Here are some tips to help you when you are teaching a Bible class:

>> Know your subject. Never attempt to teach on something you have not spent a significant amount of time studying. (Thirty minutes the night before is not a significant amount of time.)

>> Start on time. Don’t make a habit of waiting “five more minutes” at the beginning of every class.

>> The notes in your study Bible are not a research tool. If you’re teaching on a specific passage, read at least two different commentaries on that passage. (Your church library, or even your local public library, are good places to look for commentaries. Or ask a minister at your church if you may borrow or photo copy a commentary from his/her personal library.)

>> As a general rule, avoid topic-based classes. Teach on a passage. The best way to do this is to teach through an entire book of the Bible.

>> If you’re new to teaching, consider teaching through a fairly straight-forward, short book like James, 1 John or the Gospel of Mark.

>> Don’t teach on Revelation unless you have a graduate degree in Biblical studies and you’ve been teaching at least 10 years. Just don’t do it.

>> Buy a book on teaching (there are plenty of good ones out there) and read it.

>> Incorporate some small group style questions (questions to which there are no wrong answers) into all your classes.

>> Vary your teaching techniques and format regularly. If there are ten people in your class there will be at least nine different learning styles that work best. Variety insures that you meet everyone on their ground at some point and challenge everyone out of their comfort zone at some point, as well.

>> If a student asks a question you don’t know the answer to, admit that you don’t know and offer to work with that student to find the answer.

>> Make prayer a part of your preparation for every class you teach.