Previous posts have already answered some questions about Bible teaching methods like …
- what criteria to use in choosing Bible teaching methods.
- what might hold you back from using more variety.
- how to break out of teaching ruts.
More Questions About Bible Teaching Methods:
If session time is short, what alternative is there other than lecture?
We tend to want to include a lot of content into our sessions with multiple points. Perhaps we need to narrow down the focus of the lesson and zero in on one key point, particularly if time is short. That should open the door to employ methodology other than lecture. If a lot of background information needs to communicated, consider using out-of-class assignments so students come to class with at least some of the needed background. That works best if teaching a class with the same group of people. Do, however, keep assignments short and interesting so busy people don’t get too frustrated with out-of-class study. If we can’t use assignments to lay a foundation and must use lecture, we need to think through ways to make it more engaging and interesting. Visualize as much as possible. Get students involved with hand-motions, writing down their responses to questions, or having them answer with some sort of gesture. If possible, follow lecture with break out groups to engage in brief discussion. Or, if there’s no time for discussion, use a circle response wherein each person gives only a one word or phrase response without commentary. After everyone has responded, summarize what’s been said.
Other Questions about Bible Teaching Methodology:
- What criteria should we use in choosing Bible teaching methods?
- What if my students only want discussion and not other methods?
You’ll find responses to the above questions in the Bible Teacher’s Handbook of Frequently Asked Questions. That resources covers a total of 49 aspects of Bible teaching with 153 questions.