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Approaching the text in this way means I don't have to tie up every lesson in a little package and put a bow on it and say, "Now, go out and do X, Y, and Z." Not every passage is so neatly tied, nor does every passage of the Bible have a direct application.
In the end, it's a matter of trusting Scripture for both the message and the medium of the message.
Blocking the Class
Once I see what I want people to know, feel, and do, I'm ready to block the class: I determine what my time frame is—six weeks, ten weeks, a whole year—and then decide when and how I will mix knowing, feeling, and doing in the class.
For example, if I've got 13 weeks to teach Romans, how will I divide the subject week by week into the time available? The first week I may simply spend the hour getting people to see the theology of those chapters. The next week we may discuss some contemporary Jewish-Christian issues (Jewish evangelism, the Middle East political situation). The week after that, I may want to help the class experience the sense of awe that Paul felt over God's sovereign dealings with the Jews. With that priority in mind, I will see that I can only cover chapters through in summary fashion, more slowly, and more quickly.
On the other hand, if I have 13 weeks to cover the 6 chapters of Galatians, I may want to block the book so I can spend a whole lesson on a couple of verses, focusing on "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." If I've blocked the book, identifying my priorities for the subject matter, I won't feel I'm spinning my wheels by spending so much time on relatively little material.
When I block the course, I highlight the concerns I've determined need addressing. I'm no longer subject to plodding along, trying to cover material in equal chunks, using the same format week after week.
Choosing a Teaching Method
Effective planning involves choosing the right tool for the right job.
• Lecture. Lecture is a good way to cover large amounts of material (e.g., the major views of the Book of Revelation) or complex issues (e.g., the relationship between New Age teaching and orthodox theology). On the down side, lecture does not demand much of students and so can make them passive.
• Individual study and reflection. This can also be a powerful way to handle content, especially if you give people guidance during their study. One pastor I know often begins his Bible studies by asking people to reflect silently on the passage for ten minutes, giving them two or three questions to guide their thinking. Sometimes written outlines can help people stay focused during the time of reflection.
This does a couple of things. First, it shows people that with a little perseverance, they can study the Bible by themselves. Sometimes this guided reflection is the only time people discipline themselves to study the Bible alone.
Second, this "primes the pump" for the discussion that follows. People discover themes and questions in the text that are important to them, things a mini-lecture on the teacher's part would miss. People are forced to engage the text, but before long it engages them.
