Focus

Laurie A. Moyer

The mid to late 1700’s in France was not a pretty place to be. There was oppression, poverty and starvation. Marie Antoinette and the rest of the ruling class seemed not to be aware of the true needs of the people, whether or not she actually spoke the words, "Let them eat cake." The idea that merely saying it would make it happen, or the lack of understanding of how little the "little people" actually had was appalling to the commoners and strengthened their rebellion. This is a particular history lesson we may profit to visit in evaluation of our Bible classes.

The lesson of the French Revolution was not just to give the people what they want; it was to give them what they actually need. What they did not need was cake. Do we really feel it necessary to feed our hungry Bible students a constant diet of cake? You know what I mean: the fluffy stuff with the cream filling they love so much, but has little nutritional value. This is the effect of our classes when an observer would label them a craft class, art class, or nursery school, instead of a Bible class.

Most of these classes, which I would term "out of focus," begin with the best of intentions. The teachers wish to capture the attention and interest level of their students (a good and necessary thing). They may feel pressured to match the entertainment level of other educational fields (an understandable reaction). The bottom line, though, is that they are relying on activities and games to keep their students happy and engaged. The "polish" has replaced the "purpose" in these cases. The Bible has become something we squeeze in between the "fun stuff."

The absolute center of any Bible class must be the Bible. Most teachers agree on this point. The sticky part comes in defining when you have left off teaching the Bible and given in to over-simplified platitudes with little substance. The lesson of John 6 is that Jesus is powerful and compassionate to provide the needs of the 5,000, not that "A little boy shares his lunch." The irony of it is that most gravitate to these so called "application principles" because they want to make the lesson relevant. What they fail to see is that teaching the straight Bible story itself will equip the students to handle more personal application than any story they can substitute. This is a problem in content. Application is most useful as a way of explaining the meaning of the lesson itself, not replacing what you wish your students to learn. There can be no improvement upon the Bible in conveying the mind of God, and that applies to any age group. Teach what the Bible says first, not just what you think the most appealing parts are for your age group. The Bible is universal and timeless. God Himself said it best. If our students walk away from class full of the illustrations, but devoid of what the Bible says we have failed them, no matter how entertaining and enjoyable they found it.

There is also the possibility of problems in emphasis. Any class of ages younger than Junior High School is usually divided into telling of the lesson itself and activities of some sort to reinforce that lesson. It takes a careful look to assure yourself that you have not placed more stress on what is supposed to be reinforcement than on making sure your students understand the Bible text itself.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not contending it is wrong to use examples, explanations and illustrations appropriate to the age level in question. I am a big believer in the use of memory aids. I call them "gimmicks." But recognizing them as such, I try to keep them in perspective. They are only useful teaching tools if they remind the students of the Bible lesson itself. They are not an end, only a means.

My fear is that it often appears we as teachers are more occupied with perfecting our cute and creative time "fillers" than making sure we understand and can fully convey the actual lesson of the class. If our focus is firmly placed in the latter we will not be looking for things to fill class time. We will instead be trying to find ways to make more class time. That will probably mean less cutting, pasting and class crafts. They are, after all, superficial, not substance; nicety, not nutrition.

A class is successful when, and only when, the Bible has been instilled in the hearts of your students, regardless of the icing on the cake.