Class
2
Teaching
truth
There
is all the difference in the world between a Bible story and a Bible
lesson.
Our ministry
is only as strong as our teaching of Truth. It is very sad that many
children in church know Bible stories and not the Truth that those stories
teach. Or very many children know a very narrow and limited amount of
truth e.g. "You need to ask Jesus into your heart" but know
little or nothing of why they need Him, of who He is, of what He did,
of what He will do for them. etc.
Our
purpose in teaching is not merely to teach Bible facts but to introduce
children to the God of Scripture. We must teach
TRUTH.
John
8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Matthew
28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
What
truth to teach?
The
practice
1. All
the Truth at the end of the story.
If you
do this all the time, the children get used to it and stop listening.
When might you have to do this? e.g. A short children's talk on Sunday
morning.
2. The
Truth woven all through the story
Get truth
into the child's mind while you have his attention.
The principles
1. Teach
what the passage teaches.
Neh.
8:8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving
the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
- teach
truths that emerge from the Scripture passage.
- do not
try to "fit in" truths.
- don't
come to the passage with preconceived ideas.
- you can't
preach what we commonly call a "gospel message" from every
lesson.
2. Concentrate
on only one truth.
- you can't
teach every truth you find in a passage.
- teach
the truth that dominates the lesson or emerges easily and naturally
from it.
e.g.. Parables:
Good Samaritan - Love your neighbour
Ten Virgins:
Be ready for the Lord coming back.
Examples
of truths that don't:
Creation
-You need to be born again
Transfiguration
- Jesus is coming back.
- to teach
you have to select.
3. Summarise
the truth.
- make
a brief sentence to state what you are planning to teach.
- phrase
it in the simple language of a child.
e.g. "God
hates sin". "God loves sinners"
- your
truth should be concise - something you can teach in one lesson.
e.g. not
"The doctrine of God"
but e.g.
"God is good" or "God is holy"
e.g. not
"The doctrine of the Holy Spirit"
but e.g.
"The Holy Spirit lives in every believer".
- your
sentence should be complete - it should say something
e.g. not
"sin" but " sin separates us from God"
e.g. not
"Lord Jesus Christ" but "the Lord Jesus never sinned"
Lloyd George
said to Harold McMillan (Lord Stockton) after McMillan had made his
maiden speech in Parliament. "Don't speak on 20 points. If you
want MPs to listen to what you say use one point. New members should
speak on one point; Ministers may make two points; Prime Ministers -
three points."
Your aim
is to have one truth that every child may take home with it. "What
did you learn about today?" If you are teaching children regularly,
e.g. Sunday School, weekly meeting, concentrate on only one truth in
each lesson. Visiting preachers may have a broader presentation of truth.
One-off meetings like open air meetings are different - they are not
ideal teaching situations.
4. Teach
thoroughly.
- Teaching
one truth does not mean that you teach little truth. The lesson should
not be weak in content. Ask yourself, "Did I tell a story or did
I teach truth.
- make
sure there is depth in your teaching.
The
message
What have
we been sent to do?
1. preach
the gospel. Mark 16:15
2. Teach
(a) Teach
all nations ..... make disciples (Matt. 28:19)
(b) Teach
them to observe all things.... (Matt. 28:20)
We have
been sent with a message. We must be clear about what it is and we must
make that message clear to the child.
Our evangelism
must start with the Word of God. It is God's message to mankind, even
to children. Do not begin with the child? "What can this child
understand?" or "What will the children enjoy hearing
best of all?" or "What can I teach that will make sure
the children want to come back every week?"
There in
no other message. Gal.1:8 " But even if we or an angel from
heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,
let him be eternally condemned." We are charged to guard the
gospel, defend the gospel and never allow it to be changed. 2 Tim.
1:13,14. "What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound
teaching... guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you..."
It is a
great message. Resist the temptation to teach an irreducible minimum
of truth. There is a tremendous body of gospel truth that children need
to hear.
It is a
powerful message. When preaching the gospel you are never fighting a
losing battle. Rom. 1:16 " It is the power of God for the salvation
of everyone who believes."
It is a
doctrinal message. You cannot evangelise without teaching doctrines.
You are simply teaching the great truths of Scripture. Examine the preaching
of the apostles in Acts and see the great doctrines sounded forth in
every gospel sermon. No true evangelist will ever urge souls to come
to Christ unless he has explained "Why?" "How?"
and "What for?" The answers to these questions are the doctrines
which should be included in our teaching. Beware of using little stories
with a little evangelistic application tagged on at the end. Let our
evangelism be a teaching evangelism.
Teach
the message of Salvation
Teach about
GOD.
Salvation
is knowing God (John 17:3) It is vital that the children are turned
to the God of Scripture and not to a god of their own imagination.
Teach about
Sin.
Spurgeon
... " Do not flatter the child with delusive rubbish about his
nature being good and needing to be developed... Tell him that he must
be born again."
Teach about
the LORD.
The teachings
of the Person and the Work of Christ were at the very heart of apostolic
preaching. Do we introduce the children to the Christ of Scripture or
do we portray Him as some weak, pathetic figure who helplessly waits
for us to "let Him in?"
Teach about
the Way of Salvation.
Teach about
the need for repentance; a change of mind and attitude towards God and
towards sin, leading to a change in behaviour. It is not a work done
for salvation but a gift from God. (Acts 11:18)
Teach about
Faith. It is the act by which a child is enabled by the Holy Spirit
to depend on Christ alone for Salvation. It is acting on the Word of
God. It is a gift from God.
Teach
the whole counsel of God
Are there
doctrines unsuitable for children? Don't they need to be taught as the
children of the Hebrews were taught the blessings and the cursings?
Josh
8:34,35. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings
and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read
not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little
ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
Teach systematically
Children
learn best when there is definite structure to the teaching programme.
A teaching plan is important in a regular ministry to children.
Teach thoroughly
Evangelism
should aim for the mind, the emotions and the will. If you only touch
the mind, your evangelism is dry and sterile. If only the emotions are
touched, it is superficial and will not last. If only the will is moved,
decisions are made but disciples are unlikely.
Instruct
the mind and pray for God to enlighten it
Involve
the emotions and pray for God to stir them.
Challenge
the will and pray for God to change it.
Follow
the pattern outlined in Romans 6:17 ..you have obeyed (the will)
from the heart (the emotions) that form of doctrine that was delivered
you." (the mind)
Teach with
utter dependence on God
Salvation
is of God. He is sovereign in evangelism. But He has sent you and me.
The
sign of a truly gifted worker among children is not an ability to entertain
or to keep attention but an ability to communicate the Truth of God
in such a way that children will listen and learn. Ask God to make you
a communicator of truth.
Evangelistic
lessons
There are
times when you will wish to have a lesson that is thoroughly evangelistic.
That differs from the regular teaching situation. e.g.
1. Limited
contact with children.
An open-air
meeting for children (or better still a short series of meetings)
A one-off
children's meeting such as a Christmas club
A children's
mission
2. At the
beginning of a season of regular ministry.
3. From
time to time through the year and particularly if a lesson on the syllabus
lends itself to it.
Adapt to
the situation in which you find yourself
Teach the
message of Salvation
Recognise
the impossibility of teaching every facet of the Gospel in one lesson.
But the child needs to know:
- his
need in the light of who God is,
- the
remedy provided in the Lord Jesus Christ
- how
the remedy can be his
Teach what
the passage teaches
Different
truths will emerge from different lessons.
Don't abandon
the principle of exegesis.
Lesson
about Adam and Eve ....... much teaching about sin.
Lesson
on the resurrection ......... less about sin, more about Christ.
Carefully
choose lessons which lend themselves to a clear gospel presentation.
Weave the
Gospel through the lesson.
Link the
truth with the narrative.
Do not
keep all the truth to the end.
Develop
the truths as they arise in the story.
Teach a
well structured lesson.
It is possible
to have a lesson that is full of gospel truths with no apparent relationship
between them.
Some lessons
have a special emphasis on one gospel truth.
e.g. Noah
...... safety from judgement.
Teach the
reason for judgement, the safety provided in Christ, the need to enter
in to be safe and the result of entering in.
e.g. Prodigal
son ...... repentance.
Teach the
need for repentance, (going own way), sinners are far off from God,
what repentance means, how a sinner must come back to God and the welcome
for those who repent.
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