As Bible teachers we need to remember that ultimately we’re not there to merely teach content. We need to also get to the application of that content to life.
Points to Help Us Make Application a Vital Part of Bible Lessons
Application is a vital part of Bible lessons as seen in Colossians 1:9-10. Take note of the following from that passage:
1) Notice the role of prayer. — Paul said they “have not stopped praying” for the Colossians.
Paul obviously prayed like he truly believed God was the One who brought growth and change. Teachers who teach for application must envelop the teaching-learning process in prayer. — Teacher Training Resource: Praying Like You Truly Believe HE is the Source of All You Need Worksheet
2) Notice the starting point. — “knowledge of His will” coupled with “spiritual wisdom and understanding”
Paul wanted God to not only help them know the Word but also see the implications of it for life. People aren’t going to get to the point of application without an understanding of how the Scripture relates to their lives.
3) Notice the objective. — “live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way”
Paul wanted the Colossians to live to the glory of God, not merely know about Him. That meant doing something with what they knew … application of truth.
4) Notice the progression.
Paul realized people wouldn’t just move from the starting point of “knowledge of God’s will” to the end result of “bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God”. There would be steps to progress through. (Click links for more on each of these steps.)
- From Knowledge to Understanding
- From Understanding to Application
- From Application to Bearing Fruit
- From Fruitfulness to Knowing God Better
5) Notice the end result — “bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
Paul believed that if these believers knew and understood God’s will and applied it to their lives, two things would happen:
- Their lives would make a difference for eternity.
- They would get to know God even better and the cycle would start all over.
Surely this is the end result we want to see in our students’ lives as well. To get there, pray for those you teach. Then start with truth from God’s Word, making sure they understand it, not merely cognitively but also practically. Keep the ultimate objective always before them.
Helpful Teacher Training Resource:
Including an emphasis on application isn’t just a good idea, it is God’s idea. Check out the Application: It’s God’s Idea, Not Merely a Good Idea Worksheet to better understand God’s intent for Bible teaching.