Principles of Biblical Teaching (Course is also available for churches as seminar series. More info, email)
Class Description
This is a course on the basic principles of biblical teaching. It is designed to give a basic overview of methods and principles of teaching biblical truth. In doing this, the course will attempt to give the student helpful feedback so that he or she can assess with more confidence God’s calling in their life.
Class Objectives
Upon completion of this class, the student will have:
1. Gained greater confidence in determining his or her calling.
2. Developed a personal teaching philosophy by writing a philosophy of teaching paper.
3. Gained further understanding concerning the Holy Spirit’s role in the teaching process.
4. Learned about various teaching methods along with their effectiveness.
5. Become aware of the importance of the spiritual, intellectual, and homiletical preparation that biblical teaching requires.
6. Become thoroughly familiar with the homiletical process through lecture, discussion, and preparation of lessons.
7. Prepared and delivered one lesson using the principles learned.
8. Created a personal critique sheet which will be used by peers in evaluation of lessons.
9. Learned to humbly evaluate the critique from others.
Course Textbooks
Required
Jim Wilhoit and Leland Ryken. Effective Bible Teaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988.
Howard Hendricks. Teaching to Change Lives. Multnomah: Sisters, OR, 1987.
Suggested/Honors
Hendricks, Howard. Color Outside the Lines. Dallas: Word, 2002.
Ramesh, Richard. Preparing Expository Sermons. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.
Robinson, Haddon. Biblical Preaching. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1980.
Yount, William. Called to Teach. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1999.
Course Requirements and Grading
This course can be taken at three levels: enrichment, for a grade, or for a grade with honors.
Assignment Description
1. Participation: This class is structured and designed in such a way that participation in in-class discussions and activities
will take up the majority of the time. Participation is therefore essential.
2. Each student working for a grade will have assigned reading: See schedule for due dates.
3. Each student working for a grade will write a personal teaching philosophy paper: This paper should be one to five
pages. Students will ask the questions, “What constitutes an excellent teacher?” “What constitutes excellent teaching?”
and, “What type of teacher do I want to be?” Students will write down the primary values each believes constitute an
excellent teacher with the view of exemplifying these values themselves.
4. Each student working for a grade will be required to prepare and teach one sermon or lesson: This is the high point
of the class. It is at this time that students will apply the principles learned and subject yourself to the critique of the other
members of the class.
Grading System
Sessions 1&2 Sessions 3&4 Sessions 5&6 Session 7&8
10% 20% 20% 50%
Class Outline and Schedule
The class sessions will be held either for eight consecutive weeks for ninety minutes, four consecutive weeks for three hours, one weekend for a total of eleven to twelve hours, or four consecutive days/evenings for three hours each.
Session Subject
1 Developing a Teaching Philosophy
2 The Holy Spirit in Teaching Reading: Teaching to Change Lives Paper: Teaching Philosophy
3 Different Teaching Methods
4 Homiletical Process, Part 1 Reading: Effective Biblical Teaching
5 Introductions
6 The Homiletical Process, Part 2
7 Delivery / Evaluation of Teaching
8 Lessons / Evaluation of Teaching Reading: Effective Biblical Teaching Lesson/Sermon (15 min.)
"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
This is a course on the basic principles of biblical teaching. It is designed to give a basic overview of methods and principles of teaching biblical truth. In doing this, the course will attempt to give the student helpful feedback so that he or she can assess with more confidence God’s calling in their life.
Class Objectives
Upon completion of this class, the student will have:
1. Gained greater confidence in determining his or her calling.
2. Developed a personal teaching philosophy by writing a philosophy of teaching paper.
3. Gained further understanding concerning the Holy Spirit’s role in the teaching process.
4. Learned about various teaching methods along with their effectiveness.
5. Become aware of the importance of the spiritual, intellectual, and homiletical preparation that biblical teaching requires.
6. Become thoroughly familiar with the homiletical process through lecture, discussion, and preparation of lessons.
7. Prepared and delivered one lesson using the principles learned.
8. Created a personal critique sheet which will be used by peers in evaluation of lessons.
9. Learned to humbly evaluate the critique from others.
Course Textbooks
Required
Jim Wilhoit and Leland Ryken. Effective Bible Teaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988.
Howard Hendricks. Teaching to Change Lives. Multnomah: Sisters, OR, 1987.
Suggested/Honors
Hendricks, Howard. Color Outside the Lines. Dallas: Word, 2002.
Ramesh, Richard. Preparing Expository Sermons. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001.
Robinson, Haddon. Biblical Preaching. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1980.
Yount, William. Called to Teach. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1999.
Course Requirements and Grading
This course can be taken at three levels: enrichment, for a grade, or for a grade with honors.
- Personal Enrichment: if you are taking the course for enrichment, you must pay the Course Audit fee. You may then you attend as many or as few sessions as you desire. Homework is not required, although doing homework will obviously enrich your learning experience.
- Graded: If you take the course for a grade, you must pay the registration fee, attend all sessions, and complete enough of the homework according to the grading system below to receive a passing grade.
- Honors: Honors credit can be earned in this course by reading any of the books listed as honors reading, then submitting a one- to ywo-page synopsis of the reading. Other works may be accepted as honors reading at the instructor's discretion.
Assignment Description
1. Participation: This class is structured and designed in such a way that participation in in-class discussions and activities
will take up the majority of the time. Participation is therefore essential.
2. Each student working for a grade will have assigned reading: See schedule for due dates.
3. Each student working for a grade will write a personal teaching philosophy paper: This paper should be one to five
pages. Students will ask the questions, “What constitutes an excellent teacher?” “What constitutes excellent teaching?”
and, “What type of teacher do I want to be?” Students will write down the primary values each believes constitute an
excellent teacher with the view of exemplifying these values themselves.
4. Each student working for a grade will be required to prepare and teach one sermon or lesson: This is the high point
of the class. It is at this time that students will apply the principles learned and subject yourself to the critique of the other
members of the class.
Grading System
Sessions 1&2 Sessions 3&4 Sessions 5&6 Session 7&8
10% 20% 20% 50%
Class Outline and Schedule
The class sessions will be held either for eight consecutive weeks for ninety minutes, four consecutive weeks for three hours, one weekend for a total of eleven to twelve hours, or four consecutive days/evenings for three hours each.
Session Subject
1 Developing a Teaching Philosophy
2 The Holy Spirit in Teaching Reading: Teaching to Change Lives Paper: Teaching Philosophy
3 Different Teaching Methods
4 Homiletical Process, Part 1 Reading: Effective Biblical Teaching
5 Introductions
6 The Homiletical Process, Part 2
7 Delivery / Evaluation of Teaching
8 Lessons / Evaluation of Teaching Reading: Effective Biblical Teaching Lesson/Sermon (15 min.)
"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
