I'm working on a special report, and would really like your help.
What do you see as the problems, weaknesses, challenges and trends with Bible teaching today?
I'm genuinely interested in your perspective, so comment on this post.
Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
24 comments:
Hi Glenn, greetings in Jesus Name.
What the teachers are lacking is a good delivery method i.e with pictures of biblical settings etc.
One can teach without pictures to a crowd of learned or educated guys but I find that there are people who understand much better with bible pictures.As the saying goes, a picture paints a 1000 words.Keep doing HIS work.God bless.Cornelius Veloo Malaysia
Hi Glenn,
I personally believe that people are nowadays reading too many books which do not contain sound doctrines. The bible is somewhat bypassed by these books (i wont mention the authors). It is becoming more difficult for people to accept what is simply taught in the bible because what they read have brainwashed them. Their ears want to hear things which are pleasing and it is a challenge for teachers to bring them back to the bible. We should not dilute the Gospel to satisfy what their itching ears want to hear, we should not compromise but preach the Word as it is whether they like it or not:)
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Tim. 2:3,4 (NIV)
We are in this time.
People are no longer satisfied with this old book written more than 2000 years ago...They want to hear new things but God's Word is unchanging so it is somewhat a challenge to go against the flow. But we are satisfied with this old but life giving book-the BIBLE. God gave us this calling to teach His Word, so let us be faithful and be always willing to communicate what God has entrusted us. It is quite difficult to make people love the Word because not everyone value it the same.
But Paul said to Timothy:
"But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you". (NLT)
God bless you brother.
Cedric
Problem- Biblical illiteracy among God's people. A tendancy to piecmeal scripture "what this verse means for ME" instaed of what God meant to the original hearers the apply that spiritual truth to our lives.Most tend to view scripture through 21st century lens and get a distorted idea of what it says.Example:Why would Laban pursue Jacob over some statues he could have re-purchased? The 21st century cannot answer that for us.
Challenge-Much of what God teaches confilcts with modern "church"(small c ) goals:counting heads( no discipleship or accountability),filling the plate every week(why we dont have discipleship or accountability-they might leave and stop shelling out)and all so that "we" can continue with the "programs "we" approve of.Where is God? What about the lost?
A big issue today is that too many do not want to really hear what God's word says. Much of it would reduce "church membership rolls". It would have the effect of purification of the true Church-Christ's Body-- then true growth can occur and membership increase. God's word cuts before it heals too many ( in fact seem to be the powers that be in many local churches)only want to have their ears tickled -- we're ok we're doin our God thing-- and do not want to be where God wants us if it means getting there His way. His way is the way of the cross first then glory.
As teachers we MUST do our homework!! Then we MUST teach no matter the cost. James tells us we are held to a higher standard and it is better to answer to a disgruntled "churchian" now then the Master later. Leaders need to lead not be led. It is past time for leaders to make a stand for biblical truth and forget political correctness.
In my country,there is no Biblic education,
it is starting,somehow,
merry xmas,happy 2009,Gleenn
Angel
The problem that I see is that the presentation by the speaker is very weak and/not effective. Why? Either the speaker doesn't believe what he/she is saying or that person is presching/teaching on a subject that they are living right/or wrong, and believe me you can see whether it's being lived.
Wonderful, thanks all for your observations! What else?
What do you see as the problems, weaknesses, challenges and
trends with Bible teaching today?
Before I comment, Glenn, let me just say, Bravo to your work to further the Lord's Kingdom.
Teaching and Teachers are a must in this dying and evil world. You and many others are a blessing to countless people who need to hear the Truth. Thank you.
First, I beleive there are numerous problems but one that I run across quite often is a lack of commitment by i, the teacher and 2, the students. People today can not and will not commit.
Second, A weakness I am terribly concerned about is not only taking place in Sunday School but in both Public and Private Schools of Learning. If the students think the material is too hard they "lay down" and loose interest. But what makes this worse is that their parents support them in this.
Thirdly, The greatest challenge for teachers today is to try and eradicate the first two...lack of commitment by students and lack of support by parents to ensure that their children learn God's Word.
There will come a day if this problem keeps up when our children's children will never know Jesus. This scares me to death to think that this Nation and the Christians of this Nation will allow our children the "luxury" of not going to Sunday School to learn, worship, and serve the One and Only God of the Universe, Jesus Christ, our Lord. For we know that one day, at the Name of Jesus, EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess, Jesus Is Lord!
In my own experiences as both a Bible student and teacher I have discovered it is much easier to share your knowledge than it is to share your own life. Many teaching also are very strong "pulpit to pew" monologue conversations than dialogue. In my opinion the more personable and transparent I become, and the more I am willing to develop a relationship with those I am sharing with, the more effective the teaching is.
Shalom, Glen!
As it was with the Master, so goes our challenges, problems, trends and weaknesses today.
As His servants we will experience just as did the disciples, in varying degrees depending on our country of habitation or the extent to which our worship is allowed. In the United States, our freedom to worship is much less persecuted. Yet, we sometimes forget how blessed we are.
Nonetheless, our culture surprises us with its challlenge to supress teaching the Gospel.
This mandates sound doctrine in the church today. It mandates teaching acuity to our best ability with what we have.
Having taught adults, teens, young teens, primary not many churches can provide all tools. It takes years of Christian Education maturity to do this.
This is why the Holy Spirit appoints vessels called teachers.
The Teachers must be sure to be filled with the Holy Spirit or teaching without the TEACHER is a problem.
One trend is toward "heady knowledge". We must teach Christ as love and as Lord.
May the Lord keep you always.
Wanda
I teach adults now and feel one has to gear the lessons to their needs. I tend to get older people who are reluctant to discuss the text. I feel we need to help them develop confidence in God's word by reading the Bible more often.
Making it relevant to their lives helps to bring the significance of God's Word home.
Jane in Ontario Canada
Hello Glen,may GOD continue to use you in mighty ways.
I am teaching a group of new believers and find that showing them how to use a comentary and bible dictionary is good but I have a problem getting them to think in biblical time aopposed to them thinking in todays time. So I feel that what Kadar said about using pictures of biblical settings would greatly help, and especially biblical settings that coincide with the Book or principle that you are teaching.
I think Challenges
Hi Glenn,
I think to much entertainment in God house and not enough of god.
Hi Glenn, thanks for the opportunity to share.
Firstly i believe that we are depending too much on extra biblical litreture which is taking juice from the scripture. Some of these litretures are only written for the writer's personal benefit and lacks sound doctrine.
Secondly, in my country Grenada many of our churches lack the resources to purchase aids to help with delivery
I have discovered that no matter how much one teaches if the students are notcommitted the efforts will be in vain. There seems to be a lack of commitment by students as well as teachers.
Finally, i believe we need to go back to basics where we depend on the Spirit to guide and lead and direct there is too much of self in our work.
Glenn:
Let me add my thanks for your great heart and commitment to teachers.
There are many challenges, but one of the biggest is an ignorance of the "big picture" of the Bible. When people can put the week's lesson in its proper place in the program of God and see how the whole thing fits together, it opens up great new vistas and helps them come up with legitimate personal applications.
Looking forward to your report!
10,000 Blessings,
Jim
Glen, here are some observations gained from more than three decades in China and on the fringes of China... These are generalizations because I know some wonderful exceptions...
1. Chinese teachers (and Bible teachers) are about as enthusiastic as a marble statue.
2. Many (dare I say most) Chinese are interested simply downloading information to their listeners.
3. It appears that teachers don’t prepare enough but, alas, they have few resources and don’t know what constitutes effective teaching.
4. The idea of setting measurable objectives is foreign. They aim at nothing and hit it dead on.
5. If teachers provided a written outline of key ideas to students it would help the teacher understand what he/she is teaching.
6. Relating the biblical lessons to practical life is seldom done.
7. It is difficult for Chinese to discuss and dialogue in class.
8. Many lessons are hard to teach...teachers should simplify their lessons.
9. Teaching people to think, and even thinking outside of the box is hard for Chinese teachers and students alike.
John
Hong Kong
What a glorious privilege it is to teach God's Word. What I am finding to be the challenge with Bible teaching is how to get students to have these following convictions about Sunday School.
1. Enough concern for the multitudes of people who are lost.
2. Enough prayer for laborers.
3. Enough commitment to surrender to God's call to go.
4. Enough dedication to follow Him day by day.
5. Enough faith to believe Jesus and the truth of His Word.
6. Enough conviction to stand true and firm through it all.
We are not reaching the lost in our communities because of these factors. If we don't figure out how to get our classes fired up and prepared to go out into this world and share the Good News of Jesus Christ, we are going to loose the younger generations. It is estimated that 50% of the lost is 15 years old or less. We have got to figure out ways to get the older generations to fall in love with Jesus again. I believe we forget that there is only two kinds of people in this world. There is lost sinners and saved sinners. We are no better than the worst murderer, theif, and etc. We have got to get our classes to have the compassion for the lost as Jesus did. If we don't, in a couple more generations there want be any teachers to teach or students to disciple. May we fall on our face and humble ourself before the Lord in this coming year and ask the Lord to help us to teach with a passion for Jesus Christ and have compassion for the multitudes of lost souls in this world.
One main assumption that teachers make is that their learners are familiar with the more popular Bible stories such as Samson and Delilah, David, etc.
I have had many parents who started attending church because they felt their children needed to "go to church" but have had no church upbringing and biblical training. So, as teachers we must, at the least, give a brief description of the person or story that we are referring to if we expect them to understand.
Another challenge is society's separation of secular and sacred, which has taught Christians not to analyze societal issues from a biblical worldview.
Greetings, Gleen in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. First I like to thank you for your input in the past because it certainly help me as I taugth Sunday School while in Texas. I am now in MO at a new Church. I am findng my attention is not there because it is not enough of biblical teaching; it's more what the author wrote and some references verses. I perfer the teaching of the word of God, fully.
I have not start teaching yet in MO.
Thanks
Teachers are getting frustrated!
Beware not to become weary in "well doing."
I have seen teachers come and go so fast that the students last longer. Why, because the teacher doesn't feel as if he/she is getting anywhere, and they quit.
There's a saying in the "Lean" industry which declares that, "if the student hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught."
I believe this, but only if the teacher hasn't taught! Many teachers teach but their students DON'T CARE ENOUGH TO LEARN!
And guess what?...it's not the students fault,...it's the parents!
These kids are never taught "committment." They can't sit down for more than 10 minutes and they aren't instructed early enough as youngsters to LEARN. That's right! Parents need to teach there children "how to learn."
I was teaching a class on the old testament one time (Josiah) and the kids thought the lesson was too hard, so after class 2 0r 3 of them went to their parents and complained. Well, I heard about it!
Please people, if we ignore this type of mentality what will the next generation be like? We need to realize that every church is one generation away from closing it's doors unless we train our children in God's Word. Likewise, every next generation of Christians is on the verge of extinction unless we, of this generation, strive to teach our children, in season and out!
We need to be committed to the next generation!
May our Lord's Holy Spirit put it in every heart to hunger and thirst for His Word, Amen.
Neal
Greetings Glenn,
One main challenge is the "too busy syndrome."
It seems as though some believers have become so weary and down trodden until all hope is lost - they are too busy trying to make a life rather than allowing God to live his life through them. The cares of this world have replace worship and study time and real fellowship with God.
Reading all the comments reminds me of the story of the preacher who preached one Sunday. When the people were leaving, they all said, "Great sermon, pastor!"
The next Sunday, he preached the exact same sermon. When the people were leaving, they said, "Good sermon, pastor."
The same thing occurred for the next two Sundays.
Finally, on the fifth Sunday after hearing the exact same sermon, one of the deacons said, "Pastor, that is a good message, but you have been preaching it for five weeks now. when are you going to say something new?"
The pastor replied, "When you begin to do what I've been preaching, we'll change the sermon."
Maybe one of the major problems is the sheer amount of information our students are expected to absorb. Information overload is a definite factor in the lack of commitment that has been mentioned on this post.
From Sunday School Class to the morning service, to the evening service, to the Wednesday service, people hear something different each time. Yet there is no accountability possible. There is no follow up to help them see how they might apply Sunday's lesson the following Friday.
There is no requirement that we cover a certain amount of material in a certain amount of time. That is a concept taken from the failed public education system, of which I am a part.
Maybe we should rethink what a Sunday School lesson should look like.
Hey Glenn, the anointing of the Lord be upon you to continue to teach and spread the Good News of the Gospel.
I feel that the teachers today are lacking the anointing of the Lord upon them to teach where the people will be set free of whatever is holding bound to sin.
The gospel is to be preached so that the people will be set free.
emg
Neal Gracey's comments...AMEN
I'm a teacher and I agree.
These kids are lost and the parents are mostly to blame.
Many of them have no clue what is in God's Word, nor do they care.
They would rather just snack and talk in class about boyfriends, girlfriends, and after school activities.
Ballgames, dates, and shopping takes a front seat to Sunday School.
God help us.
Post a Comment