Spirit-Led Teaching

[Vort]

A lesson I learned very early on is that if we teach by the Spirit, the lesson will be good.

 

A lesson I learned only fairly recently (within the last ten years) is that if we prepare carefully, the Spirit will teach much more effectively, because we will convey the lesson much better.

 

Some among us (including myself, at times) think that as long as we have diligently studied scriptures for years and otherwise prepared ourselves, we can do just fine at teaching a lesson or giving a talk without a lot of advanced preparation. But this is wrong. In general, it's false. I note how the apostles, with a lifetime of experience in scripture study, teaching, and spiritual matters, nevertheless carefully prepare their remarks when giving addresses.

 

Long-term preparation of prayer and scripture study is a sine qua non; without it, we can't teach effectively. But short-term preparation is also vital, at least generally speaking.

[priesthoodpower]

 

"WE" members should support...each other in our active sinning.

Are you sure you don't want to rethink this statement?

 

 

 

How corrupt of you, my words in its original context as seen below is just fine, maybe you should rethink your intentions.

 

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"Prophets, Bishops and other leaders should declare sin as evil, the rest of us "WE" members should support and accept each other in our active sinning."

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Edited July 13, 2015 by priesthoodpower

[skippy740]

What constitutes a "spirit-led" lesson?  (Note:  I didn't click on the link)

 

Just because one is skilled in teaching, does not necessarily mean a lesson is filled with the Spirit.

 

Just because one prepares in advance, does not necessarily mean a lesson is filled with the Spirit.

 

While Moses was not strong in speech, I'm sure he spoke by the Spirit.

 

 

So, what does it take?

1)  Personify the lesson.  Bring the lesson into a real life example and pose questions.  Get a conversation and dialogue going.

2)  Talk about what YOU got out of the lesson.  (Do you even LIKE the lesson?  Do you struggle with it?  Talk about that.)

3)  TESTIFY of gospel principles when you can.

4)  Read scripture verses that help accentuate the point and talk about them.

5)  Don't be afraid of silence and pauses.  Let the Spirit work in you and them.  

6)  Respect all volunteered viewpoints, even if they tend to take the subject off-course for a bit.  (We all know that happens.)  Try to steer it back to the lesson, if you can.

7)  Try to show how we can apply the lesson in various stages of OUR lives (young adult, just married, middle aged, retired, etc.), and the lives of those whom we have stewardship - spouses, children, grandchildren, home/visiting teaching families, etc.

8)  What resolutions does the lesson want us to make and how can we actually implement them in our own families?

 

Just some thoughts.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I just read something that I think is a great addition to this discussion.  I'm reading, The Crucible of Doubt by Terryl and Fiona Givens.  (It's amazing, BTW).

 

In a chapter called The Role and Function of the Church, they are talking about the Sacrament, and what if "we saw lessons and talks as connection to the sacrament rather than as unrelated secondary activities? What if we saw them as opportunities to bear with one another in all our infirmities and ineptitude?  What if we saw the mediocre talk, the overbearing counselor, the lesson read straight from the manual, as a lay member's equivalent of the widow's mite?  A humble offering, perhaps, but one to be measured in terms of the capacity of the giver rather than in the value received. And if the effort itself is negligible--well, then the gift is the opportunity given us to exercise patience and mercy.  If that sounds too idealistic, if we insist on imposing a higher standard on our co-worshippers, if we insist on measuring our worship service in terms of what we "get out of" the meeting, then perhaps we have erred in our understanding of worship."

 

I don't know about all of you, but I think I will write this down and put it in my scriptures and read it every week before the meetings start.  :)   I will still continue to strive to teach with the Spirit, and perhaps the Givens' wise counsel can help me listen  with a more worshipful attitude as well.  

[The Folk Prophet]

 

 

How corrupt of you, my words in its original context as seen below is just fine, maybe you should rethink your intentions.

 

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"Prophets, Bishops and other leaders should declare sin as evil, the rest of us "WE" members should support and accept each other in our active sinning."

--------------

 

My edits, even removed, do not alter the intent of my question whatsoever. I only edited to point out that your statement does, indeed, include the very strange idea that we should support others in active sinning. And I am still wondering if you'd like to rethink that.

 

How is it corrupt for me to ask you if your really mean to include the idea that we should support each other in our active sinning?

Edited July 15, 2015 by The Folk Prophet

[Guest]

Long-term preparation of prayer and scripture study is a sine qua non; without it, we can't teach effectively. But short-term preparation is also vital, at least generally speaking.

 

A lot of times, people refuse to substitute teach in an emergency because they believe they can't possibly teach without at least a week's worth of preparation.  A lot of times, people wait for the prepared Monday FHE before teaching the kids a spiritual lesson that relates to an event of the moment.  A lot of times, people pass over missionary opportunities because they feel they're not prepared to proselytize.

 

Yes, preparation on the topic to teach a lesson is important to teach effectively and every teacher called to that specific calling must do what they need to magnify that calling.  But one can be led by the spirit to teach in the spur of the moment when one is living righteously... if one is willing to be led.

Edited July 15, 2015 by anatess

[Vort]

In a chapter called The Role and Function of the Church, they are talking about the Sacrament, and what if "we saw lessons and talks as connection to the sacrament rather than as unrelated secondary activities? What if we saw them as opportunities to bear with one another in all our infirmities and ineptitude?  What if we saw the mediocre talk, the overbearing counselor, the lesson read straight from the manual, as a lay member's equivalent of the widow's mite?  A humble offering, perhaps, but one to be measured in terms of the capacity of the giver rather than in the value received.

 

A valuable insight.

 

It seems to me that complaining about a poorly taught lesson or poorly delivered sacrament meeting sermon is essentially a selfish act. "I am here for ME, and that talk/lesson/presentation did nothing for ME! How dare he waste MY time with his unspiritual, second-rate efforts!" I think we covenanted to do better than that.

[Vort]

A lot of times, people refuse to substitute teach in an emergency because they believe they can't possibly teach without at least a week's worth of preparation.

 

In my experience, this does not happen "a lot of times". It happens almost never. Those who refuse to teach on short notice don't need the prep time; most of the time, they won't start preparing until the day before anyway, or maybe the morning of. They simply don't like having "unpleasant surprises" sprung on them.

 

This is an example of what is mentioned above: People being at different levels. Such a refusal is indeed (usually) an act of selfishness, but not usually in the sense of "Up yours! I have better things to do than teach your stupid class!", but more along the lines of, "I'm so insecure that it takes me a week or two of habituation to the idea of teaching to build up my resolve to do it, so a sudden immediate teaching invitation overwhelms me."

 

In any case, the above does not touch on what I wrote before. Yes, people can and do provide inspired lessons at the drop of a hat. That does not mean that therefore prior preparation for a particular lesson is unimportant. The best lessons and sermons are normally not extemporaneous, but carefully prepared.