ABSG Questions for Discussion: The Gospel and the Church

Welcome

Many Sabbath School class teachers either preach a sermon to their class or deliver a monologue on the whole lesson, going through it "day-by-day." The most rewarding sessions involve the members in discussion. These questions here are intended to stimulate the active participation of the members in your class. Of course pertinent information imparted by the teacher is also very valuable, for which there are many resources in print and on the internet. This site seeks to provide a resource for discussions.

If you are a member and not a teacher and your class is boring, try asking questions such as these in your class.

Monday, 19 December 2011

The Gospel and the Church

Restoring the Fallen

1. What are various ways Christians respond to a fellow-Christians moral fall?

2. Disfellowshipping a fallen believer seems to be going out of style. Is that good or bad?

3. How often do we see real compassion for the fallen member?

Beware of Temptation

1. Are we immune to temptation if we keep alert?

2. Why do say “pride goes before a fall?

3. Does the fact that we may have fallen into the same sin make us more compassionate when another falls to temptation? Can you think of more examples to support this or to contradict it?

Burden Bearing

1. How can we help bear the burden of one who has fallen into sin?

2. What factors influence whether or not we go to another person for help when we have fallen into sin?

3. What are some examples of burdens that nobody can help us bear?

The Law of Christ

1. How can helping bear another person’s burden be fulfilling the law of Christ?

2. How can Adventists in India get rid of prejudices relating to caste, class, gender, and tribe that plague our church?

Sowing and Reaping

1. How can we say that people reap what they sow when righteous people suffer equally or more than the wicked; and the wicked seem to prosper more than the righteous?

2. Is a harvest always in proportion to the amount of hard work put into the field?

3. What is the general response of a person who is offered help by his/her enemy?

4. What if there were no judgement day or harvest? Would it still be worth “sowing?”

How to Teach a Sabbath School Class

1. Make a conscious decision that you will lead a discussion and not preach a sermon. Prepare accordingly and be alert for discussion opportunities. A discussion in which many participate is very rewarding.

2. You must have a page of freshly written notes. Don't waste people's time with inconsequential things just to occupy the time.

3. Sprinkle your notes with discussion questions and mark them out in bold. Any time you feel you are losing the attention of the members get them into another discussion. The discussion should be relevant to the lesson as well as to everyday life.

4. Start the lesson with a discussion question, or at the very latest within the next few sentences. If you wait for ten minutes and then try to generate a discussion it will be too late. The class will have tuned you out because you have tuned them out.

5. The opening question should be general enough so that even those who have not studied will be interested in contributing.

6. Avoid questions that can be answered by a single word. If someone answers with "yes/no" ask them to give reasons for their answer. If the answer is too short ask them to clarify or simplify the answer.

7. If a member asks a question, that is a golden opportunity for a discussion. Don't waste it by answering it too quickly. Throw the question back to the members for their opinion. You can give yours at the end.

8. Avoid childish questions such as "Which day is the Sabbath?" Members will not feel any need to answer it. Similarly do not pause in a sentence for the members to supply the last few words. That kind of participation is not a discussion. Members must contribute ideas and thoughts and not just words.

9. Avoid trick questions. Members will be embarrassed if you show them wrong and they will not answer the next time. Also avoid questions that will make it obvious whether or not they have studied the lesson. Those who have not studied should also feel urged to contribute.

10. You may sometimes present two views and ask the members to evaluate the views.