A creative pastor will find ways to teach his people

(This is a followup to the previous article: “The ability to teach.”)

That pastors should teach their people is a no-brainer. It’s explicit in the Scriptures and implicit in our  being called “shepherds.”

A wise pastor will be creative in finding ways to teach his congregation, recognizing that many who will listen to his sermons are not coming to any class or small group, no matter how he browbeats them or how enticing he makes it.  He will have to find other ways to teach them.

That’s what this is about, finding ways to teach the Lord’s people.

1) Pastors will teach in sermons, of course.  But they should work at doing it well.

Now, a smart pastor will not announce to his people that what follows is “teaching.”.  I do not recommend something most of us have done at one time or other, telling them, “I need to do a little historical background for five minutes if you can hang on that long, then we’ll get to the good part of the message.”  A better solution is to make the historical background more interesting, so much so that many find it the most fascinating part of the sermon.  And for that, you’ll have to work.

Take the  matter of the Samaritans, who they are, and so forth. You could try something like this. “You know that Jews in the first century tried to avoid traveling through Samaria on their way to and from Jerusalem.  There’s a good reason for this: The Samaritans were religious half-breeds, a mix between the good old-fashioned faith of Abraham and sheer paganism of the foreign nations.  How they got that way is a fascinating story.  Many hundreds of years earlier–in 722 B.C., to be exact–the Assyrians had figured out a way to keep a conquered people down. Their little discovery was to resettle them. When they captured the northern kingdom of Israel that year, they uprooted most of the people and moved them far to the north. Then, they took some other country they’d defeated and moved their people into Israel.  It’s pretty smart, if you stop to think about it. What  this does is to break up clans and gangs and families. It disorients people and makes them easier to control, which was the whole point.  So, long story short, what they ended up with in Israel–the area north of Judea—was a strange civilization with pagans living alongside Jews, and them intermarrying and mixing up their religious practices.  You could understand why the faithful Jews wanted nothing to do with that.  In fact, in crossing that territory, Jews felt like foreigners and wanted to take a bath afterwards.  Oh, by the way, you remember the wonderful story of Jesus witnessing to the woman at the well of Jacob?  Well, she was a Samaritan and knowing that background helps us understand what was going on.”

Something like that.

Figure out how to simplify the history lesson, but keep it accurate, and if possible try to whet the appetite of your people to dig deeper into the subject.  (It always helped me to practice on my kids. If a 9-year-old follows what you are saying, go with it.)

I suggest you not say something in a sermon like, “Now, the dictionary defines this word as….” which, I can guarantee you, is going to put your people to sleep.  Instead, shortcut the process.  Say, “That word means (whatever) in our language, however in the New Testament world, it meant….”

Teaching doctrine to God’s people is a little like feeding spinach to children: just do it but don’t tell them it’s good for them. It’s possible to give history lessons to congregations without saying that’s what you are doing.  Get the story clear in your own mind, figure out a way to say it simply, practice it until you get it right (and can steer clear of anything confusing), and then go do it.

2) Pastors can teach in stories.

When issues are volatile and some in the congregation are feeling negative toward the subject at hand or even toward the preacher, he can often be most effective in transmitting God’s truth by telling a story. This is what the Prophet Nathan did as he confronted King David for adultery.  It’s what the Apostle Paul did when on trial before hostile juries (the story he told was his own testimony; see Acts 22 and 26). It’s what Jesus did most of all, and of course, best of all.  Mark 4:34 says our Lord never taught without telling stories.

However, do not make the mistake of assuming anyone can tell a good story. Some can do it naturally, but even those who think they cannot may learn the craft.  Get help if necessary.  (A simple way is to find a pastor or teacher who excels in story-telling and take them to lunch where you pick their brain.)

3) Pastors can teach in small groups, and sometimes need to do so for a good reason.

Some lessons do not lend themselves to congregational sermons but need a more personal and intimate approach. Studies on controversial subjects, hot-button issues, and doctrines that threaten to divide the congregation may need to be approached in a small group where a select group of leaders is  pulled together and everyone can speak his/her mind without the usual restraints.

Let’s say you are pastoring a church in the Deep South during the days of high racial tension, the 1960s.  The very mention of having members of another race in your church would set some members off.  The trouble these members caused could (and did) tear up many a good church.  And yet, as the Lord’s shepherd, you feel a strong compulsion to teach God’s people a respect for all mankind and particularly love for brothers and sisters in Christ of other races. So, how do you do it?

You begin with one small group of your best people.

By choosing only the most spiritual and those you have found to be trustworthy, you invite the small group to your home.  (You have preceded this with much prayer!) You share the burden of your heart, that the world is dictating to God’s people whom they will love and how they will conduct the Lord’s business, and that the Lord’s church should set the standard for the world, not cave in to it.  You make them know you have no other agenda–you’re not planning to force anything on anyone–but you feel a leading from the Lord to teach God’s people how to behave, how to love, and how to respond to troublemakers. You want their best input. Make it non-threatening, a time of Bible-study, and a discussion involving everyone present. You will know quickly how open they are to continuing such a study. As this goes forth in subsequent sessions, if it does, the Lord will make clear the next steps for the church.

Controversial issues are best dealt with in small groups of the most mature at first. Pastors will do some of their best teaching there.

4. Pastors can teach leaders who will in turn teach others.

This is a good way to teach stewardship principles, for instance.  As lay leaders learn the concepts and principles, they are able to return to their classes or home groups and pass them on.

Why would a pastor want to teach his leaders stewardship principles?  What would seem to be a no-brainer is not.  The answer is: There are a lot of crazy notions out there in churchland.  If you sat in on some of your Sunday School classes, pastor, you would hear some teachers teaching against tithing, some approving splitting the tithe and parceling it out to various outside ministries, and making outlandish promises for those who tithe and threats for those who don’t.

You must teach them God’s Word, otherwise you leave the field open for every crazy idea that comes down the road.  (I recall having private conversations with our financial chairpersons to discuss ways to present the monthly report to the church without panicking the membership.  This is a touchy area–especially if the chairperson is insecure and easily offended–but you can point out more positive, encouraging ways to report on the church’s money.  Are we in the black? Do we have any unpaid bills? Don’t we have a nice building fund available?  Are there good reasons why we may be running behind last year’s giving? That sort of thing.  What the pastor must not do is allow someone, particularly a member of his staff, to frighten the membership by statistics if that is only one side of the story.)

5) Pastors will teach in counseling sessions.

A counseling session consists of active listening, silent praying, gentle questioning, followed by timely teaching.

Eventually, after the person has poured out his problems and there is little more to be said, the minister can share a great insight from scripture or from his experience.  This is the time to teach, and not before.

When the distraught person enters the pastor’s office in tears, broken-hearted or angry or scared, is no time for the minister to teach. He needs to listen and assist the visitor to unloading all that is troubling them.  Finally, they are ready to listen.  (That’s why, throughout the session, as the other person is unburdening themselves, the counselor is sending up prayers for the Lord’s guidance and making a few notes on what to share when the person is ready.)

6) In casual conversations, a good pastor can teach.

But not much.

Picture this. You are in the bleachers at the high school football game and enjoying a Friday night outing with your wife and a few friends.  The discussion does not stay on what’s taking place on the field, however. At one point, someone raises a question about something in today’s news or something the president said. Everyone has an opinion about it. As the pastor, you bide your time.  (Translation: do not rush to give your opinion–or your authoritative pronouncement!–on everything. Let others speak up.) While others speak, you are asking the Lord for a word of wisdom on this situation.

Share what He gives you to say.  And nothing more.  Oh, one thing more.  Do not look for your small audience to fall at your feet with a “Such wisdom! We’re not worthy!” (smiley-face here!)  You may never know that one or two received what you said and took it to heart.  Just do it by faith and leave it with the Lord.

Have fun teaching, pastor. It’s a great life.

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