As we wind up 31 Days to Becoming a Better Teacher, let me share three key biblical concepts that will move our teaching from the information realm to transformational reality. These three concepts are all found in one verse buried deep in the Old Testament.

… Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey {it}, and teach {its} statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10 (HCSB)

Necessity #1
Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord. determined or “devoted” (NIV) means that Ezra had purposed in his heart that he was going to be a student of the Scriptures. Notice that Ezra didn’t just devote himself to study some of the Law, or certain portions of it. No, he chose to be a devoted student of the entire word of God. As Sunday School teachers, it is paramount that we take Ezra’s example to heart.

First we must be determined students of the Bible. Determination is vital to success in anything we set out to accomplish. My next door neighbor runs marathons. Day after day she runs… good weather, cold weather, snow, ice, and rain. Often she does not feel like running, but the realization that her next big marathon race is approaching reminds her that she must train. Our determination to be a student of the Word must be like that of a marathon runner. Yes, there are days when we do not want to study, or when we do not sense God’s presence as we read and prepare. But often, the sheer discipline required to study is what brings to light those incredible moments when God’s truth breaks through in new ways.

Also, we must study all of God’s Word. The temptation we have today is to study the parts of God’s Word that makes us feel good about ourselves, or that reinforces our own preconceived opinion of how life works. Studying all of God’s Word is much like looking at a well formed diamond. Yes, you can see how beautiful the diamond is by looking at it from one angle. But not until you turn the diamond and see its many facets can you truly understand the precision and detail of the jeweler who crafted it. Bible study is much like this, the more completely we study it, the better understanding we have of the Author!

Necessity #2
…(Ezra) obeyed it. The NASB says that Ezra “practiced it”. What Ezra learned in his study of God’s Word, he also chose to practice. In other words, he put God’s Word into action! He didn’t just prepare his Sunday School lesson and say, “That’s nice” but never put it to good use. Ezra actually put what he learned from the Bible into practice in his life. He did it! It is easy to tell when someone knows what they are talking about!

Over the Christmas holidays, I asked my dad for some help with a woodworking project I was doing. My dad took me out to his workshop. At first I watched and then I practiced while my dad looked over my shoulder. I realized my dad could show me exactly what to do because he had done it himself many times. The people in our classes can tell when we are sharing with them things from God’s Word that we are also practicing in our daily lives. They also know when we are trying to teach something we know nothing about!

Necessity #3
…teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ultimately, your knowledge and experience will only help yourself until you teach it to others. I have noticed in my personal life that although I may have studied or even incorporated something into my life, teaching it to others not only helps them – it helps me solidify it into my life.

Also, notice that Ezra studied and practiced before he taught. If ever there was a biblical reason to avoid the “Saturday Night Special“, this is it! Study your Bible lesson early in the week. I have found that invariably, you will have opportunities to practice your Bible study during the week while you are at work, home, driving (ahem!), and in other situations. The illustrations and stories that you share with your class will be much more effective because your group will realize that you are teaching from both knowledge and experience!

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Bob Mayfield is the Sunday School/small group specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Bob also blogs at www.bobmayfield.com

Our guest writer for our blog today is Dwayne McCrary. Dwayne is a Sunday School teacher and also writes and edits Bible study lessons at LifeWay. In other words, Dwayne actually teaches in the local church what he helps produce at LifeWay. We have asked Dwayne to share the steps he takes in preparing a lesson.

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It always fascinates me to hear another fan at a sporting event that seems to know exactly what the coach should do. To add to the experience, he is usually not shy about sharing his wisdom with others, making sure everyone knows what play should have been called, which player should have been substituted, or what defense should have been run. Just once I would love to see a coach walk up in the stands and hand over the coaching duties to that fan. Then we would find out if he really knew what he was talking about. It’s easy to tell people how they ought to do something until you are the one doing it.

For 23 years, I served on a church staff coaching Sunday School teachers. Now I’m one of those Sunday School teachers. To be honest, there are other things I need to do (and want to do) besides spend all my free time preparing a lesson. I don’t have the luxury of using office time to prepare a lesson (staff folks forget that sometimes). At the same time, I have rediscovered the fact that I can’t wait until the last minute to prepare if I want my class members to consistently have a great experience.

Many of the things I coached others to do I still do, but I do them in a different time frame. For example, Sunday afternoon is a great time for me to get stuff done…usually after a nap. I would have never suggested teachers begin to prepare that early, but that’s when I begin.

I start by evaluating the lesson from that day. I keep a notebook and record insights gained about members and their needs, actions I promised to take, and general teaching observations that will make me a better teacher. If there are promises I made, I add that to my to-do-list for that week. The next thing I do is read the Bible passages for the next lesson, listing key words, people, places, and actions. That list will be what moves me to the next step.

I take that list and define the key words, people, and places. This is where I do what most would call real Bible study, using the leader resources provided, study Bibles, and commentaries. As I do this work, I begin to list potential application points. By the end of this study time, I have answered two big questions: What does this Bible passage mean? What does this Bible passage mean to me?

I then take a look at the potential application points and determine a lesson focus for my class. This is where knowing the needs of the people in my class is important. I put together a statement of what I hope to see happen in the lives of the learners as a result of this study, usually starting with the Lesson Goal in the Leader Guide.

Next I outline steps to introduce the lesson (why study it), examine the Bible passages (what does it say), and challenge people to reflect on what these truths mean for them (what do they do with what they discover). The plan revolves around the direction statement. In my class, we use Explore the Bible by LifeWay as a guide. I start with the teaching suggestions provided in the Leader Guide and tailor the plan for my class.

By doing this early in the week, I have time to dig deeper into questions, refine the plan, and gather what I will need. It also takes some of the pressure off. Now I can let life happen without being uptight about when I will find time to get ready for Sunday. As I gather what I need, it goes in a bag so I know where it is when I get ready to head out on Sunday (my wife teaches a preschool class and I learned this from her).

Eventually, I write my plan on a sheet of paper (usually on the back side of the list of key words, places and things, folded in half). Some of it is word-for-word from the Leader Guide, but I still do it. Writing it serves as way to review and it communicates to my class that I prepared.

On Sunday, I take one more look at my notes, grab the bag, and head out. I want to make sure I get there first to double check the room and to set the tone for that Bible study experience. When the first person arrives, I follow my plan, adjusting as needed. Every class experience takes a few unexpected twists and turns–it never happens exactly like I plan it, but it does come close most of the time.

If you wanted to list my steps for preparing, they would look like this:

• Evaluate and record;
• Read the passages;
• Define key words, people and places;
• Determine a lesson focus;
• Outline teaching steps;
• Dig, refine, and gather;
• Get there first;
• Follow the plan, adjusting as needed.

It takes a little time to do this, but that’s true for anything worth doing. The next time you see that fan telling others how he would do it, remember there’s a difference when you’re the one who actually has to do it. Make sure you’re ready just in case someone hands their clipboard over to you.

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G. Dwayne McCrary is an Editorial Project Leader for LifeWay Christian Resources and teaches an adult Sunday School class at Northside Baptist, Murfreesboro, TN. He previously served churches in Texas and Tennessee.