'Best Practices' for Bible Teachers (Part XI)
By Buddy Hanson The Covenant News
Training Is What We Do, Not Something We Do!
Does this headline grab you the way it does me? I wish I had said it, but the US Army beat me to it. Field Manual 7.0, Training The Force, states the purpose of Army training is "To produce competent, confident, and adaptive soldiers, leaders and units, trained and ready to fight and win our nation's battles. Training is the Army's number one priority. Training is what we do, not something we do." What more biblical Mission Statement could a church have than:
To assist members in becoming competent, confident, and adaptive servants of God's family and Christ's Kingdom, who are trained and ready to present and defend the Gospel as we do our part in bringing about God's will on earth as it is in heaven.
The "Be, Know and Do" of Army Leadership
We are told that , "Army leadership begins with what the leader must BE, the values and attributes that shape a leader's character. Your skills are those things you KNOW how to do, your competence in everything from the technical side of your job to the people skills a leader requires. But character and knowledge--while absolutely necessary--are not enough. You cannot be effective, you cannot be a leader, until you apply what you know, until you act and DO what you must." (italics mine)
Once again, let's transpose these qualities the US Army looks for and demands from its leaders to church leaders. In other words:
How can we become "Army Strong" in our teaching?
As always in the series, my purpose is to present just enough ideas to get your mind in gear, so feel free to add-to the lists (ans send me your comments!).
BE
An effective Bible teacher:
Recognizes that his most important priority is to train his learners to bring honor to God in everything they do.
Influences learners by instructing and/or reminding them how this lesson/message relates to their overall purpose in life.
Provides understanding and direction by explaining the reasons why and how they should apply biblical ethics to their daily situations and circumstances in order to bring about God's desired results.
Inspires excellence in effort by offering opportunities for the learners to mentally practice applying biblical ethics into their daily decision-making.
Fosters initiative, enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn by helping them to prioritize their tasks so they can confidently approach each new day of service in God's family and Christ's Kingdom.
Since people learn best by "doing," the effective teacher recalls specific situations from Scripture to paint mental word pictures that vividly portray the positive consequences of obeying God. In addition, he cites instances from Scripture of the negative and unintended consequences of approaching issues in an unplanned and unprepared manner.
Is constantly on the lookout for learners who can become future teachers and leaders.
KNOW
An effective Bible teacher brings an overarching goal to every lesson or message to help his learners:
Look for opportunities to obey God, rather than for excuses to disobey Him.
Remember that they are in the "obedience" business, and that God is in the "results" business. (This means that our first reaction to any situation is to apply a biblical ethic, and trust-in, and rely-upon God to bring about His results in His eternally perfect timing. After all, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" Genesis 18.14)
To always be striving for increased consistency in their obedience.
To be more concerned with the consequences of disobeying God, than the consequences of obeying Him.
To make the most efficient use of their Spiritual gifts, and to coordinate their efforts with fellow Christians.
To continuously critique their service for God by noting those areas in which they preformed well, and those in which they performed poorly, and what they can do to make the needed improvements.
DO
An effective Bible teacher carefully describes the six steps of biblical problem solving:
Identify the problem or cultural issue.
Gather information about the biblical disobedience that has led to the problem.
Identify instances in the Bible that describe a similar problem and point out God's prescriptions for handling it.
Note the circumstances that resulted from the obedience or disobedience of the Jews.
Develop a biblical strategy for solving the problem, or issue.
Implement God's prescription!
Why Does the Army Train the Way it does?
"Training The Force" explains:
We train the way we fight because our history shows the direct relation between realistic training and success on the battlefield. Today's leaders must apply the lessons of history in planning training for tomorrow's battles. We can trace the connection between training and success in battle to our Army's earliest experiences during the American Revolution. General George Washington had long sensed the need for uniform training and organization, so he secured the appointment of Baron Von Steuben as Inspector General in charge of training. Von Steuben clearly understood the difference between the American citizen soldier and the European professional. He noted that American soldiers had to be told why they did things before they would do them well, and he applied this same philosophy in his training which helped the continental soldiers understand and endure the rigorous and demanding training he put them through. (italics mine)
Does it make sense that the US Army would attempt to duplicate their training to "realistic battle conditions?"
Does it make sense that it would apply "lessons learned' from past battle situations, to similar battle situations now being faced?
Does it make sense that it is careful to explain to the soldiers "why" they are being trained as they are?
You're probably thinking: "It's pretty basic stuff, and it certainly makes sense to me." This being the case, I'll conclude with four vital questions that need addressing with the utmost urgency if the 21st century American church has any prayer of creating the future we want for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren:
Are we presenting word pictures in our messages that duplicate the decision-making mindset of disobedient individuals, communities and nations that eventually led to their destruction? (And are we explaining how not to have that same mindset today?)
Are we presenting the "lessons that we can learn" from past generations who have disregarded God's will and preferred to live according to their self-centered ethics, rather than the others-centered ethics on the pages of the Bible? (And, are we explaining that we are placing ourselves in danger of having to experience them ourselves by ignoring them?)
Are we being careful to explain "how and why" we should live according to biblical ethics, instead of merely teaching more facts about God?
Are we as serious about preparing our soldiers of God's army to win the culture, as the US Army is in preparing its soldiers to win (or keep) the peace?
May we never forget that we have been mercifully called into God's army, and that His inerrant "training manual" provides counsel that will make us "Army Strong" for any task we face! And may we, as Bible teachers, be able to say that no priority outranks teaching! Indeed, may we be able to truthfully say:
"Teaching is what we do, not something we do!"
Next week's topic is, "Maximizing Your Instructional Preparation."
Buddy Hanson is President of the Christian Policy Network and Director of the Christian Worldview Resources Center and has written several books on the necessity of applying one's faith to everyday situations, circumstances and decision-making.