Bible Studies - Learn from The Bible

Discussion is vital to Bible studies, small groups, and Sunday school classes. It keeps people attentive and involved, adds insights and wisdom, and helps people turn head knowledge into heart knowledge.

So why does discussion sometimes falter or fail? Why does it sometimes result in more problems than solutions? Here are five of the biggest reasons discussion can take a nosedive:

1. Pooled ignorance. People have to have a reasonable understanding about the topic at hand in order for discussion to flourish. That is why teaching and discussion have to work hand in hand - you shouldn’t have one without the other. Take the time to teach the truth of the Word of God, then open up the floor for discussion about what you have learned. Failure to teach the truth results in unfounded opinions, random stories, and pooled ignorance … and that is not effective discussion!

2. Random tangents. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that if people are talking, good discussion is happening. But an effective Bible study or Sunday School class is goal-oriented: in each class, a specific truth, principle, or application is the focus of attention. Therefore, since random tangents and directionless talk don’t further that goal, they are a waste of time and are impeding the progress and purpose of the class. And remember: a person can be saying something good and true, but if it is not on topic, it has no place in the discussion time … it is still a tangent.

3. Uncorrected error. Sometimes, people say something that is untrue, incorrect, or invalid. Our postmodern society says that everyone is entitled to their opinion or interpretation - but God doesn’t. Christianity teaches absolute truth, and the apostles consistently demonstrated their willingness and responsibility to correct error wherever it appeared. It is the leader’s responsibility to lovingly correct error during discussion in order to communicate and uphold the truth.

4. Power struggle. Unfortunately, some people view times of discussion as opportunities to wrestle the leadership of the class away from the teacher. This creates an ugly atmosphere in the group and derails the purpose the class is trying to achieve.  

5. Gripe sessions. Depending on the topic at hand, discussion periods can easily turn into gripe sessions. Classes that focus on relationship issues are especially prone to this snare. In order for discussion to be productive, certain rules need to be established, and one of them is that complaining does not equal contributing.   

Leaders have to watch constantly for these five discussion-killers. Fortunately, they are all under his or her control. It is the leader’s responsibility to communicate good information so that discussion does not become a time of pooled ignorance. It is the teacher who can take a firm  hand to control tangents, correct error, assert appropriate authority, and quell complainers.

With that in mind, be confident that discussion can always be what it is designed to be: a source of wisdom and insight, an opportunity for sharing and accountability, and a wellspring of friendship and love in the house of God.

© 2008 Paula Marolewski

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Chad

When I taught a class on how to lead Bible studies and teach in a group, the biggest push-back I received was when I promoted writing out - in full - your lesson for the week. People objected that writing out a lesson would squelch the Spirit of God and would make the lesson mechanical.

After having led adult Sunday School classes and small group Bible studies for over fifteen years, I disagree. Instead, I have found that thorough preparation - including writing out as completely as possible everything you want to say - brings only benefits to the group or class you are leading. And that holds true regardless of whether the class is more lecture-oriented or more discussion-oriented. Here are three areas that benefit significantly from taking the time to write out your lesson:

1. Content

Writing helps you focus your lesson and achieve your goals. It requires you to define your main point and decide how to explain it, support it, illustrate it, and apply it.

Writing out your lesson ensures that you have enough content to fill the allotted time. You won’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being done with your material and still have 15 minutes of dead time to fill, nor will you find that the bell has rung and you have 15 minutes of material still to cover.

Teaching is about expounding on points, not just stating points. It’s one thing to say “God calls us to forgive others.” It’s another to talk about the reasons we resist forgiving others, the process of forgiveness, and the benefits of forgiveness. When you write out your lesson, you can carefully develop all aspects of your main focus.

Since you know the points you want to cover when you write out your lesson, you can also prepare effective handouts and note-taking sheets to help the participants engage with the material and remember it.

2. Presentation

By writing out your lesson, you can learn how to pace yourself. You will see in black-and-white where you are spending most of your time, and what points need to be strengthened.

You will not find yourself groping for words, forgetting your points or sub-points, or faltering to make transitions between sections.

If you find that some portion of your lesson has taken longer than you planned and you are running short on time, a written lesson will help you evaluate faster what to eliminate and still achieve your goals for the session since you can literally scan the remainder of your content in a few seconds.

3. Discussion

Written lessons help you determine where to intersperse discussion to keep people involved and engaged.

By writing your lessons out, you are also able to guide discussion more effectively. Instead of asking “What do you think? Does anyone have any input?” - which can open the door to absolutely anything - you can ask targeted, well-crafted questions that lead the discussion in order to support the focus and goal of your class.

When you develop a written lesson, you are more likely to realize ahead of time where people might have questions - and prepare for them.

A written lesson will also help you recognize and derail tangents as soon as they happen - whether it’s you who are tempted to go off on a rabbit trail, or whether someone else is veering off during a discussion time.

When you consider the benefits, the time and effort it takes to write out a lesson becomes an investment that you can’t afford to be without. Rather than squelching the Spirit of God, God is able to move more powerfully in the hearts, minds, and lives of others because of your thorough preparation. And rather than make the lesson mechanical, your preparation sets you free to be at ease during the class - to lead and teach with confidence.  

© 2008 Paula Marolewski

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Madeleine