Thoughtful Thursday...The Ponderings of the Accidental Pastor's Wife

        Teaching The Word of God


   I am a teacher and have been for many years, even before I married. While educating is important in all aspects, I firmly believe that teaching the Word of God is the most vital part of educating there is. This does not apply only to the Sunday School teacher or the pastor of your church, it applies to our homes - our families - every aspect of our lives.
   My husband and I have taught Biblical education (in the form of Sunday school, AWANA, youth ministry, music and missions, pastoring, and Bible studies) from infant to elderly. Every age and season of life has its joys and its difficulties- every age is vital and important to the body of Christ - every age needs taught the Word of God. I would like to share with you the top three vital keys to my teaching strategy.


1. Validity.
     If I don't believe God's Word, I shouldn't teach it. If I don't know it, I shouldn't teach it. Preparedness and planning produce validity and yield a good lesson.

2. Attentiveness.
    If I don't have their attention, I can't educate them. To have success in gaining attentiveness I must first know my audience: what are their ages, interests? can I identify with their joys, struggles? Find a connection. Younger students enjoy games, object lessons, interaction (I love my flannel graph) before settling into a lesson. Older students love to be "drawn in" to a lesson. Our elderly students love a little personal fellowship before a lesson.

3. Obedience.
    With out order there will be chaos- that is not conductive to learning. Younger children need to have creative and energetic release, but they also need to be able to settle down and participate in the learning. It always pays to have a plan when teaching young students; what will you do if there is a situation. Older students still need a sense of order and rhythm - a pattern to follow. Elderly are generally more comfortable with a familiar routine, making teaching smoother.

      Is this an exhaustive list? No, but with out these top three...my teaching doesn't flow and is much less effective. So, as I ponder my Sunday school lesson for this week, I prepare with the keys to teaching God's Word.


simplyscaife   

Unwelcome Visitor

    Arriving at home did not improve my day. Farm boy came around the barn sporting an untimely, and unwelcome visitor; a chicken snake. Seems the snake was in the hen house sampling the eggs. When the farm boy went to gather eggs, the snake stuck at his boots a few times before meeting his fate.
  

  

   Let's pray tomorrow is less adventuresome and more laid back; preferably without another unwelcome visitor.



simplychele

You Just Never Know.....

...where your boots will take you.

   Sometimes the neatest things happen unexpectedly. Our plans to meet and purchase little Typhoon had been hit and miss for several weeks. Aggressive storms, illness, and everyday life kept thwarting our arrangements. When the meeting finally fell together, I admit to feeling rather hesitant. We didn't know the people we were meeting or the area we were traveling to.
   I am not a people person. (Insert knowing looks from people who know me). If I had my way, I'd shut the gate on the farm and spend my time with my family, my garden and my livestock; I don't do people. Social graces are not my strong point..leave me be. Yet, ...
   When it happens that I am forced into the outer world away from my farm, things get interesting..I can talk myself out of anything (especially a social anything). Let me tell you, I was working on talking myself out of this social encounter. I'm so glad I didn't. God is so much wiser than I, He showed us a better thing.
   This little trip introduced us to a wonderful family so much like our own. The had a love for their farm life, history and handcraft, antiques and their significance, and - family. Fellow homeschoolers and dairy goat herders - spinners and weavers - such a neat encounter! Our conversation and interaction could have gone on for hours. What a blessing to meet such a precious family living a life style so much like our own.
   Sad to say we live a great distance from each other, yet, contact information was shared..blog links and such. It seems this will grow..it will continue. I'm so glad I ventured out..beyond the gate, because, you just never know where your boots will lead you.

simplychele

Welcoming Typhoon

Typhoon's debut

   Over the weekend we took a little trip and came home with a new family member. Meet Typhoon our little buck in the herd; a registered Nigerian Dwarf - one year old with such a sweet sounding cry. Black and white markings with sky blue eyes, Typhoon is handsome and seems friendly..for now.  Experience proves, buck behavior will kick in any day now.
   As with any new addition, Typhoon resides in the holding pen for now. The rest of the herd can visit him through the fence; getting to know him before sharing space. We hope in time he will settle in and be a great addition to our farm. Welcome, Typhoon.

simplychele

It is Sunday....

Baptist Faith & Message (2000)

XII. Education

       Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage, The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ's people.
        In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.

Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14;6:1-10;31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7;119:11; Proverbs 3:13;4:1-10;8:1-7,11;15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2;7:24;28:19-20; Luke 2:40; I Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; I Timothy 1:3-7; II Timothy 2:15;3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5;3:17.