Improvements Ahead!

Last night I brought the first part of the letter in Revelation 2, the perverted church of Thyatira, before the guys’ Bible study. It was a so-so study. The material was good, but I left with a couple of ideas for the future.

Leading this Bible study has been like drawing one of those connect-the-dot pictures I did as a kid. You can guess what the picture will sort of look like by mentally connecting the dots. I did that when we started. I had a vague idea of where the study needed to go, but I wasn’t sure of the exact image. As time has walked by, I’ve been adding in the lines which show me what it is supposed to be. Last night I made two more of those connections.

First, I decided that I need to keep the guys’ attention better than I have been. I’ve seen great improvement since I started putting a greater volume of information into the lessons, but I still reach for more. I’m going to start presenting the lesson with the aid of a slideshow presentation on my laptop. For myself, it will prompt me to put extra thought into the organization and flow of the lessons as I will be presenting them in a concise and orderly format. In addition, it will provide me with a way to use illustrations such as topographical maps and pictures of ancient cities. For those learning, I think it will help them to follow my train of thought more easily.

I’ve also realized that I need to change how I am preparing for the studies. My past in inductive Bible study has taught me to start big – think book survey – and then hone in on the verses or words of interest. The writing course I am taking in school right now follows the same precept. When you write a paper, start with tons of information. Then organize, narrow, and focus it. It finally dawned on me that I should apply these principles of study and writing to presenting. In light of that, I am going to expand my studies so that I will have compiled enough information that I need to compress it for the lesson. Important information in a compact form will stick with you.

 

Hopefully, with these changes, prayer, and the continuation of my efforts to get to know these guys more personally, the study will continue to grow. The Lord has provided me with one of the greatest periods of spiritual growth in my life as I have led this Bible study. There is more than the study responsible for the growth, but it has certainly played a major role. Prayers are appreciated, and comments, ideas, or pointers are welcome!