Effective Teaching…With Spirit-Led Help
One day before work, I sensed that I needed to bring my bass guitar to church. Rather than be quick to obey, I started reasoning with myself. To make a long story short, I blew off the leading and went to work.
As soon as I walked in my office, the phone rang. The Wednesday night bass player in my pre-youth class had just found out he had to work late. Could I play bass for him? My Helper (The Holy Spirit) wanted to help me save time.
As I drove home to get my bass, I realized something. The more I listened to the Spirit in small things, the easier it was to hear Him in major decisions. I also realized it would have been better for me to have brought my bass and not need it than to blow off that voice.
I’ve also learned to never disobey a check in my spirit. If I sense a strong leading not to go somewhere or not to do something or to pass on a worker? Even if I can’t explain it, I trust my Helper. Not only can God help you in effective teaching and leading. We must help teachers and kidmin volunteers learn to live Spirit-led lives in and out of classrooms.
If we want children to be Spirit-led, we must model it! Here are 10 practical ways to model and nurture a Spirit-led life.
10 Tips for Spirit-Led and Effective Teaching
1. Start early in the week inviting your Helper.
First up: Get in the habit of reading next week’s lesson when you get home from church. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you make the Bible real to students. Highlight key areas that jump out at you.
2. Pray for children as the Spirit guides you.
Call children’s names. Pray what flows from your heart for each child and their family. Repeat this step throughout the week.
3. Set an appointment to plan and study your lesson.
Ask the Spirit to guide your plans. Read the curriculum but listen to the Holy Spirit. I treat all curricula (even stuff I write) like catfish. I let the Holy Spirit pick out the meat, and I leave the bones! Don’t wait until the last minute to study.
This is an important step! Never equate flowing with the Spirit to flying by the seat of your pants. Allow enough time to obey what the Spirit says. Some things your Helper leads you to need to be ordered or purchased.
4. Come early and be prepared.
I like to set up my props, classroom, and teaching tools ahead of time so I can pray before kids start arriving. I like to pray over every chair. Kids are creatures of habit and many times sit in the same area. So I call their names and let the Spirit guide me to stand in the gap for their needs and their families.
5. As the children arrive, let the Spirit direct how you spend your time.
A common mistake is that Sunday school teachers often talk among themselves. Instead, be Spirit-led during pre-service time as well as the lesson.
