Adherence to three basic tenets about the Word of God form the foundation for adequately preparing a Bible lesson. Without this view, lesson preparation will be inadequate, even if time is put into it.
View of the Word That Positively Affects Bible Lesson Preparation
Believe these truths about God’s Word and you will tend to want to adequately prepare lessons. Faltering on any of these truths leads to and inadequate view of the Bible which results in inadequate lesson preparation.
- God’s Word is inspired by God.
If teachers truly believe God is the source of the Bible, won’t they treat it with utmost respect and accuracy when preparing to teach it?
If they don’t get how the Word is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), will they put the time and effort into adequately studying it?
- God’s Word is our source of authority.
If teachers truly believe God’s Word is the standard for living, won’t they seek to arrive at God’s intent in a passage and not their own opinions in developing the content of a lesson?
If they don’t hold to the Word as the grid through which all else must be measured, will they stay true to the Word or mix in some worldly perspectives?
- God’s Word is powerful, changing lives.
If teachers truly believe God’s Word is sufficient to transform and equip people, won’t they structure lessons to get beyond mere head knowledge?
If they don’t understand the difference the Bible can make in people’s lives, will they take students far enough in the study of God’s Word?
In other words, if teachers truly believe God’s Word to be as described above, they will be more likely to line up the way they prepare a lesson in accordance with the Text they will be teaching. If they waver on these points, they will have a tendency to treat the Word inadequately.
For help with lesson preparation check out this resource: Bible Lesson Preparation Worksheet