Sunday School Teaching Methods

Mr. M, you do realize that the discussion here is Sunday School and not seminary, right?

In Sunday School, one must consider the wide variety of people participating. You are going to have new Christians, old Christians, mature Christians, immature Christians and then on top of that, you are going to have folks like me, who have already heard this at one time or another in their 40 or so years of church going. And you think you are going to put on the "authortative teacher" act with me. Cause I guarentee, if you misquote one scripture with that sort of attitude, I'm going to know it and depending on just how bad your attitude is, I'm going to correct you. Sooo, taking on an "I'm the teacher and therefore I know everything" isn't going to get you much but embarassment, if I bother to stay in your class for longer than the 10 minutes or so it takes to figure your attitude out.

 

Oh I see, magically STUDENTS in seminary CAN learn via lectures but the rest of the world is populated by DUNCES. Give me a break. But worse is your characterization that the MASTER teacher takes the attitude that they know everything. Who suggested that? But pal, the Master teacher better be a Master or HE has no business instructing ANYONE in the Word of God.

It is attitudes that I see demonstrated here that RESIST and protest against genuine authoritative teaching that is the problem and has resulted in the chaotic "share-for-alls", "lonely hearts clubs" and the "Hand me another brick for my purpose driven chance to be favored by God" gobbledygook that has mass disorientation to sound teaching in the church today.

Your own disorientation to the subject is obvious when the moment "authoritative" teaching is mentioned you immediately assume it is some heady tyrant and you have your battle axe ready to show HIM who is boss. Right, so tell me, who is the ONE trying to show who is in authority? Tell me? Right, not the teacher because obviously YOU are going to everything YOU can to challenge him and embarrass him...what a shame and what an embarrassment YOUR attitude is for one who professes to be a believer for such a long time.

Jesus taught authoritatively and HE is out example We are to strive to teach as such, unless of course YOU are suggesting we NOT. Let me remind you what Mark records about Jesus:

21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

I am sure you are glad you didn't have HIM for a teacher, eh?

 

Then what do you consider "genuine" authoritative teaching? A Sunday School teacher is a servant, as Jesus was. What kind of authority are you talking about? My Sunday School teacher is not my "boss." His job is to point out scriptures, not tell me how to live my life. That's why we have the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Are you talking about CONFIDENCE and calling it "genuine authority?" Please clarify.

 

Well, hmmmm, I thought I had no high priest.

Now perhaps I misunderstand what you mean by "authority", but you stick me in a SS class with a person who says basically "sit down and listen, because I am the teacher" and I'm not going to consider him/her an authority because their attitude is not right. Just because someone gave them the title SS teacher, only means they are in authority over me for as long as I decide to allow them to be. (think about this now....)

Now, if'n I was in seminary, I would perhaps allow such an attitude of "authority" to persist, unless I decided they only thought they knew what they were talking about. If I changed my mind, my mind and my tuition would head off to another school.

Now, as ABCgrad has suggested, teaching with confidence is a different issue. One can teach with confidence (and should) but that doesn't include and attitude of "I teach, you listen". SS members are not attending seminary!

 

I already made clear what AUTHORITATIVE teaching is in the post before..did you read it? But in case you didn't here is an EXAMPLE of it, also already posted:

Jesus taught authoritatively and HE is out example We are to strive to teach as such, unless of course YOU are suggesting we NOT. Let me remind you what Mark records about Jesus:

21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

I am sure you are glad you didn't have HIM for a teacher, eh?

By the way, the teacher IS the boss of the class and when you are in his class you are under his authority and hence at that point He is your boss...HE is the one in charge NOT you. If you cannot submit find another class.

 

Now I reckon that those poor scribes rather thought they had some sort or other of authority. I wonder before we put to fine a definition on how Christ taught, we might ought to have an idea of what the function of scribe was and what their methods of teaching were. Were they merely repeating what they had been taught, perhaps by rote memorization and without a good understanding of the spirit of the material.

When Christ taught the same material, I imagine He taught it in such a way as it became easy/easier to apply to the lives of the people He taught and I imagine He taught with confidence. I doubt He showed much of "Lord of All" attitude and He is Lord of All!

 

Some SS teachers are just arrogant...

If you have one of these, go to,, no... RUN To another SS class.
Teachers are not Bosses!

And if there is no Sunday School class, and your church backs up this type of arrogant teaching, leave that church, and find one that teaches the Bible in a humble manner.

If a teacher came in and claimed that he was boss... or even gave that impression.. I would not come back...

Arrogance is not authority..

 

With that attitude, you would never be a teacher in a church I pastor..
But I am sure that would not matter to you...

You would not want to sit under my preaching anyway.

 

Mr. M, it's obvious that you didn't learn how to play nice when you had your vacation earlier.

I have yet to see you show grace to a single poster. Your modus operandi is to insult, demean, and somehow, play it off as spiritual.

I'm sorry you feel the need to lash out at others. I hope that you're able to work through that.

For you, rather benign subjects of discussion turn into free-for-alls. Be careful in the versions forum, or in the calvinism/arminian threads...you might blow a gasket.

But settle down and take it easy, for goodness' sake.

 

How unfortunate that you have such limited capacity in your perceptions.

 

Your personal attacks continue. I am sure moderator "Dr.Bob" who expressed his distaste for MY responding to YOUR attack on me on another thread will be offended by YOUR getting off topic and personal here....:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: No, not really, I expect no such consistency.

If you wish to characterize what I say as lashing, demeaning, insulting and everything else I could do a history trace on your multitude of rude comments and post them, but I won't. Why? Because I am grown up and gracious.

Stop the personal attacks and get back on topic. Thank you.

 

And say it with me...he taught with AUTHORITY.

 

Mr. M&M, you clearly are angry about something......is it that nobody is submitting to your "authority"?

Seriously though.....if all you care about is the hierarchical structure you impose on a small group setting then you don't need to be teaching, or in any kind of education at all. Your concern appears to be with how people view you, as teacher, than how you view the learner. Your posts are extremely arrogant and unnecessarily angry at someone or something. You need to cool down, first of all. You also need to step down as a teacher. Does your pastor realize your views on "education"? You've got a lot to learn on teaching someone for the cause of spiritual transformation. Then again, if all you're doing is cracking a whip so people see you as "authoritative", then you've got that down.

I recommend you read the book I suggested, "The Dirt on Learning". It is a quick read, but don't worry, the authors don't come down on the reader demanding they recognize their authority. :wavey:

 

Ah yes, I am "clearly angry" about something while you don't have enough respect to use my board name properly. Hmmmm...I think the mirror will provide you with the angry person. Tsk tsk. But hey, I created another thread so you guys have fun here, I will be over there...tah tah.:thumbs: :wavey:

 

I'm on my way!

 

What I think is especially disconcerting to me in this post is that Mr.M actually believes that Disciple-Making actually occurs in a classroom...

Disciples are made, not produced by authoritarians in a sterile classroom or sanctuary. Disciples are made in the context of life, one to one. Everything else is gravy.

 

What, Mr.M, you thinking by leaving this thread you will somehow be more 'right'?

:laugh:

 

It might not be more "right" but it immediately became more kind.