Panel Members:
Jenny Salt:
Carrie Sandom:
Colleen Gallagher:
Deb Lorentsen:
Kathleen Nielsen:
Opening Thoughts:
Charles Simeon Trust… Chicago. Training Bible Teachers.
Proclamation Trust… UK.
Reading the Bible out loud, long portions every day.
Local churches that preached and taught expositionally.
We are not good readers of anything today, and we need to learn how to read the Bible well.
We need to become equipped to help others become able to lead and teach.
Defining Terms:
Expository Bible Teaching: Kind of preaching that works through systematic and consecutive passages of the Bible, to see it within the context of the entire scope of the Bible. Studying a book within the context of the wider whole.
The story of the is a story about Christ. The OT is pointing forward to Him and the NT proclaims Him. It’s not about us, it’s about God and His revelation to the world.
We read the Bible wrongly when we think we are at the center and it’s written to me and my life.
Allows God to set the agenda. Prevents us from trying to answer the question, “What do people need to hear?” We just proclaim the Word and God speaks.
Teaching, moving sequentially through a book of the Bible, seeking to discover the main point of the text and making that the main point of the message. We don’t start with our point and try to make the Word fit it.
The Storyline of the Bible: Tracing the promises of the OT through the fulfillment in the NT. Shows how each book fits in to the whole Bible. Shows the reader how God has been working throughout history.
Two Types of “Big Picture” Training:
1. Unfolding Mystery: Finding Christ in the OT.
2. How to Read and Study the Bible: Asking the Right Questions of a Text
Main idea and application
How does this passage connect to what’s before and after?
What are the surprises?
How does this point to Christ?
Makes study hands-on.
Why is this important for women? Don’t we have pastors and elders to do this?
God calls us to the hard work of learning sound doctrine. Sound doctrine produces good work. “Teach what is good.”
Titus 2 ministries cannot be just mentoring and good works, there must be sound doctrine.
Does this mean we all need to go to seminary?
No and Yes.
Mostly No. But if you have the opportunity, it is a wonderful place to grow.
There is no two-tiered maturity in the Christian walk. But there are great advantages in going to seminary. Wonderful time for concentrated study of God’s Word. Alongside like-minded people, who are committed, and who are delighted to spend intense time in God’s Word.
Exposes you to all parts of the Bible. Grapple with thinking on the Bible from different perspectives.
What are other options besides seminary?
Online training. Websites. Sermons and Journals and Commentaries and Courses.
Eph. 4. Training takes place within the church context. God-given, natural place for training in the Scriptures to take place. These must have either the direction or the authority of the church leadership in order to grow.
We should be trained in all types of places and areas, from seminary to one-on-one training. Have an accountability partner and train together. Mary Wilson on TGC. Not everyone needs to be trained in how to teach formally. We need to teach our children well and our neighbors and our friends. We must train the next generation to be equipped.
Never underestimate the power of modeling the truth. Are you going to just get coffee and pray together? Or are you going to pick a book of the Bible, read through it and discuss it together. The young believer is not thinking, “Hmm, this is expository Bible learning.” She’s thinking, “This is what it means to be a Christian.”
We must actually practice what we preach. It is not enough to just soak in and learn. We must actually DO what we teach others to do.
The Proclamation Trust in the UK.
Study with an eye toward teaching.
Practice– two presentations to others to help one another improve.
Model– Leaders showing others.
SimeonTrust.org
What should we look for in ourselves and others in order to assess the potential of one being a teacher?
Under the authority of pastors and elders.
Based upon the Pastoral Epistles. The list of qualifications there is actually godliness. There is an aptitude to teach, yes, but more godliness.
Christian ministry is not a way to escape the world. It is not the limelight. Who will live out the Gospel in their own lives and not just teach others to do it?
Current Trends in Bible Study:
1. Video-Based:
Positives: Modeling expository preaching and teaching.
Negatives: More people quoting those teacher more than they are quoting God. The high profile teachers become infallible.
It’s not just someone’s ability to teach, but it’s their lives and how they model the Gospel. On video, we just have teaching and not their lives. We don’t see how they relate to the world. We need to see real life, there with us.
- Experienced based and put us at the center. Women are particularly prone to this. Scripture reveals the purposes for Christ, not for us as individuals.
Example: Ruth is not about God providing husbands or children or grandchildren to the women in your church. It is about God using Israel to bring salvation to the Gentiles. Ruth was a Moabitess, not SINGLE…
- Bible discussion with no training.
- Leave it to the professionals.
- Personal Shopper approach.
- Jack Sprat approach– picky eating…
The Bible is just ONE STORY. There is a beautiful continuity to it and it is exciting to read the Bible when you see that.
Ways we’ve been encouraged in the work God is doing in the hearts of women.
To see women equipped and then go out to do the work of the Gospel.
Serving overseas.
This is not a theoretical or academic endeavor, but a vibrant, transforming love of the Word of God passed along to the next generation.