ABSG Questions for Discussion: Lesson 11 (Sept 3-9), Jesus Bade Them, "Follow Me"

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.

Sunday, 4 September 2016

Lesson 11 (Sept 3-9), Jesus Bade Them, "Follow Me"

They Know His Voice

Was it reasonable for people like Mahatma Gandhi to reject Christianity because of the lives of Christians?
Isn't it unwise for anyone to start attending a church just because the members were helpful in time of need? Is there anything more to that?
How can we distinguish the voice of Satan from the voice of Jesus knowing that Satan will do his best to imitate Jesus?
Did the multitudes follow Jesus for the wrong reasons?

We Are to Seek

Is it reasonable to pray that God would send honest seekers either to our church or to us as individuals? Or are we expected to go out and hunt for them? Where should we look?
How can we identify a lost sheep? Since we do not know th heart, how can we tell if it is really lost?
Why does God distinctly send some people to the Adventist church through dreams or visions, and others have to be sought out?

The Bridge

How should a visitor to church be welcomed without being over welcomed?
How can we discern the motives of a person like Zachaeus who might be just inquisitive?
What makes some people hunt out a new church to attend?

The Bidding

Did Jesus ever heal people just for the sake of healing, or was spiritual healing always the objective?
Is it infringement on other people's religious liberty to evangelise?
Why was what God did to Jonah or Paul on the road to Damascus not an infringement of their liberty?

Seek And You Shall Find

Are the thousands who die every day without a knowledge of Jesus, guilty of not seeking Jesus adequately?
How does Jesus knock at our door?
Is it acceptable to use emotions such as a song or impassioned appeal in evangelism?

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.