Teaching Your Lesson for Maximum Effectiveness

Exodus 18:20
And you shall teach them the statutes and the Laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

Sometimes when receiving the outline to teach a lesson you can be left with the question, “How are the kids I teach supposed to grasp this?” Upon reading the lesson you may feel as if it is above their heads or too childish. The truth is this is where one of your most important jobs come in to play. It is up to you to take the lesson provided and make sure that your age group has the opportunity to clearly hear the gospel and respond.

The goal of this post is to help those who teach in the children’s ministry at the North Aiken Church of God take their weekly lesson and adapt it to their age group they have been entrusted to teach.

After going over this material I see you going into your class this Sunday and teaching the Gospel to your students in a way they will be able to understand and implement as they go throughout their week.

What You Need to Know:

1)    You have been entrusted to teach God’s word this week to the children in your care.

1. You feel called of God to invest in the lives of the students.
2. Your Pastor has appointed you to instruct them.
3. The parents of those you are teaching are trusting that you are going to invest in their child’s life.

2)    You have the tools in order to teach the children in your care God’s word.

1. You have a Bible
2. A lesson has been prepared
3. The time you’ve spent alone with God this week has empowered you to be able to teach effectively.

3)    Your life has to set the example

1. How you live outside of the class points them as to how they are to respond
2. Your life shows them how to walk (live)
3. Your life shows them how to work (what they must do)

What You Need to Do

1)    Begin by praying before opening the material

1. Pray that God would open his word up to you and you would deliver it in a way that is effective.
2. Pray over each child that will be in your class

2)    Get to know the material

1. Read the Lesson Title
2. Look up the passage of scripture that is going to be talked about and read it from your Bible
3. Read the Big Idea
4. Look up the memory verse and read it from your Bible

3)    Read through the Bible Lesson from your Outline

1. 1^st read through it just to become familiar with how the writer explained the Bible passage
2. 2^nd read through it and make notes and reword what you feel would help your age group understand the lesson.
3. 3^rd read through it and make notes of things that you can do in order to help your age group comprehend the subject matter. (Such as visuals, actions, or involvement.)

4)    Arrive prepared to teach your lesson

1. Arrive with a smile on your face ready to teach your Group the truth from God’s word
2. As you enter the room and set up your area pray over each chair in representation of a child that will be attending.
3. Prior to service starting until completion of the service find ways to engage in the lives of the Children you have been entrusted to teach.

Remember, your goal is to take the lesson you have been provided and teach it effectively to those in your care. The words you speak and the actions you portray have the opportunity to lead each child in your care closer to making a decision to follow Christ. By following the above approach you will see that you will have a great impact in the lives of your students.

The point is this, God has called you, Your Pastor has appointed you, and the Parents are trusting you, you can teach effectively this week and in the weeks to come.

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Wednesday’s Lesson Notes Aug. 21, 2013

Below is the outline I will be using during tonight’s lesson. I have been working over the last couple of months from an outline template that was passed down from Pastor Kemp. He has posted a helpful post  detailing the process he goes through when preparing a sermon/lesson HERE. This system, when I stick to it, helps my thoughts flow better and also helps me to stay on topic. Another benefit is that it keeps me within a reasonable time frame which shows respect for those who have taken the time to come out and hear the word. Here’s the thing. I have had more positive feedback from those in the congregation about how they were impacted by the message when I have taken the time to present the message in this fashion.

I am posting the basic outline here on the blog as a trial. I will start by giving a brief recap of Sunday’s message and then spend a few moments amplifying it. This method on Wednesday nights impacted me greatly in my journey with Christ while attending Central Church, Hilton Head during MIP. Maybe those who are making plans to attend service at North Aiken Church of God during our Wednesday Worship Service will find it helpful.

Go and Sin No More [Amplified]
Proverbs 16

The essence of this message is Jesus’ death on the cross was the place where he set the example and displayed compassion toward us. For those who believe in Him and commit to following him; we have to make a conscious decision to walk away from the sin he delivered us from.

The goal of this message is to point out 3 things from Proverbs 16 that can help you to continually walk in the freedom of Christ.

I see each of us renewing our commitment to Christ and developing the following habits in our daily life;
Releasing ownership to Jesus Christ,
Removing arrogance from our life, and
Reviewing each path available to us and choosing the one which reflects wholeness in Jesus Christ.

What You Need to know?

Success comes by committing what I do to the Lord.
Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV) – Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.

My way is not the best way
Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV) – Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

What seems right isn’t always the right way.
Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV) – There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

What You Need to do?

Release Ownership
Remove Arrogance from your life and establish that we are all a mess apart from Jesus.
Review each Path before you; choose only the one that leads you closer to Christ.

Your Personal Declaration:

I will not go back to who I was before Christ.
I will not allow my life to be controlled by the sin that separated me from Christ.

I will release ownership of all to Jesus Christ; Jesus you own all the rights, profits, and I just work for you. I trust you as sole owner to provide all I need.

I will remove all arrogance and will refuse to exalt self or my own works. I will point all things back to Jesus Christ.

I will review each road before me; the course that best reflects the standards (and your will) from your word will be the one I follow.

Who’s Writing that I Need to be Reading

It’s simple,

Who do I need to reading as it relates to online content such as blogs?

Who are you reading and how are they impacting your life through their blog?

Let me know by leaving a comment with their blog and web address. Also, don’t forget to point me to your blog if you have one.

4 Promises for a Troubled Heart

John 14:1-3 (NKJV) – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

I remember a particular weekend in my first semester of college I was stressed. Honestly, I felt like everything was caving in on me. I felt I had so much to complete with little time to do it. It was a Saturday morning. I was four hours away from home. I had been pacing my small dorm room back and forth for what seemed like hours in order to keep my mind from racing. It didn’t help. Then it hit me, I can call home and get some guidance.

At that moment I picked up the phone and called home. I spoke with my Mom. As I began to express the anxiety and pressure I was feeling, my mother said, “George pack up your books and drive home. You can enjoy the evening here, study, then attend your home Church for Sunday’s service, and head back to school.” Within a matter of minutes I packed up my books and began my 4 hour journey home. With one simple statement,

“I knew there was a place where I can find solitude and rest and I knew how to get there.”

I can’t imagine the anxiety level as the disciples were sitting with their Teacher and more importantly Savior for what would be the last time before his crucifixion. All of a sudden with his words, Jesus pointed them to action. Do not let your heart be troubled. Why, because as they have believed in God they can also believe and place their trust in Him. Jesus then gave four promises.

There’s more than enough room for all
He was going to prepare a place
He is going to come again and bring his own to where He is
He made plain where he was going and how to get there.

Today I would like you to take a few moments and remind yourself. These promises weren’t just for a few select people a few centuries ago. As believers today be encouraged. There is still more than enough room for those who believe in Him. Jesus has prepared a place for you. Jesus is still going to come again and transition you from this earth to where he is. The path is clear, we know where he went and you know how to get there.

Keep Pursuing!

Stop Trying to Be Great, Be Consistent

You don’t have to be great, but you do have to be consistent.

I want to be be great and I often feel the need to throw myself a “pity party for one” when I realize I am not great in a particular area. To be honest I am learning day by day that it’s not necessarily a moment that makes us great but consistency.

For example…

A great husband isn’t measured by saying I do, but by consistently fulfilling his responsibilities as a husband on a day to day basis.

Being a great father isn’t just being at the birth of his children, but by consistently fulfilling his responsibilities as a father on a day to day basis.

To encourage you to be consistent, let me remind you…

David became consistent with a stone and a slingshot before he ever became great in the eyes of a nation.

Not matter what your context, being great is accomplished by being consistent. So as I write this and am working on things in my life to be more consistent in, I hope you are encouraged to keep pressing forward.

Don’t focus on being great, focus on being consistent.

Thanks for reading, I value your feedback. Please take a moment to leave a comment below. If this post has encouraged you and you feel others may grow in their walk with Christ please take a moment to share it on the social network site of your choice.

Also, take a moment to read a great post that I read this morning which encouraged me and was the basis for this post. Thanks to Pastor David Kemp for his leadership and ministry. It’s titled Choose Greatness and as I began reflecting on that statement I began to realize that my choice of greatness begins with consistency.

Help, My Pastor Preaches too Long #OurCOG

Have you ever sat through a movie that seemed like it wouldn’t end. Maybe it was a class where after a certain period of time it seemed like you checked out. I am sure that if your a Pastor you imagine each person sitting through your sermon never wanting it to end because it is so engaging and life changing. If I can be so blunt, as a Pastor I feel like I spend too much time on each message. I am sure that many of those who are listening to us feel the same way.

I am looking for some feedback…

As a Pastor when your in the congregation listening to another speaker, how long do you want them to speak?

As a Pastor how long do you normally spend delivering your message, do you think those your preaching to wishes you would shorten it up a bit?

As a church attendee if you could be open an honest with your Pastor, what would be the ideal time for this Sunday’s sermon?

As an attendee, how long does your Pastor normally spend on his message, is it too long?

Please take a moment to leave your thoughts in the comments. I look forward to reading your responses.

Reflections on Pentecost #OurCOG

As a Pentecostal, celebrating the events which took place on Pentecost isn’t as much about trying to reenact what took place in Acts 2 but instead to renew my commitment and align my life in order to be filled with the Holy Spirits power.

Having the Holy Spirit indwelling in you allows you to be a living witness of Jesus Christ. He gives the power to be a witness of what Christ has done and who Christ is. The season of Pentecost should not drive us stick out our chest in spiritual arrogance (not even sure those two words should be used together) but it should drive us to our knees in repentance for not taking advantage of the opportunities that God has placed in front of us to testify of Jesus Christ.

I firmly believe that only a season of prayer has the ability reignite a flame in our lives that will give us the power to be a living witness no matter what context we find ourself in.

Keep living a life of pursuit with your focus upward and your reach outward.

How I Treat Others Says A Lot About What I Think of Me (Quote)

When I was 15 I was given a Bible which belonged to my Grandfather, Capt. George Ellis Tallmage, USMC Ret. It was in my fathers possession. It was a KJV Thompson Chain Reference which was given to my Grandfather in the 70’s by the congregation of First Assembly of God in Walterboro. It was passed down to me as a gift a few weeks after I announced to my family that I accepted the call to preach. This particular Bible sits in my office right next to my desk.

In the first few blank pages of this Bible there are a few things penned, mostly by my father. Here is one quote which I have read often and still retain in my memory today. I would like to share it with you. I haven’t found where it is attributed to anyone else so I will give the credit to my dad for this quote.

The way I love my neighbor is the way I love myself. – George E. Tallmage, Sr

There is a lot of truth in this quote. If the greatest commandment is to Love The Lord God with everything you are, and to Love your neighbor as yourself. Then it is only accurate that the way I love those around me is deep down what I think about and how I love myself.

Easter’s Past, Now What

Another Easter weekend is in the rear view mirror. If you are unfamiliar about why we make such a big deal about Easter you can read in the Bible, John chapters 18-20. For all of my ministry friends I hope this past weekend proved to be one of your best weekends of the year. Maybe you didn’t quite reach the goals you set out to reach. Can I give you a word of encouragement? Just because you didn’t hit the number you were reaching for it shouldn’t get you down.

At the time of this post I have only been at the North Aiken Church of God for about 7 weeks. Sure, we had some expectations but I haven’t let those expectations control me. We plan, we execute, but ultimately the rest is up to God.

For instance, we were planning for an attendance goal of 75 people. We have been averaging 50. We had a total attendance of 55. Although we didn’t meet our planned goal of 75 there are a few things that we were able to execute by having that goal. If we were going to hit 75 we had to free up space in the sanctuary. So, we created an environment where children ages 2months – 5th grade can learn about Jesus and the purpose of Easter. That freed up close to 20 seats in the sanctuary for the guests that we’ve been inviting. We had a nursery for kids 2 months thru 2 years. A group for kids ages 3 thru 5 and a group for kids in k5 thru 5th grade. In total there were 13 kids present.

Here’s what I have learned and I hope is an encouragement to you.

Don’t allow the fact that you didn’t have the number of people you expected and planned for make you unbearable to be around.

Don’t allow the fact that you may have had a record breaking attendance make you unbearable to be around.

Don’t forget to put the same amount of prayer and planning into this coming weekend.

Don’t forget to reflect on what God did this weekend in spite of us.

Don’t forget, it’s not about you it’s all about God and His plan and purpose for those he’s allowed you the opportunity to shepherd.

In closing let me add, the most important thing I believe that could have happened did. At least two people recognized that they have been trying to go through this life alone and recognized the need to turn it over to God and trust in Jesus.

What was the highlight of your weekend?

If you are a ministry leader what’s some sound advice you would give to other ministry leaders right after a big weekend?