Prepare a Lesson with Specific Individuals in Mind

I routinely see teachers preparing for an "abstract"audience of fake people. May I be blunt here? This leads to babbling, not life change.

(And I'm a Brooke, so I know about babbling :-)

If you prepare a lesson to a generic audience, it's going to be much weaker than a lesson you've prepared with specific people in mind.

Each person in this group needs to feel that you are speaking with them alone. That this lesson is exactly whatthey needed this week.

How do you do this? Well (to be blunt) YOU don't -- but the LORD can!

Ask the Lord to give you a small number of people and help you understand how this Bible topic or passage will meettheir needs. Not everyone in the group, just pick a small number. Pick at least 2, even if your group is only 5. You want to have more than person.

Picture them vividly in your mind. Imagine them listeningto the lesson, answering questions, receiving the Word gladly, getting life-changing insights and ideas, and experiencing conviction from God about what they need to do differently this week.

This process helps you sharpen up your lesson content.

Now you're not just making a speech to a bland group, but giving life-changing gems to real people with real needs and real situations they need to face off.

As you practice this way, you will be able to recognize what doesn't belong in your lesson, what needs to be saidor asked a different way. It's powerful. Use this approach, and you'll be teaching the Bible to change lives.