Help for Sunday School Teachers

Whether you teach youth or adults, I believe these following points will provide some guidance on how to improve your ability as a Bible teacher.

Be early

There is much to be said about punctuality in all areas of life.  However, when you are the Sunday School teacher, being early is very important.  The room needs to be ready for students and your materials set out.  If you arrive after class has started, it takes away from the quality of the lesson since you have less time and will be in a rush.

Be prepared

Closely connected to earliness is to readiness.  One helps lead to the other.  However, the difference lies in preparation to teach.  You need to know your lesson.  Second Timothy 2:15 reads, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  The topic and outline covered should be familiar to you because of preparation.  In fact, the more you have prepared, the less you will get off topic and the less you will have to read from your notes.

Be resourceful

Using a variety of tone in speeches is essential.  It is also crucial to use a variety of teaching methods.  I prefer lectures, but not everyone does.  It is necessary to use the resources available to you when teaching the Bible lesson.  Different teaching methods and tools will make the lesson more productive to the learners.

Be present

Silence your cell phone.  Yes, the teacher needs to be respectful to the students by giving them their full attention.  However, the Holy Spirit also needs to be followed, and this only happens in a Sunday School Class when the leader is fully present.  Watch for those wrestling with the Spirit for more in-depth understanding or other moves of God.  If you have prepared the lesson well, you will be able to address those issues that may be off topic without fear of how to get back on topic later.  Remember, we are not aiming to merely give information but instead lead the students to transformation.