It caught me
by surprise when the precept 40 minutes Bible Studies ended last Tuesday, 30
May 2017. The class participants gave me a Thank You card and a gift box. There
were many words of encouragement and appreciation for the six weeks spent with
them. The skill that I imparted on how to study Bible Epistles paid off, I
hope. The material: “How Do You Walk The Walk You Talk?” is based on the
Epistle of Ephesians. I thank the LORD that He answered my prayer; as I prayed for the attendees daily that they may grow to know the Word of God and increase in knowledge, hunger spiritually and put into practice what they learn from the class lessons and discussions.
This is my
first class as facilitator for a Bible Study group in River Life Church, so
there is no knowledge of whether I am doing the right thing. There was no
proper training for leading a Bible Study discussion. I signed up for the Bible
Study leading course from Singapore Precept Ministry but they have not enough
students to conduct a class. Before I became a facilitator for this class, I
was attached to a mentor for the previous class in February-March. But I felt
that the way he conducted the class was to show how much knowledge and
experience he had, rather than helping the students to grow in the knowledge of
the Word of God. I wouldn’t want to follow his style in leading a Bible Study
group. Also, the way he mentored me seemed a bit domineering, acting as if he
is an “expert”. It is good to teach me humility and submissive to his style and
ways during that period. I can imagine how much the class “benefited” from him.
And so, I was contemplating to lead the class differently.
Then, a week
before the class started, I happened to stumble into the mentor in the church.
He remarked that the Studies on “How Do You Walk The Walk You Talk?” as very “straight
forward”. He implied that the Bible
Study is simple and has no in-depth material. After that, I was more determined
to do some teaching on his Bible Study, giving the class some added knowledge
on how to study the Epistle, rather than just do some marking and discussions.
During my
first week, I taught them how to read the epistle just like the original readers
of the letter, detecting the tone, feelings of the writer; looking for contrast
and similarities; identifying key words and key verses; using questions by
making use of the 5W and 1H. And the end of the observations, students should
be able to write of lists of observations in tabulated forms. I spent the first
3 lessons teaching and demonstrating how this was done. I even gave them my
work done, teaching by examples and step by step demonstration. During the
course, I received some feedback that they like the method. I was definitely
new to most of them. During the second class, my ministry leader came to sit in
my class and observe how I led the class. I was as bit nervous to be under
scrutinised. At the end of the class, she remarked that I should not teach but
facilitate. So, I knew that I may have done something wrong. Should I carry on
with my method or just obey and follow what others facilitators are doing? In
the end, I decided to follow her instruction and do discussion during the class
with some teaching through email to the class for the fourth and fifth lessons.
In the final lesson, I did a mixture of both teaching and discussion, helping
them to make a clear and simple listing from the Bible passage. I ended the
class with a Summary Chart to capture the 6 lessons. Again, the ministry leader
came to my class. I was wondering why she did not even attend the other class
facilitated by another new leader, just like me. Very likely, she is checking
on me. Why just me? And not both of us? She may have her reason that is not for
me to questions. At the end of the class, the Thank You card is the best reward
that shows that I am doing the right thing.
Thank you,
Lord!
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