Jesus said, “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (Jn. 4:23)

Some Bible teachers will have little problem teaching the cognitive side of worship, doing little to bring in the balance of how our will and emotions fit into it.  Other teachers will lean toward the emotional side, doing little to bring in the balance of the mind’s role in worship.

To help their students truly worship, teachers must promote the balance of BOTH “spirit and truth.”  They can do this by modeling the kind of worship the Father seeks through:

• taking a holistic approach to teaching wherein objectives target the mind, emotions, will, and physical being of students

• building into the lesson opportunities for responding to truth, not merely discussing it

• making worship a natural response to what is being taught

• using Scripture to worship

Teacher Training Worksheet:  The Teacher’s Role in Discipling Students to Worship

More Teacher Training Resources:  How to Teach Students to Worship

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Recruiting for ministry can be a difficult task.  While I do believe we can blame the busyness of people for some of it, I think there much more.  The recruitment problem, in my opinion, probably has more to do with people’s perception about church ministry and the value placed on it.  I know in my own life that I make time for what I truly believe is important.

What we communicate about ministry could make a big difference not only in people serving but also on their attitudes as they serve.  Bible teachers must get beyond teaching what people “ought to do” to the God-given privilege and eternal purpose of doing it.

• Serving is a way of showing love for God and also for people.  Are your teachers helping students develop the right motivation for serving?

• Serving is about giving of ourselves.  Are your teachers communicating the real essence of ministry?

• Serving is the logical response to understanding the great and holy God we have. Are your teachers presenting a God worthy of being served?

• Serving is Christ-like.  Are your teachers lifting up the example of Jesus who came to serve, not be served?

Teacher Training Worksheet:  The Teacher’s Role in Discipling Students toward Serving

More Teacher Training Resources:  How to Teach Students about Serving the Lord

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Suppose your Bible teachers are going to teach students about living out the “one another” passages of Scripture.

Teachers who are not tech savvy could have a unique challenge.  Today’s students tend to do relationships through online social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc.  They will often text one another rather than call them.  Perhaps they will use Skype or some other video and/or voice-over-Internet Protocol service.  Sure, e-mail and normal phone calls still happen but these other means are quicker and disseminate the message to more people.

In teaching about developing Christ-like relationships, which includes the “one another” passages of Scripture, make sure your teachers are:

informed, not naive about how people relate with one another these days

relevant, using illustrations that fit today’s world

realistic, helping students set goals they will implement

Like it or not, these forms of relating are here to stay and will only be developed further.  Obviously some of the “one anothers” cannot happen through technology so even tech savvy teachers have a challenge.  If Jesus lived in today’s world He very well might use these mediums but they certainly would not be His sole means of relating and undoubtedly not even his primary way.  While being informed, relevant, and realistic is critical for teachers, they must continually challenge themselves and their students toward Christ-like relationships.

Teacher Training Worksheet:  The Teacher’s Role in Discipling Students in Christ-like Relationships

More Teacher Training Resources:  How to Teach Students to Develop Christ-like Relationships

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Some lessons are better caught than taught … like praying, though teaching about prayer is important.  Jesus verbally communicated about prayer but it was His example that seemed to really motivate the disciples to want to pray.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray …”
(Lk. 11:1)

This is one of the reasons teacher training must get beyond merely equipping Bible teachers with teaching skills.  Their own walk with the Lord is ever so important.

• They will not tend to make prayer a critical part of the classroom if it is not essential to their every day lives. (Students notice the difference between prayer “tacked on” to the end or at the beginning of a lesson and praying that is “indispensable” to proceeding.)

• They will not be able to provide illustrations about answers to their prayers if they haven’t been praying.

• They will probably not spontaneously pray with students if they don’t consistently turn to God in prayer in their own times of need.

Teacher Training Worksheet:  The Teacher’s Role in Discipling Students to Pray

More Teacher Training Resources:  How to Teach Students to Pray

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