How essential it is to recruit teachers who believe God’s Word to be absolute truth! Also important is the way teachers view truth within that framework. In a previous post we already considered that it has to be about more than the laws within it if you want students motivated by what matters most to God.
If the Word is absolute truth, then the stories and events contained within it happened or will still come about. The Bible shows God’s activity in the world from the beginning at creation to the events of the end times. Between those bookends are many stories of people whom God used to accomplish His purposes — an historical account of God’s work in this world.
But, if the Bible is viewed as little more than a history book, teachers could have a tendency to teach for factual understanding, possibly leaving students with a more cognitive approach to the Christian life with little relevancy to their everyday lives.
How One’s View of the Bible Affects One’s Perception of Its Relevancy
Make no mistake: What God has done in the past and will do in the future is important but there is so much more to the the Christian life than merely knowing Bible stories or the biblical timeline.
Look at the big picture: We need to get to know the God behind these stories and events who is able to accomplish what we read and is bringing about purposes that line up with the essence of who He is. All that happened, or will happen, has an overriding theme that must be captured to understand the relevancy of Scripture for today.
Here’s an example of teaching from each of these views:
- If the Bible is merely an historical account, then the teacher will focus on the details of Daniel in the lions’ den.
- If the Bible is more about getting to know the God behind those historical events, then the teacher will focus on the God who is able to protect and deliver using Daniel in the lions’ den as an example.
Teachers can affect students’ perception of the Bible’s relevance for them by their approach. In the first example, it becomes more about Daniel, a mere historical figure, whereas in the second case, it is about God who is still alive and able to work on our behalf as well.
Teachers’ view of the Bible does matter. Are you sure your teachers are presenting their lessons in ways that focus on God and not merely the historical events?
Click below to learn about a four page teacher training download can serve as a good reminder:
What Bible Teachers Need to Know About God’s Word To Help Students Find God in the Scriptures