Teaching the Bible’s Story for Everyday Living

1. Teaching the Bible’s Story for Everyday Living CSI Bible Instruction Symposium At the Museum of the Bible February 15-16, 2018 Yvonne H. Van Ee, Ph.D.

2. Goals and Purpose for Teaching Bible -adapted from the CSI Bible Curriculum Our Opportunity To introduce the students to: who God is what he does what he is like To share with them: his desire for a relationship with them to know him personally to enjoy his presence now and forever

3. We invite students to participate in the ongoing story. They are encouraged to do this: by coming to know God and his ways by accepting his offer of salvation through faith and repentance by developing a personal relationship with him by learning to obey and serve him throughout their lives.

4. Our Hope “We want teachers to reach the heads, hearts, and hands of students so that their lives may be changed for today and for eternity to the glory of God.” This happens by studying God’s word illuminated by the Holy Spirit.

5. The students need to see the connection!God works with and through his peopleover the centuries. • Students today need to find their place in the Story! • To come to understand their relationship with God. • To make authentic connections between the Bible’s stories and their lives. • To understand what responding to God means. • To discover other truths revealed in all of God’s creation.

6. Encouraging Student Faith Development • This involves: • Knowledge/wisdom (Head) – provides the foundation for decision-making & service • Conviction/choosing (Heart) – reflecting on what they know which leads to commitment • Living/service (Hands) – to be humble servants in God’s world and thoughtful stewards of creation

7. God’s great plan! The students need to know and understand that these stories present God’s plan, Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration and that this theme resonates in their lives as well.

8. So Let’s Get Started!How to teach the Story Told? • Students need to know the details. • Recall the story by retelling • CSI curriculum – retell taking turns being the characters in the story (Samuel, Eli) • OR • Retell with a friend using the conversational style • Recall by using the who, what, when, where, why questions to focus on events and characters

9. Develop knowledge about God and his interactions with his people. You will decide what to include. Ask “What is God revealing about himself?” who he is what he does what he is like what he expects of his people. Consider the attributes of God to do this. (Handout) Consider the development level of your learners.

10. Concepts in the Story told • God is the one true God. He wants his people to love and serve only him. • God loves his people and he wants them to love him in return. • If we love God, we will want to follow his laws and commands. • God is righteous and just. There are consequences to the choices we make. • When we love God and follow his laws, God blesses us with the best life possible. • When we turn away from God, he turns away from us. God disciplines his people and life may not be so pleasant. • God’s plan to redeem his people continues.

11. So, how can this be done? • Discuss: • What words will you use to identify these truths about God? • Then, how will you help the students recall the part(s) of the story revealing those truths? • It is particularly important to highlight/verbalize that truth in the interactions between God and the characters and events in the story.

12. Connecting the story to the life of the students • Do we just practice saying “Here I am Lord” and that’s it? • Do we go beyond that? • If I say “Here I am Lord”, how do I show it in my life? What does it look like?” • How will those answers influence: • Classroom atmosphere- patterns • Student behaviors – habits of faith

13. Developing Attitudes,Habitsand Patterns of Faith Habits of Faith – Showing love for God Patterns of Faith – Routines in the Classroom Community Attitudes of the Heart - Gratefulness and Thankfulness Obeying God’s commands Behaviors of a Christian lifestyle

14. Discussion In what ways will classroom atmosphere support thoughtful, Christian living? What habits and patterns of the Christian life will be part of classroom routines? How will the children’s behavior responses be encouraged as they grow in their Christian lifestyle?

15. Let’s Review! For each lesson you teach ask: What truth(s) about God is to be taught? How will the theme of God’s plan of “Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration” be included? How will I make these concepts presented in the Story or scripture reading clear? What words will I use? How will I make meaningful connections between these concepts and the daily lives of the students? What words will I use?

16. And finally….. • Will the students be encouraged to journey with God- • To learn of him and his ways • To be in constant conversation with him • To accept his offer of salvation • To commit all aspects of their lives to him • To live a life of gratitude and hope