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teaching

Bible Study 201: Learn to teach the Bible

August 26, 2017 by Krisan Marotta

Bible Study 201: Learn to teach the Bible | WednesdayintheWord.com

So you’d like to teach the Bible? How do you get started? How do you decide if Bible teaching is your calling? Here’s my advice for aspiring teachers.

First and foremost you need to learn to study the Bible well.  Start with Bible Study 101.  Then progress to the topics below.

Jump to: ** Reading List; ** Biblical Greek; **Next **


Learn to teach the Bible

I need an overview of the Bible

May 3, 2022

Just as it’s helpful to know something about the culture and history of Jane Austin before you read Pride and Prejudice, it’s helpful to know the culture and history of each book of the Bible. These resources will give you the big picture.

Continue Reading I need an overview of the Bible

“God told me”: The role of personal revelation in Bible teaching

March 8, 2017

You’ve probably heard a teacher, pastor or preacher say something like “and then God told me.” What role does personal experience and/or personal revelation play in Bible study? Here are the guidelines I use when teaching.

Continue Reading “God told me”: The role of personal revelation in Bible teaching

Marks of False Teachers

November 2, 2016

A vital part of your Bible study arsenal is learning to recognize false teachers. Here are three interesting lists — both modern and classic — on how to discern a true teacher from a false teacher. Notice the similarities.

Continue Reading Marks of False Teachers

How to prepare teaching notes

June 15, 2016

Ultimately, how you handle your speaking notes will depend on personal preference. As you experiment, here are some ideas that may help you find your style and prepare like a pro.

Continue Reading How to prepare teaching notes

4 people you need to improve your teaching

May 13, 2015

One speaker claimed everyone needs 3 people to become a better writer. His list applies to Bible teachers — with one addition.

Continue Reading 4 people you need to improve your teaching

Becoming a Bible teacher

January 27, 2015

So you’d like to teach the Bible? How do you get started? How do you decide if Bible teaching is your calling? Here’s my advice for aspiring teachers.

Continue Reading Becoming a Bible teacher

When to tell a story in teaching

May 30, 2014

Teaching through stories is increasingly popular. But there is a downside. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls.

Continue Reading When to tell a story in teaching

Plagiarism and Bible Teaching

April 25, 2014

You’ve probably heard the joke that the greatest insult you can give a Bible teacher is that your work is both original and good. Why is that funny? The part that’s original is not good, and the part that’s good is not original. The goal of Bible study is to be right, not original.

Continue Reading Plagiarism and Bible Teaching

08 James 3:1-12 Warnings to Teachers

February 29, 2012

Since Bible teachers presume to explain the word of God to others, James warns them to seriously consider the responsibility before seeking the job.

Continue Reading 08 James 3:1-12 Warnings to Teachers

Why I love the Bible and hate sermons

February 2, 2012

I can spend 20 hour a week in Bible study without complaint but I’d rather shovel rocks than sit through most 20 minute sermons. Transformation without information has all the nourishment of whipped cream.

Continue Reading Why I love the Bible and hate sermons

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Greek

Greek for Bible Teachers

How to use e-sword to parse a word

August 19, 2022

Even if you don’t know biblical Greek or Hebrew, you can do a lot with the original languages, if you understand some basic grammar and have a few good tools.

Continue Reading How to use e-sword to parse a word

Punctuation & Accents – Biblical Greek

June 7, 2021

Even if you’re using an interlinear Bible, it’s helpful to understand the basic punctuation marks and accents.

Continue Reading Punctuation & Accents – Biblical Greek

Word Studies – Greek

May 4, 2021

A listener asked for help with word studies. These resources pages give you links to tools to help your word studies.

Continue Reading Word Studies – Greek

Cases – Biblical Greek

December 4, 2020

The different functions words can perform in a sentence are called cases. In Greek, case — not word order — indicates the word’s function in a sentence, making it important to understand cases.

Continue Reading Cases – Biblical Greek

Prepositions – Biblical Greek

December 3, 2020

Here’s my running summary of Greek prepositions and their main meanings depending on case.

Continue Reading Prepositions – Biblical Greek

Grammar for Biblical Greek students

November 19, 2020

One way to understand Biblical Greek is comparing and contrasting it with English grammar. Lack of knowledge of English grammar can be an unexpected obstacle to learning biblical Greek. Here are some basics you may want to review before embarking on learning biblical Greek.

Continue Reading Grammar for Biblical Greek students

Should I learn Greek & Hebrew?

August 16, 2020

After a few years of Bible study, students often begin asking, “Should I learn biblical Greek and Hebrew?” While the tools for English readers continue to improve and less people are learning the original languages, knowing the original languages can be helpful. You can learn enough to widen the tools available to you and/or learn to read Scripture in the original language.

Continue Reading Should I learn Greek & Hebrew?

Verbs – Biblical Greek

November 29, 2018

Bible Study software has made biblical Greek more accessible for those who never learned the language. Now with 1 click you can access the Greek word and its conjugation but what are you looking at? Here’s a helpful primer on Greek verbs.

Continue Reading Verbs – Biblical Greek

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Reading List

Reading List

1 Corinthians 1-4

Every Bible teacher should understand the first 4 chapters of Paul’s first letter to Corinth, and should take the content to hear.

Teaching to Change Lives: Seven Proven Ways to Make Your Teaching Come Alive by Dr. Howard Hendricks

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, by Bryan Chapell

Preaching Christ in All Scripture, by Edmund P Clowney

Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching, multiple authors

It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It, by Joan Detz (secular)

How to Talk so People Will Listen, by Stephen D Brown

The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narratives, by Dale Ralph Davis

How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation: A speaking Survival Guide for the Rest of Us by TJ Walker

Foundations: An Overview of Systematic Theology (DVD series) by RC Sproul

Communicating for Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication by Andy Stanley

Creative Bible Teaching by Lawrence O. Richards & Gary J. Bredfeldt

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Next

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Filed Under: Collections, Series, Topical Tagged With: Bible Study 201, teaching

“God told me”: The role of personal revelation in Bible teaching

March 8, 2017 by Krisan Marotta

You’ve probably heard a teacher, pastor or preacher say something to the effect “and then God told me.”  What’s up with that? What role does personal experience and/or personal revelation play in Bible study?

For me, the bottom line is: Scripture takes precedence over emotions and experience. Teachers ought to strive for accuracy and precision in their language. 

Here are the guidelines I use when teaching:

Certainty

Only say “God told me” if you are SO certain the voice is from the Lord that you would sacrifice your first born if that voice commanded it.

The command to sacrifice Isaac must have struck Abraham as wrong on face value.  Everything he knew about the Lord suggested that the Lord abhorred the child sacrifices practiced by the pagan religions of the day. Yet, Abraham was so certain that command to offer Issac came from the Lord, that he obeyed up to the point of the Lord stopping his hand (Genesis 22).

So far, I’ve never “heard” a voice that came with that kind of certainty. 

Further, no teacher I’ve met who used the phrase “and then God told me” has claimed the kind of certainty that Abraham had. Instead, they have talked (rightly) about applying some kind of discernment to evaluate whether their personal revelation is actually a word from God.

Scripture

Scripture trumps experience, desires, emotions, the counsel of fellow believers and “voices.”

In 1Samuel 24, David spares Saul’s life because David knows Scripture. David and his men are hiding in a cave when Saul comes in to relieve himself. Temporarily blinded by the contrast between the brilliant sunlight outside and the darkness of the cave, Saul is alone and extremely vulnerable.

How many times have you heard it taught that the way you determine God’s will is a combination of desire, circumstances and the counsel of godly people? We’re told that it must be God’s will if 1) you want to do something, 2) you have the opportunity to do it and 3) godly people tell you to do it.

David faced that exact situation David in the cave. David surely had the desire to kill Saul so he can end this deadly game of cat and mouse. He had a golden opportunity to do so, as he has literally caught Saul with his pants down. And he has the counsel of his trusted men saying, go for it. But instead of striking Saul down, David cuts off the edge of the Saul’s robe. 

Why did David refrain from killing Saul? Because David knew God’s word, and God’s word prohibits striking down the Lord’s anointed one.

The Word of God trumps desire, opportunity and godly counsel. You can want sin, have the opportunity to sin and godly people can unwittingly encourage you to chose it, but knowing God’s word will stop you. God’s word trumps everything else.

The same goes for claims of personal revelation.  God’s written Word as revealed in the Scriptures trumps everything, including our little voices.

It’s not about you.

Students should leave knowing more about Scripture than the speaker.

As I wrote in a previous post: The goal of bible study and sermons must always be to convey the essential meaning of a set number of verses to the listeners. To convey that meaning, we explain the concepts of Scripture in language modern ears will understand.

All stories, illustrations and explanations ought to serve that goal. Without explaining meaning, no real bible study has taken place — only pious observations, emotional exhortations and some interesting but pointless stories

In my experience, the teachers claiming divine personal revelation have often (consciously or not) made the message about them. “They received a message; God is going to do great things through them.“  The message they hear rarely seems to further an understanding of Scripture or increase our knowledge of the character of God. Rather the message tends to concern a movement, cause or program the particular teacher is spearheading. To me, that’s a red flag.

Precision

Be precise with your language. Avoid phrases like “God told me” unless you encountered a burning bush.

We often resort to the language of “and then God showed me” to describe that “aha!” moment where suddenly a passage becomes clear.  ne moment you are confused, the next moment you understand. 

Theologically speaking, that “aha” moment is the work of the Spirit opening our eyes and hearts to the truth. We understand because He has given us understanding. In many cases, teachers and preachers use language like “and then God told me” to describe that moment of clarity.

While I would not rebuke a teacher for such a figure of speech, I would recommend against it to avoid confusion. 

“Personal revelation” can be an excuse for sloppy exegesis. Sometimes we teachers are tempted to use phrases like “God told me” or “I felt led” to avoid facing challenges or questions. We believe we are in the right, but we cannot back it up from our exegesis. Yet, if we claim “God told me,” how could you possibly question us? You would sound like a skeptic or heretic if you did.

Ideally, I should put the necessary study and time to be sure.  If I can’t prove it, then I ought to think twice before saying it and at least admit it is speculation.


Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to Teach the Bible

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study, Bible Study 201, teaching

Marks of False Teachers

November 2, 2016 by Krisan Marotta

Marks of False Teachers - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

A vital part of your Bible study arsenal is learning to recognize false teachers. Here are three interesting lists — both modern and classic — on how to discern a true teacher from a false teacher.  Notice the similarities.


Over 100 years ago, J.C. Ryle, a prominent Anglican clergyman in nineteenth-century Britain, gave 8 symptoms of false teachers in his book Warnings to Churches:

“Many things combine to make the present increase of false doctrine especially dangerous.

  1. There is an undeniable zeal in some teachers of error—their “earnestness” makes many people think they must be right.
  2. There is a great appearance of learning and theological knowledge—many think that such clever and intellectual men must surely be safe to listen to.
  3. There is a general tendency to completely free and independent thinking today—many like to prove their independence of judgment by believing the newest ideas, which are nothing but novelties.
  4. There is a wide-spread desire to appear kind, loving, and open-minded—many seem half-ashamed to say that anybody can be wrong or is a false teacher.
  5. There is always a portion of half-truth taught by modern false teachers–they are always using scriptural words and phrases, but with unscriptural meaning.
  6. There is a public craving for a more sensational and entertaining worship—people are impatient with the more inward and invisible work of God within the hearts of men.
  7. There is a superficial readiness all around to believe anyone who talks cleverly, lovingly and earnestly, forgetting that Satan often masquerades himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians:11:14).
  8. There is a wide-spread ignorance among professing Christians—every heretic who speaks well is surely believed, and anyone who doubts him is called narrow-minded and unloving.

All these are especially symptoms of our times. I challenge any honest and observant person to deny them. These tend to make the assaults of false doctrine today especially dangerous and make it even more important to say loudly, “Do not be carried away with strange doctrine!”

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Tim Challies, a pastor and author from Toronto Ontario, posted this intriguing list of “7 Marks of a False Teacher:”

  1. False teachers are man pleasers. What they teach is meant to please the ear more than profit the heart.
  2. False teachers save their harshest criticism for God’s most faithful servants.
  3. False teachers teach their own wisdom and vision.
  4. False teachers miss what is of central importance and focus instead on the small details.
  5. False teachers obscure their false doctrine behind eloquent speech and what appears to be impressive logic.
  6. False teachers are more concerned with winning others to their opinions than in helping and bettering them.
  7. False teachers exploit their followers.
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Colin Smith gave this list of questions to ask in his post 7 Traits of False Teachers on The Gospel Coalition’s website:

  • Different Source – Where does the message come from?
  • Different Message – What is the substance of the message? For the true teacher, Jesus Christ is central.
  • Different Position – In what positions will the message leave you?
  • Different Character – What kind of people does the message produce?
  • Different Appeal – Why should you listen to the message?
  • Different Fruit – What result does the message have in people’s live?
  • Different End – Where does the message ultimately lead you?”
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Related Interesting Articles:

The Apostles Who Don’t Do Anything: The New Apostolic Reformation

An Unconditionally Conditional Faith: Emergent theology Part 1

Understanding Emergent Theology Part 2

(Dis)ingenuous – Emergent Theology Part 3

Why I reject Emergent Theology

Beth Moore Confronts Young Pastor’s Wife for Criticizing Her Direct, Divine Revelation

A Few Brief Thoughts on the Hatmaker Hermeneutic

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Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to teach

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo by Sam Field on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study 201, false teachers, teaching

02 Living the Psalms

July 4, 2016 by Krisan Marotta

Living the Psalms | WednesdayintheWord.com

Living the Psalms Lecture Notes*

NOTE: *The audio recording of this presentation was lost. Below is a compilation of notes from those who attended.

New Bible Commentary (1 Volume) – has a great commentary on the Psalms by A. Motyer. Recommend this for a good, overall, 1-volume commentary.

Overview

  • Psalms are the prayer book & hymn book of the Bible; They are meant to teach us how to pray and praise.
  • Psalms is the longest book in Bible. These are God’s words, and therefore they teach accurate ways to approach God.
  • Psalms are written in poetry. Poetry expresses our emotions & deepest longings; and speaks more in metaphor and image; poetry requires a different kind of interpretation.
  • It used to be that pastors were required to memorize all 150 Psalms before entering the ministry.
  • We tend to hide from God, and then adopt “holy vocabulary”. Psalms instead are honest. We’re good at faking – looking good on the outside when we are wrecks on the inside. We do this with each other, but there’s danger in bringing that posture to God, and subtly attempting to polish/perform in front of God to gain His favor. Psalms teach us how to be honest before God.
  • We tend to pray based on our circumstances (self-referential). Psalms help us to pray on God’s agenda. Praying this way defines reality based on God rather than on me. We tend to approach God on “what do I need” or” how do I get God to bless my agenda.” Psalms teach us to focus on God’s agenda.
  • More psalms of lament than any other type. They people of God need to learn to cry out to God (not about God). This suggests that suffering is normal and we ought to be prepared for it. Need to learn to complain to God in faith, not complain about God.
  • Learn the Psalms as a child learning to speak, by repeating and mimicking, so we ought to learn the language of God. The Spirit takes the words of the Psalms and reshapes our lives.
  • Jesus most often quoted Psalms.

Walter Bruggemann developed a way to categorize psalms:

Orientation – psalms which celebrate God & creation; (praise, etc.) e.g. Psalm. 1
Disorientation – lament psalms (sin and consequence) – Psalm 51 & Psalm 88
Reorientation – start as laments and end with praise (God reverses our despair and self pity) – Psalm 73

Examples:

Psalm 1 (Wisdom or Orientation Psalm)
Notice contrasting images of tree vs chaff

  • Vs 1-3 = Righteous
  • Vs 1 = A (Blessed)
  • Vs 2 = B (Character)
  • Vs 3 = C (Results)
  • Vs 4-6 = Wicked
  • Vs 4 = C (Results)
  • Vs 5 = B (Character)
  • Vs 6 = A (no blessed)

Psalm 51 (Lament, disorientation)
Model for confession and repentance
Notice:

  • basis for request (God’s mercy)
  • who the transgression is against
  • how it’s accomplished
  • “create” vs 10 only used in Scripture of God’s activity

Psalm 88 – Disorientation
a psalm that gives expression to the feeling that God has left us. But notice it’s addressed to God. God is still there even when you don’t see it

Psalm 145
Acrostic Psalm; each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet (ABCD, etc). A-Z – explains the goodness of God and summons us to understand life from His perspective.

Next: 03 Interpreting the Psalms

Previous: 01 How to Study the Psalms

Series: How to Study Psalms

Resources: Psalms

For more: Bible Study 101

Photo used here under Flickr Creative Commons.

Filed Under: Passages, Psalms Tagged With: Psalms, teaching

How to prepare teaching notes

June 15, 2016 by Krisan Marotta

How to prepare teaching notes - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

Perhaps the most frequent question I get asked about teaching the Bible is: “do you write out your notes word for word or speak from an outline?” Often this question is followed by: “What does your page you look like? Do you color code or use different fonts?”

Over my 30+ years of teaching, I’ve tried every method for notes: speaking from memory, writing my talk word for word on paper and/or a tablet, using an outline, using an annotated copy of Scripture, using Powerpoint slides with and without the notes feature, and even working from old fashioned index cards.

Tips to find your style

Ultimately, how you handle your speaking notes will depend on personal preference. Here are some ideas that may help you find your style:

Only speak from a tablet when you know what the lighting will be like in the location at the time of day you are speaking. I’ve run into troubles with too much glare in the room to see the screen. It’s distracting to the audience if you’re constantly tipping and tilting the tablet to see your notes.

If you have trouble staying within your time limits, try writing out more of your speaking text. I find more text helps me stay within time limits and avoid side tracks.

The more you know the material and the more you have taught it, the less you probably need to write.  By the third or fourth time I’ve taught I passage, I find I can teach from a 1-page outline or annotated Scripture passage. But the first time I teach a passage, I want more notes.

Write enough so that you can return to the material and know what you said.  A phrase like “analogy of the soccer trip” may mean nothing to you in 10 years even though you could tell the story from memory today. Even if you don’t intend to speak from the full text, write enough content to give your future self the full picture.

If you quote someone, copy the quotes into your text so you can read it without taking time to open a book or a computer window. Remember to include the source of the quotation in your notes for future reference.

Use a method that builds your confidence. Everyone gets nervous no matter how many years they teach.  If more text on the page encourages you to relax into speaking, speak from detailed notes. If less text on the page helps you to establish rapport and a conversational speaking tone, speak form less notes.

If you use paper, remember to number your pages. This sounds silly, but you’d be surprised how many times pages numbers have saved me from disaster.

Whatever method you choose, practice with it. Before the event, do a dress rehearsal –in the location and with an audience who can give you real feedback if possible. Time your practice, make a video and/or audio recording and learn from it.

My hybrid outline style

I’ve found the method that works best for me is a hybrid outline and full text. This hybrid outline allows me to quickly scan the page for the next main point while the full text allows me to drop into reading if I get flustered or lost. I created a style set in Microsoft Word (called “Talk Style”) that contains my standard formats.

I use Arial 14-point font because it’s clean, easy to read and large enough that I don’t have to worry about lighting in the room. With this font and hybrid style, 12-15 pages is about a 30 minute talk; 15-20 pages is 45 minutes. Since my typical talk is limited to 40-45 minutes, if my notes format to over 20 pages I know I’m too long. Here are the styles I use:

NORMAL – Font: Arial, 14 pt; Left justify;  Line spacing:  single; Space After:  10 pt; Widow/Orphan control on.

I reserve this style for main points and transition statements.  If it’s crucial to understanding,  it’s on the left margin. When speaking, I can quickly glance down the left side of the page to see my next main point and/or transition. I keep this level to 1-2 short sentences, so it is easy to grasp at a glance.

Level 2- same formatting as Normal, except Indent: Left:  0.25″. 

I use Level 2 for explanations or sub-points underneath the main points. I keep these paragraphs short, with no more than one idea per paragraph. Typically the first sentence in the paragraph is the most crucial and the only one I need to read to know what I want to say. Sometimes I use the highlight feature to make me notice key words or concepts.

  • If I need to run through a list, I use bullets with the Level 2 formatting.
  • This helps me know where the list falls in the outline.
  • I keep the bullets short so I can scan each idea

Level 3 – same formatting as normal except Indent: Left:  0.55″. 

I use Level 3 for asides, tangents, or the answer to an anticipated audience question. These paragraphs are the ones I can skip if we got started late or need to shorten the schedule. If I think this particular audience needs to hear it and we have time, I include them.  But I know I can skip them for time.

If this idea is a true aside that I know I don’t want to include, but want to remember the idea. I use Level 3 formatting with a smaller font. Typically this might be background information or technical grammatical points.

Scripture Quotes – Whenever I quote Scripture, I copy the entire text I want to read into my notes, put it on the left margin, in italic and often in a different color. This helps me easily refer to Scripture during Q&A.  Note: if you are making an audio recording of your talk, read Scripture yourself into the microphone rather than asking an audience member to read it. This practice ensures people listening to the MP3 in their cars can hear it.

I use Subheads only for the major sections like: Open, Review, Body and Conclusion.  I use subheads during preparation to remind me what still needs to be written, then I ignore them when speaking.

Preparation Schedule

I write the body of the talk first, then add the examples or analogies. The last thing I write is the open and close. My typical preparation looks like this:

First draft/Blank page – I start with the body of the talk: main points and sub-points. My goal is to get every idea from my head onto the paper. I give no thought to organization, word choice, or style. Editing is not allowed. I write and don’t look back until all the ideas are in my document. No filtering, no editing, no second-guessing at this point.

Second draft – In addition to working on the content, I also begin working on the transitions and organization. The goal here is to improve the flow of thought, clarity and word choice, add transitions, prune the extraneous and fill in the gaps.

Third draft – I call this my polishing stage. At this point I tackle the heavy editing and second guessing (Do I need this? Is this clear? What have I assumed the audience knows or doesn’t know?). This is also where I add examples, application (if not already covered in the second draft), and finally write the open and close.

Final Draft – the week of the talk I do a dress rehearsal, timing and/or taping the talk. Yes, I practice every time and no matter how many times I’ve given the talk before. This is my last chance to fix any problems in content, timing and delivery, and it makes the content fresh in my mind.

If you’re thinking “wow, that takes so much time,” you’re absolutely correct. Especially since this process starts AFTER I’ve completed an inductive study, an analytical outline, consulted commentaries, and done copious amounts of research.

When I hear pastors joke about starting their Sunday sermon on Saturday night, it mystifies me. I hope there is no truth behind these comments. I once calculated that I typically spend 12 hours in preparation for every 30 minutes I speak.

Presuming to explain the Word of God is a calling we ought to take seriously, putting in the required time, study and prayer. Besides time spent in Bible study is truly rewarding and valuable! Like any new skill, it seems overwhelming at first. But once you taste your first fruits of understanding, the joy is sweet and satisfying.

Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to teach

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo used here under Flickr Creative Commons.

Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study, Bible Study 201, teaching

4 people you need to improve your teaching

May 13, 2015 by Krisan Marotta

4 people you need to improve your teaching - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

At a writer’s conference, one interesting speaker claimed everyone needs 3 people to become a better writer and blogger. I think his list applies to Bible teachers — with one addition. He said you need a cheerleader, a coach and critic.  I’d add a craftsman. Ideally these should be different people.

A Cheerleader

A “cheerleader” is the person who encourages you to keep going. Your cheerleader gives you the positive feedback and emotional support you need to slog through the down times and rebound from the failures.

A Coach

A “coach” is the person who holds you accountable so that you meet your goals and deadlines. Your coach is not concerned with how you feel or whether you have an excuse. The coach’s job is to hold your feet to the fire and say, “just do it.” A coach is someone who asks you questions to help you find your own solutions.

A Critic

A “critic” gives you the negative feedback you need to improve. Unlike the cheerleader, the critic is there to tell you everything that needs work and could have been better. The critic need not be a fellow teacher. In fact, it can be really insightful to recruit a critic from your target audience.

A Craftsman

A “craftsman” is the person you apprentice under to learn your trade. Pick several teachers who have a style that resonates with you. Attend as many of their presentations as you can with the goal of watching and learning. Notice how they organize and present. Try to learn how they attacked the passage and arrived at their conclusions, and how they tailor those conclusions to the particular audience.

While your craftsman may be someone you only observe from the audience, you’ll probably learn more if you can meet with her face-to-face and ask questions.

Find your folks

Before you ask someone to mentor you, think about which people you already have in your life and which roles you need. One person may be able to fulfill more than one role, but diversity is usually better.

Consider which person is suited to which role. Your best friend might already be your best cheerleader.   Your marriage might fair better if you ask your spouse to be a coach rather than a critic.

After you identify the roles you need and the best people to fill them, approach your folks about filling a specific role and make it clear what you expect from that role. Problems arise when your friend assumes you want a critic, but you are expecting a cheerleader.

Trust your team

Finally, listen to your team. When your coach enforces your deadline, you have no cause to be annoyed.  When your cheerleader encourages you, ignore the “trash talk” in your head that discounts her words.  When your critic offers negative feedback, you should not be hurt or surprised. You can rejoice that your team is doing the job you asked them to do, and it is part of the plan to improve.

Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to Teach the Bible

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


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Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study 201, teaching

Becoming a Bible teacher

January 27, 2015 by Krisan Marotta

Becoming a Bible Teacher |WednesdayintheWord.com

So you’d like to teach the Bible?  How do you get started?  How do you decide if Bible teaching is your calling? Here’s my advice for aspiring teachers.

You have to love to study the Word.

First, you have to love to love the word of God and enjoying studying the Bible.  And I mean LOVE studying!

For every 30 minutes I spend teaching, I spend 12-15 hours in Bible study and preparation.   It helps if you enjoy public speaking, but in terms of time spent, the private study far outweighs the public speaking.

Fortunately bible study is an acquired taste! The more you learn, the more it tastes like honey.  You don’t need to go to seminary, but you do need a voracious appetite for studying and the ability to learn independently.

Teaching is a lonely calling.

Second, be warned that Bible teaching is a lonely calling.  You spend a great deal of time alone with your books.  If you’re gregarious by nature, you may find teaching a hard road.

If you’re attracted by the glory of being up front or the appeal of others looking up to you, re-read the book of Jeremiah.

Almost all teaching offends someone.  Declare what you believe in front of others and you will take criticism.  Theology by its very nature is divisive.   Saying you believe A is true means B is false.  Your friends who believe B may choose not to remain friends.  As you grow in discernment and wisdom, it is really tempting to inappropriately judge your friends with your new found knowledge (see #3).

Being right will not make you righteous.

Finally, realize that being right does not make you righteous.   Hours of prayerful, humble Bible study will pay off in wisdom, knowledge and discernment.  You may win all the arguments with your friends because you’re just plain right, but you’ll still be a sinner in need of God’s grace.   It still takes the work of the Holy Spirit in your humble contrite heart to bring about lasting genuine change.

Ready to get started?

Improve your study skills

There are lots of good books on how to study the bible.  Pick one and dive in.  Here are some of my favorites;

Basics of Bible Interpretation, by Bob Smith – a classic! great for the beginner.  Now available FREE online, though I believe you can still buy a paper copy.

Living by the Book, (Book and Workbook) by Howard G Hendricks & William Hendricks – also available as an ebook and a video series.  Don’t be intimidated by the size of the book.  The writing is clear and engaging and you will learn a lot.

The Joy of Discovery in Bible Study, by Oletta Ward – a classic resource for small groups to work through together; teachers guide is also available. This book is great for beginners.

The Language of God: A Commonsense Approach to Understanding and Applying the Bible, by Ron Julian, J.A. Crabtree and David Crabtree — this is a GREAT book for understanding the principles, methodology and philosophy of Bible study.  I highly recommend it.

How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart  – this is a must have resource; no Bible student should be without and it now comes as an e-book.  Re-read the chapter for your particular type of passage when you start a new study.

Invest in good study software.  There are several good ones. My favorite is E-Sword and its sister site BibleSupport.com  E-sword is free (though I encourage you to make a donation if you become a regular user) and it does everything.

Find a mentor

As you improve your study skills, find a great Bible teacher and attach yourself to him/her.  In fact find a few.  Even if you can’t formally mentor with your chosen teacher, attend every time she speaks and study both her content and her presentation.  Notice how he organizes the material, how he matches application to the audience and especially how he arrives at his conclusions. Thanks to the internet, you can “study under” many teachers online without ever meeting face-to-face.  I haven’t seen some of my mentors in 20 years, but I rarely miss their teaching.

If you can formally mentor with a teacher, pick a passage with the goal of teaching it and then practice teach it to your mentor.  Or find a small group who is willing to give you honest feedback.  Then be willing to listen to it.

Hone your theology

Take a Old or New Testament survey class or a class on systematic theology.   Study church history, the biblical languages and any other gaps in your knowledge.  Read, research and read some more.  There is always more to learn! For example:

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul — a must-read book, especially for new believers

Foundations: An Overview of Systematic Theology (DVD series) by RC Sproul; This is a DVD series of 60 23-minute lessons; the small time chunks make it easy to fit into busy schedules. You can buy the DVD or sign up to take it as a course online with a study guide.

Study 1 Corinthians 1-4 and take it to heart.

Study.  Practice. Teach.  Repeat.  Before you know it you’ll be a Bible teacher.

Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to teach

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


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Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study, Bible Study 201, teaching

Basics of Bible Interpretation

June 23, 2014 by Krisan Marotta

Basics of Bible Interpretation - Bible Study 101 | WednesdayintheWord.com

I recently re-visited the first book I ever read on how to study the bible: Bob Smith’s Basics of Bible Interpretation.  My paper copy was published in 1978, but the book is now available for free online.

Though the language and examples are sometimes dated, this book stands the test of time.  If anything, it is more relevant today than ever, as the art of expository bible teaching has become an endangered species in our instant society.

Consider these points from chapter 3 about the goal of Bible study:

Sermonizing is not Bible study. 

Sermons are often emotional, motivational appeals to action.  Teachers frequently springboard off the language of the text, diving deep into platitudes and catchy stories designed to inspire and motivate us to the chosen call of action.  At their worst, they have nothing to do with the passage of Scripture read. As Smith writes: “The speaker wheeled back and forth like an eagle over the text but he never came to rest upon it.”

Whipping up three or four good exhortations from a text is not Bible study. 

Exhortations are great, as long as they come from the passage at hand.  Often they are merely calls to action and repentance.  As Smith writes: “After the text was read there issued a torrent of words exhorting us to five different things.  God knows that we needed at least ten exhortations, but God also knows that the relationship of the text to the exhortations was completely accidental.”

Academic exegesis is not Bible study. 

While most sermons today don’t regale us with their understanding of the aorist or the jussive, they often regale us with their scholarly analysis of popular culture, psychology and research statistics. Again, impressive but not the goal of bible study.

Propagandizing is not Bible Study. 

Smith wrote it best: “Like the fingers of the pianist race up and down the keyboard, so his fingers raced through the Bible finding the relevant verses.  Plunk, ping, plunk! It did not take long before I realized we were not having Bible study but a party line. The Bible was a keyboard and the teacher was playing his own tune upon it.”

Pious observations are not Bible study. 

“The poor man of God does everything but explain the text.  I got 30 minutes of various and diverse unrelated and uninspiring pious observations.  Each observation was a worthy one.  But the passage itself remained untouched.  We had been all around the text but never in it.”

Smith concludes:

The actual goal of Bible study is to convey the meaning to the people of a set number of verses. …. The heart of Bible study must always be the matter of meaning.  The first question of Bible study is not: “What is devotional here?” nor “What is of practical importance here?” nor “What is inspirational here?” but “What does this passage mean?”

If you’re looking for a summer refresher course on Bible study or to begin learning how to study, Basics of Bible Interpretation by Bob Smith is still a good choice.

Want more?

When you finish Bob Smith’s book, here are a few more good choices.

Knowing Scripture, by RC Sproul is designed to help people master the basic rules of biblical interpretation.

How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart – this is a must have resource; no Bible student should be without and it now comes as an e-book. Re-read the chapter for your particular type of passage when you start a new study.

How to Get the Most from God’s Word by John MacArthur; free on archive.org

Living by the Book (Book and Workbook) by Howard G Hendricks & William Hendricks – also available as an ebook and a video series. Don’t be intimidated by the size of the book. The writing is clear and engaging and you will learn a lot.

Living by the Book by Howard G. Hendricks. Available free on archive.org.

The Joy of Discovery in Bible Study by Oletta Ward – a classic resource for small groups to work through together; teachers guide is also available.

The Joy of Discovery in Bible Study by Oletta Ward. Available free on archive.org.

The Language of God: A Commonsense Approach to Understanding and Applying the Bible by Ron Julian, J.A. Crabtree and David Crabtree — (out of print; but still can be found).  This is a GREAT book for understanding the principles, methodology and philosophy of Bible study. The authors apply what they teach to a very difficult passage (James 5). The book is worth it just to understand James 5.


Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo by Alice Hampson on Unsplash

Filed Under: 101Theory Tagged With: Bible Study, teaching

When to tell a story in teaching

May 30, 2014 by Krisan Marotta

When to tell a story in teaching - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

One of today’s most popular sermon outlines is:

  • tell a story
  • read the passage
  • make 3 points
  • finish the story.

After all everyone loves a good story.  Stores are memorable and everyone relates to them.

But stories in sermons also have a downside: people tend to remember the story rather than the meaning of the passage. In my 25+ years as a bible teacher, I’ve had students joyfully remind me of a personal story I told years in the past. Never once have they also been able to recall the passage of Scripture the story was intended to illustrate — which defeats the purpose of telling the story.

Should we throw out stories altogether? No. When used wisely, stories in sermons and lectures have a positive place.

Here are my rules of thumb for when and when not to include a story in a lecture.

Listeners should leave knowing more about Scripture than the speaker.

The goal of bible study and sermons must always be to convey the essential meaning of a set number of verses to the listeners. To convey that meaning, we explain the concepts of Scripture in language modern ears will understand.

All stories, illustrations and explanations ought to serve that goal. Without explaining meaning, no real bible study has taken place — only pious observations, emotional exhortations and some interesting but pointless stories.

Make sure your stories serve the goal of furthering understanding of the meaning of the text. Be ruthlessly honest with yourself, realizing that we all love to talk about ourselves. Strip the story to its essential elements to make sure it furthers understanding rather than distracts.

I listened to an MP3 of a 26-minute sermon and 16 minutes in the pastor was still telling a personal life story. While that type of personal reflection *might* be warranted on rare occasions between a pastor and his flock, it ought to be the exception to the rule. Using almost half your allotted time to talk about yourself practically guarantees listeners will remember you rather than Scripture.

When the text is a story, it is the illustration.

When teaching one of the many narrative passages of Scripture, the story in the text is the point. We are to learn from the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, etc. Their lives are the example.

If you are teaching from 1Samuel for example, David’s life story is the illustration of the meaning of the text. Explain his story, not your own.

However, when the text provides no story (Proverbs, for example), illustrations from your own life often serve the goal of conveying the essential meaning of the text.

In the end, students ought to leave knowing more about what the passage means and who God is rather than about the personal life of the speaker.

Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to teach

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Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study, Bible Study 201, teaching

Plagiarism and Bible Teaching

April 25, 2014 by Krisan Marotta

Plagiarism and Bible Teaching - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

You’ve probably heard the joke that the greatest insult you can give a Bible teacher is that your work is both original and good. Why is that funny? The part that’s original is not good, and the part that’s good is not original. 

The goal of Bible study is to be right, not original.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.  – 2Timothy 2:15

Folks have been studying Scripture for 1000s of years.  At this point in history, I suspect any truly original interpretation is probably wrong. It’s hubris to think that in all that study no one ever got it right (until I came along). On the other hand, it’s folly to ignore good work done by those who came before us.

Ideally, we have an unbroken chain of understanding from Jesus to the apostles through the Scriptures to various teachers who pass on that same truth today. Original thinking could very well break the chain.

What crosses the line?

As a bible teacher, when I learn truth from someone and pass it on, how much should I change to avoid plagiarism and how much should I keep to avoid corrupting the truth? Isn’t it better to effectively communicate truth than to develop an original, less-effective way to communicate truth? How much “borrowing” is too much?

How do we know when we are “accurately handling the word of truth” and when we have crossed a copyright line?

While I don’t claim to have all the answers or a perfect citation record, as a teacher who is constantly learning from others, I’ve had to develop some general guidelines:

Give credit to anyone quoted verbatim and/or at length.  If you are publishing, copyrighting or making money off the work, be even more diligent about proper citations.

Communicate ideas in your own words freely. The specific expression of an idea is protected by copyright, but the idea itself is not.

Rather than reading and citing a long reference work verbatim, summarize (“as one scholar explained…’) and communicate the idea in your own words. In free & open teaching settings (leading a small group, teaching a large group or otherwise freely sharing ideas), citations can be disruptive and lengthy verbatim quotes difficult to follow. 

For example, Ray Stedman was my first pastor. As a baby-believer, I attended his church and read all his books. So much of his thought has become my thought that sometimes I don’t know when I’m quoting him or simply teaching what I believe to be true.

Whenever I teach Ephesians 4, I use Ray’s analogy from his book Body Life.  I cite the source, explain the analogy in my own words and encourage folks to read the book for more detail.

But sometimes I’m explaining a passage that I heard Ray teach at some point. Am I quoting him? Probably. Do I realize it? No. I am echoing his thought, because I absorbed it like a sponge in the years I attended his church.

And, Ray Stedman is not my only mentor. I am deeply grateful for the many who have taught me well. I have been blessed to know some of my mentors personally while others I know only through MP3s and thick reference books.

I love learning. I enjoy copious research. When I find a strong, biblical teacher, I attach like a parasite, drinking deeply of the nourishment he or she offers. While I haven’t seen my college pastors or my teachers at the McKenzie Study Center in 30 years, they still teach me through their sermons, blogs, books and articles. I never met RC Sproul, but I feel like I knew him well — at least I know his scholarship — through his ministry.

Original thinking?

I gave up being an “original thinker” years ago. The more I learn, the less I study a text completely on my own. While I always begin by wrestling with the text through my own study and prayer, once I have the general flow and the puzzles to be solved, I turn to my trusted teachers, reference books, and scholars.

I’ve finely tuned my theological ear to recognize good methodology carefully applied. I’ve learned who is most likely to have the cultural background, who is likely to know the nuances of the original languages, who has done the most work on poetry and prophecy, etc.

I seek the expert most likely to answer the question at hand. Then I learn, synthesize and incorporate. If I cited the source of every idea in my talks, every sentence would be from somewhere. There might be 50-100 different sources.

Understanding, not phrases

But — and this is an important distinction — I’m not looking for what to say, so much as how to properly understand the passage and “accurately handle the word of truth.”

One of the very first times I taught publicly, I tried to cite every book I used and every name who taught me. Afterward, my mentor told me he never wanted me to cite him again — not because he was angry with me, he was encouraging.  He told me something I’ve never forgotten:

“Truth is truth. Learn it, make it your own and teach it to others.”

Consciously or not, he was echoing Paul’s advice to Timothy:

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. – 2Timothy 2:2

Yes, there’s a sense in which I am a product of plagiarism. But I pray that I am also a link in the faithful chain of those entrusted with the truth and passing it on.

Recently a women I co-labor with taught a passage I had helped her understand. To my delight and joy, she used phrases and minor quotes from my notes — enhancing and improving on them from her own study. Some might call that plagiarism, but it made my heart sing.  Just so, the chain goes on.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.- Psalm 19:14

Part of the Series: Bible Study 201: Learn to teach

Where to next?

Bible Study 101

Resource Library

Resources Book of the Bible


Photo by Janayara Machado on Unsplash

Filed Under: Bible Study 201 Tagged With: Bible Study, plagiarism, teaching

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