, the catch-all auditorium, etc.; but once a group is intimate, it's relational strength can become its missional weakness.
The household of Philemon scene was probably great. But I think the more-public scene at the lecture hall of Tyrannus was good too.
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