Making Your Message Heard

Introduction:  
Preparing to teach and teaching the bible is like preparing a sandwich and serve it.  You go through the basics of laying the bread, then spread, then meat, then vegetables, then the cheese.   Ok, so you put the cheese first after the meat.  Whatever the case maybe, you follow a system - so is preparing to teach the bible.

What is your system?
Looking at the "preparing the sandwich" methodology, can you outline in brief points your system in preparing to teach the bible?


Why prepare at all?

• The Bible is God's Word
• It's easy to miss the context
• The Bible was written in a different setting
• Your audience leaves in a secular, non-spiritual generation
• You are there to transform lives, not inform

Some suggestions when preparing to teach God's word: 

1. Always look at the big idea
2. Select or determine the passage in study
3. Read, re-read your passage 
1. until you can say it in a statement what the whole passage is all about
4. Study the passage to be taught
5. Determine the purpose or the point of your lesson
6. Identify your class environment
1. Determine how long you are going to teach
2. Identify the your age group needs
7. Craft your lesson from the hearers perspective
8. Investigate ways how to have a good interaction with your lesson

Some suggestions to promoting your class: 

1. Communicate with your students throughout the week
2. Give homework or assignments in between sessions
1. Interview
2. Identify current events
3. Pray for certain items
4. Read the passage ahead of time
3. Assign roles for next week's class
1. Scripture Reading
2. Help explain a segment

Conclusion:  

Your teaching preparation does not have to remain static.   What are three things you can adapt or change on your teaching preparation?   How can you encourage your students today?