Bruce Wilkinson - Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher: The Seven Laws of the Learner Series

T he American cultural and political pollster, George Gallup, made a startling observation recently. It shocked me, and may shock you as well. He observed, Fewer than 10 percent of Americans are deeply committed Christians. A key reason for this sad state of affairs is that, in his opinion, Overall, the Sunday school and religious-education system in this country is not working.

Though without the statistical research data of a Gallup poll to prove my intuitive observations, I have felt the same thing for years. Having traveled the globe, and specifically traversed the terrain of American Christianity, I am deeply concerned at the lack of lasting life change I see taking place. Among those who profess Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, too little actual difference is observable. The lack of Christlikeness in the church is, in my opinion, one of the principle deterrents to effective evangelism and societal change. In Christs day, sinners were attracted to His totally different lifestyle, purity, and message. In Him they found power, strength, forgivenessa hope for their future. Too often, though, the world today does not find the same thing in the church.

I have reflected on this situation for years, asking God how my life and ministry could be used to help reverse the lamentable lack of life change among the saints. Again and again I have been impressed by God that life change takes place through the faithful communication of the truths of His Wordthe Bibleby teachers who are empowered and called by the Spirit of God to teach the church the truth. Not just tell the truth, but teach the truth!

The delicate link between the Bible and the believer is the person for whom this volume has been prepared: the teacher of the truths of God. If the teacher is equipped and prepared to teach the Word for life change, lives will be changed. If that teacher is only telling what the Bible says, minds will be filled with facts while lives remain transfixed instead of transformed.

Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher! is exactly what its subtitle indicates: a resource guide for the Christian who teachesincluding professional and lay teachers, parents, employers, group leaders, and pastors and church education teachers and leaders, all of whom are seeking to effect life change from the perspective of Gods Word.

This book is a corollary resource to my book The 7 Laws of the Learner. This book follows the outline of that one, covering the laws of the Learner, Expectation, Application, Retention, Need, Equipping, and Revival.

The one hundred articles contained in this resource are written by teachers, for teachers. This book is long on practice and short on theory and debate. It is produced to be used, not admired. If it remains neat and clean rather than scuffed up and dog-eared, you will have purchased it amiss. If it finds a home in a bookcase rather than a briefcase, you will have made it an orphan. This book is designed for one purpose, and one purpose only: to help the Christian called to communicate Gods truth do so in a way that meets real needs and produces Christlikeness in the lives of those who listen. If you will treat this book for what it isa gold mine with nuggets waiting to be collected and spentyour teaching will never be the same.

And so I send this volume to you, faithful teacher, parent, pastor, employer. I know you want those whom you teach to become like Christ. I want that for youI want you to be a great communicator of Gods truth! And I believe this volume will help you become just that.

I pray Gods richest blessing upon you and your teaching as we all work together for life change in the church. I trust that the next time George Gallup surveys the church, he will see something different, and that it will be because you and I are causing our students to learn, and become like Christ!

Bruce H. Wilkinson

Topical Survey

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

EVALUATION TOOLS

CLASS MANAGEMENT

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

Jo Berry

What does teacher recruitment mean in the average church? Unfortunately, not what it should. A veteran educational consultant and teacher outlines what a successful teacher recruiting should look like.

T he truth is that most churches have a problem procuring Sunday school staff. Why? I have asked many teachers, pastors, and Sunday school administrators as well as laymen who have refused a class. The basic reason, I discovered, is that most people will not teach because they are afraid they cant handle such a lofty task.

Men and women of God are not too selfish to give of their time, and they do want to trust the Lord, to let His perfect love cast out fear. They know something of their gifts, too. But Christian educators, whether pastors or laymen in positions of responsibility, are not preparing people; and Gods people have enough common sense to refuse to get into something for which they are not qualified.

If we want well-staffed, competent Sunday schools, therefore, we need to rethink our basic approach to providing staff. We must look at our philosophy of recruiting and training teachers. To introduce this, lets look at some dangerous misconceptions about what a Sunday school teacher is supposed to be.

1. One misconception is to think all Sunday school teachers will automatically know how to teach, present material, and set up a classroom, as if they were superhuman saints.

2. We also make a mistake when we act as if all a teacher has to do is teach Sunday school. Intellectually, we may agree that there are minor incidentals in their lives, such as homes, families, and jobs; yet we act as if Christian teachers always have time to study devotedly for hours and attend endless, and sometimes meaningless, meetings.

3. Also, we erroneously envision each teacher as a haloed saint whose entire life is devoted to being a Sunday school teacher, one who never has the urge to miss church on a sunny Sunday. And, of course this devoted educator, no matter how severely or unfairly he is criticized, never gets upset or snappy!