Sometimes as Bible teachers we can become torn between what students want and what they need. It can form a tension within us as we realize the short amount of class time we have to teach eternal truths; yet, we strongly desire that students enjoy class and want to be there. This kind of tension can be healthy for us, making us better teachers if we work through it.
How to Let Tensions in Bible Teaching Be Healthy
To have a healthy response to these tensions, do the following:
1) Acknowledge the tensions.
Tugging on one side, we may have children who love to play, teens who crave socialization and fun, and adults who want to chart their own course for what study they deem as valuable and beneficial. On the other side, we see how critical God’s Word is to get to know Him and navigate life. How much play and fun versus structured learning should we incorporate into the session? How do we encourage the building of relationships and still spend sufficient time studying Scripture? How can we give students some autonomy yet make sure they’re getting what they truly need?
2) Welcome the tension.
If we take time to think through these, and other, issues in teaching, it should lead to more purposeful adapting. We’ll be forced to think through how we teach and make sure whatever we do counts and leads to a greater good.
3) Plot a course for addressing the tensions.
Some of these tensions revolve around the way people learn at different age levels. Some deal with needs at different stages of life. If we want students to learn, we need to ask God how to teach in line with these realities. We need to ask the following questions as we structure our lessons:
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- How can we “in every way … make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10)?
- What are “all possible means” we can use to meet and reach students where they are (1 Cor. 9:22)?
It isn’t a matter of either/or but rather purposefully using their desires and needs within the session to increase the potential of learning. When intentionally guided, time isn’t wasted. Rather, learning gets enhanced. The problem comes when we simply cave in to students’ desire to play, socialize, and exert autonomy with no real purpose or direction.