Lesson 7: Discovering Teachers

1. A trainer can use the methods in this chapter to develop local teachers. If a local church does not have someone who feels able to teach, a trainer cannot start a local program that immediately operates independently. The trainer must discover and develop potential teachers. This chapter tells the trainer how to get local teachers started.
2. The trainer equips local teachers to use this method for their students. If the local teachers of the new site are already capable of teaching, the trainer does not need to use the exercises in this chapter. The trainer should teach the method to the local teachers so they can use the exercises to develop their students.
3. A local teacher develops students. Every teacher should try to develop the ministry skills of students. The methods described in this chapter will be useful for helping students begin speaking to groups.

Sometimes when SGC representatives visit churches they find people who are immediately ready to start teaching the courses. Usually, these potential teachers are people who have some academic training and teaching experience. They look at the courses and realize that they are easy to teach. Directions are printed in the front of each course. Discussion questions are provided. The courses are not just books; they can be taught as they are.

The courses are designed so that a person with reading skill, Bible knowledge, and teaching ability can quickly learn to use them. However, sometimes people who have not had much academic training feel that they are not able to teach. They think that only a highly trained person can teach.

God has given teaching ability to many people who have not had the opportunity to study in a university. Because teachers are necessary for the church, we can be confident that God ordinarily provides people with teaching ability wherever the church exists (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Many people do not realize that they have already developed teaching skill in their normal lives. They explain things at home and at work. They help people solve problems. They have a reputation for being able to explain things. When they were students in school they were skilled at reading and understanding and explaining. They don’t know that they have the ability to teach.

A trainer should help potential teachers discover their ability through guided speaking experiences. Through experience, a person gains confidence for speaking to groups.

1. Give speaking assignments on easy topics. The speech can be just a few minutes long. If students seem nervous about standing in front of the group to speak, they could make their first speeches while seated in their chairs.

Examples of easy speaking assignments:

• Tell about a challenge from your childhood.

• Tell about a relative who was important to you.

• Ask another student some questions then introduce that student to the group.

• What is a place you would like to visit? Why?

• Tell about one of your favorite verses of scripture.

• Tell about a typical day at your workplace.

• What do you remember from a sermon you heard recently?

2. Direct a question to a person in the class. The question should require some explanation, not just a short answer. The question should be something the person will be able to answer, so that he will become more confident and not be embarrassed.

3. Ask students to explain their writing assignments to the group. The courses require various writing assignments. Even if the trainer is there only for a day, students can be given some time to write one of the assignments and present it.

4. Divide into groups of three for teaching practice. Have each person teach a short section to the group. This gives a small audience and allows several students to practice at the same time.

5. Ask a student to explain a section of material from a lesson. Many sections in the courses have just a few paragraphs that explain a concept. Ask a student ahead of time to be prepared to explain a section in a few minutes.

6. Ask an advanced student to teach a lesson from one of the courses. The easiest arrangement is for a student to teach a lesson that he has heard someone else teach. The student demonstrates a higher level of ability when he prepares and teaches a lesson that nobody has taught to him. The trainer may feel that he should teach as much as possible, and the class may prefer to hear the trainer, but the goal is to equip others to teach.

7. Use the “Table Talk” method. The students sit around a table with printed courses. No teacher is at the table. Various students take turns talking about something in the lesson. One person at the table is appointed to lead and keep the discussion going by asking various students for input. The leader is not a teacher. The group will discover that they can function and learn by discussion without a teacher. This method enables study groups to form in places that lack a person who feels qualified to teach.

The vision of SGC is to make ministry training local everywhere. Training can happen everywhere through the people that God gifts with ability and biblical understanding. Teachers should remember that their purpose is not only to give knowledge but to equip students to explain truth to others.