The Art of Bible Teaching

By Christian Michael

Every mystery of God is trapped in knowledge. And knowing is a function of teaching. The people cannot grow above their knowledge level of the Lord. The problem statement of the church as released by Jehovah is: My people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). And our Lord Jesus speaking sometime later revealed: 'This is eternal life, that th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Revival Waves of Glory Ministries
• Release date: Mar 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869248039

Christian Michael

Christian Michael is the Founder/Coordinator at Young Peoples' Fellowship, a missionary body focused on young people. It is a network of young people from different denominations who are determined to take the Word of God to other young people throughout the world.

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Introduction

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very mystery of God is trapped in knowledge. And knowing is a function of teaching. The people cannot grow above their knowledge level of the Lord. The problem statement of the church as released by Jehovah is: my people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). And our Lord Jesus speaking sometime later revealed: ‘this is eternal life, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3).  When we consider this matter closely, we can conclude that both the teacher and his teachings are of great concern in the progress of the pilgrim.

The teacher predicts and defines the route and pace of the spiritual growth of his students. This is because it is to the degree of the knowledge of CHRIST in a disciple that we can measure his spiritual growth. Life in the spirit is transmitted through knowing and knowing is effected via teaching. If the church must change her frequency for progress, we must re-visit the pulpit. This is because genuine revival is not first a matter of the pew but a consequence resulting from the move on the pulpit. How true this brother is:

When it is foggy in the pulpit it’s cloudy in the pew

– Robert

While we took time in the first sections of this book to focus on the minister and his life, we understood that the greatest lack of the church is not in how to preach but in who to preach. It became clear to us that the life of a minister is a prerequisite to effective pulpit activities. This is a true saying and worthy of acceptance: a bad tree will produce a bad fruit, no more, no less.

The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men

— E M. Bounds.

Throughout this book, the word ‘teacher’ as it is used refers to both the teacher and the preacher. Our concern is on those who dispense the word of God. Preaching dies when the life of the preacher is not corresponding to what is preached; preaching dies when it is not a Word of testimony from a man of God.

The Word of God is settled in heaven and the church does not overcome by the Word of God. We overcome by the words of our testimony—the word that results after the Word of God has passed through our life. Therefore we can conclude that when, where, and how to preach is not more important than what is being preached.

For this reason, Paul the Apostle admonished his disciple Timothy thus:  Work hard so God can say to you, Well done. Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what the word says and means. (2 Tim. 2: 15) (TB)

As I pondered on the matter of what to teach on the pulpit, I discovered by revelation that we have two kinds of preachers—those that preach what the word says (insight) and those that preach what the word means (revelation or message). The latter are by far in minority when compared to the former. Every preacher must be able to say this comfortably: I am a preacher; I truly care about what the Word says but I’m more concerned about what it means because that is what the people came for.

Anyone can read the Holy Scriptures and know what it says. When they know just what the Word says, they could not be changed as they will be proud for how much they have come to know. But ultimately they need most especially, what the Word means. For this is that what will change their lives. Then who is a Bible teacher?

He is that personnel sent on assignment from heaven to show the people what the Word means as it concerns them. A preacher is that custodian that seeks with all the energy at his disposal, to deliver to the people their portion of the divine ration. He is he who rightly divides the Word of truth to the hearers in such a manner that everyone gets their due. A preacher is a servant of the people as much as he is a servant of God, (less the fact that he will only but account to the God spirits and life). Who then is a preacher? He is one whose theme is not self or fame but, that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

May you find fresh fire from the altar to discharge your duty aright as you go from one page to another in this scroll in Jesus name! Amen.

CHAPTER ONE

Insight/Revelation

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Co. 3:18)

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hen we do not know the difference between insight and revelation, we would be far from transformation. The end product of the successful preacher’s input is transformation. Therefore, it is imperative for the preacher to take this matter seriously. We are not ignorant of the fact that these tiny spiritual concepts have been used interchangeably, so much so that several persons presume that they mean just the same or are even synonymous.

However, as we compare spiritual things with spiritual, we amazingly discovered the age-long divide. It blooms very clearly that anyone who dares to look more closely, will doubtlessly see it. I beg to say that these two words have their origin in the spirit realm. So, the human dictionary will do us little good because they are spiritually discerned. Nevertheless, we may at some point draw from the pieces of what it has to offer.

This is not in any way an attempt to underestimate the importance of the dictionary only that, when it comes to spiritual things, we best understand them when we key in to the spirit realm. Geography does affect concepts. What could mean peace in certain geography may mean war in a different geography. The servant of God must be careful not to fall into the temptation of discerning spiritual things from human perception. This is a common sin among the clergy. But the Lord will deliver us as we follow the Holy Spirit.

The word insight is a combination of two words - in and sight. The root word sight is originally associated with understanding. The Greek considers a man blind who falls short of a certain understanding. He is said to be blind to that subject. Those who are well-learned are considered as enlightened; seeing. This is the case of sight. Now if we combine the prefix ‘in’, it will mean, having an understanding in a certain matter. Literally, it would mean sight-in. Insight is independent on the individual having it.

He does not have to be inside the scene of incidence. He is a passer-by who only got by to look into a matter like one looking through the window into a house. Sure, if he got close enough he would have a story to tell. He must catch some vivid glimpse of the truth. Such sight could be so amazing that