Archive for September, 2008

5 Cardinal Sins

I got up early that morning, excited to know that I would soon get the opportunity to visit a new Sabbath school. I was out of town for the weekend and decided I would visit the main church of this anonymous city.

I arrived early before Sabbath school started and waited until a few more cars arrived before I entered the church. The church was attractive and I looked forward to a learning experience during Sabbath school.

Shortly after the appointed time for Sabbath school to begin, the superintendent arrived to start the program. He looked hurried and perhaps he had an emergency that prevented him from being there before the service start time.

After the superintendents’ remarks and song service ended I counted approximately 12 people there. The superintendent welcomed back a missing member who had been away due to illness. She received a warm amen from the audience.

Strangely though to me, I, as a visitor, was never acknowledged. Although there were only a dozen of us there, there was no welcome extended to the visitor(s). Cardinal Sin #1

Sep 19, 2008 | 7 comments | View Post

Make your sessions come alive with stories

There’s something about a good story that can make all the difference in a Sabbath school discussion. A good story can transport it’s hearers to another time and place and make the lessons come alive with relevance and freshness. Do you use stories in your sessions?

While the variety of stories is limitless, I have found that nothing is more impactful than reciting the stories of events found in the bible. Bringing to life the words of the bible with energy and enthusiasm will be very effective in making its principles relevant to modern day hearers.

Jesus, our best example, was a master storyteller. There are 57 different parables recorded in the New Testament that Jesus gave. They teach a wide range of lessons including charity, love, justice, vindication, mercy, humility, service and other vital points of spiritual life.

The hearers of His parables were spellbound and many times not even aware that they were the subject of the parable being given. I’m certain that His authenticity, choice of words, and demeanor all contributed to the impact of each story. Once heard, the Holy Spirit would enable the hearers to identify with the story and allow the seed of truth to take root and grow.

What makes a teacher a good storyteller?

Sep 03, 2008 | 0 comments | View Post