Bowlegged Giant Saves Child by Straddling Onrushing Convertible! Alligator Boy Plays Baseball…With His Tail! Mr. Roger’s Ghost Terrorizing Children!

Bowlegged Giant Saves Child by Straddling Onrushing

Convertible!

Alligator Boy Plays Baseball…With His Tail!

Mr. Roger’s Ghost Terrorizing Children!

Noah’s Ark Found…And Some Animals Are Still Alive!

Adam & Eve Found Perfectly Preserved in the Iraqi Desert!

John the Baptist Diet of Locust and Wild Honey Cures Aids!

Al Qaeda’s Latest Weapon: Suicide Camels!

“Monitor” This! Giant Lizards Help Search for Osama bin

Laden!

Taliban Plans to Immobilize U. S. Troops With Super

Laxative!

Dis-honest Abe!Lincoln Did Not Write Gettysburg

Address!

By George! Decoy Soldier Stood while Washington Rowed During

the Potomac Crossing!

Reaganomics: Former President Trickled Down Millions into Secret

Slush Fund!

Lose 70 Pounds in 15 Days — with flesh-eating bacteria!

Lose 50 Pounds Fast — with Hoover’s new “Fat Vacuum”

Lose 15 Pounds Overnight — with the new “Treadmill for

the Subconscious ”

Four Current Influencesin Theology

Liberalism

Conservatism

Modernism

Postmodernism

View of the Bible• Liberal• Conservative

View of the World• Modern• Postmodern

Theological Perspectivesof Truth

Conservative

Supernatural

Faith fundamentals

Bible – inspired and true

Theological Perspectivesof Truth

Conservative

Supernatural

Faith fundamentals

Bible – inspired and true

Liberal

Reason

Deny supernatural

Bible – allegories or examples of how we should live

Cultural Perspectivesof Truth

ModernAge of reason

Individualism

Truth - universal

Technology - freedom

Knowledge leads to good behavior

Cultural Perspectivesof Truth

ModernAge of reason

Individualism

Truth - universal

Technology - freedom

Knowledge leads to good behavior

PostmodernReason is limited

Tribal

Truth – personal

Technology – mastery

Knowledge leads to oppression

Liberal

Conserva-tive

Modernity Postmodernity

Ethics > Doctrine:Because they denythe supernatural

Ethics > Doctrine:Because claims of absolutetruth produces violence &oppression.

Doctrine > Ethics:Because we are notsaved by our goodworks but bybelieving in Jesus

Doctrine & Ethics:Because both are essentialfor the Christian view of life

Reference: Don’t Stop Believing, Michael Wittmer

Our task is to communicate and discuss what the Biblical text actually says, indeed, it is NOT to give it our best

guess or to arbitrarily seek the opinions of others.

Class consensus does not equate to truth. For instance, everyone agrees

that “money isn’t evil, just the ‘love of it.’’’ But in our agreement, we may need

to check further and see if there is any “conspiracy” we are hatching on the

Gospel.

How to Teach Theology

in

Sunday School

Always read the first chapter of the book to find out some of the context.

Always ask the 5 W’s (who, what, where, when, why).

Consult Biblical commentaries or Bible dictionaries to find out more historical information . (But at least ask the 5 W’s and find these details.)

The Bible was not written to us, but rather, for us…to learn from and to apply. We must first know what it meant from its original author to its original audience.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God

stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

Think in terms of the big picture.

Ask yourself what significance this passage has had on every person for all of time.

What principles have remained regardless of changing cultures and times?

Just because God’s Word is an ancient document does not mean that it is irrelevant.God is eternal and His truth spans from everlasting to everlasting.

Even passages that deal with people groups that no longer exist can teach us things about God, ourselves, and our call to follow Him.

There is a world of difference between the questions, “So, what does everyone think this verse/passage means?” and “Has God ever used this verse/passage in anyone’s life? And how?”

Consider the passage in light of your current personal circumstances, as well as the current situation in the world around you.

What might God be trying to teach you from this passage?

Is He calling you to repent of sin?

How might He be challenging you to grow and learn?

God is personal. He doesn’t waste anything.He desires for each of us to take what He has done for all of time and learn from it.

He also wants His Word to come alive in us and become the ultimate authority for how we live.

The Issue of Curriculum

Purpose – Curriculum provides a steady process of biblical study so that the full gospel message is taught

Curriculum

Good curriculum focuses on the Bible,

not on itself

Modern/Postmodern Learning

Modern

Learn

Do

Feel

Postmodern

Modern/Postmodern Learning

Modern

Learn

Do

Feel

Postmodern

Do

Feel

Learn

Scope and Sequence

Scope – The breadth of study (the whole Bible, book of Ephesians, etc)

Sequence – The period and span of study

(period – daily, weekly)

(span – length to finish -

3 months, 1 year, 7 years)

Bible Studies for Life

Scope – 15 biblical concepts

Sequence – 3 years

Learning ProcessKnowBeDo

SS Teacher Resource

Systematic Theology

by Wayne Grudem

Grudem provides a balanced overview of key perspectives in layman’s language

Amazon.com $29.69

Bob Mayfield

Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

[email protected]

Twitter: bobmayfield

Facebook: thebobmayfield