Monthly youth leaders column

The one problem with an early Easter is that next term's programme comes round too soon. Christmas is hardly over and Easter is fast approaching. We have to sit down and decide what we are putting in the programme for next term - or do we? Let's assume that it's good to plan our teaching programmes at least a term in advance. We don't just sit at home on Saturday night (trying not to watch the footie) and plan what we're teaching in the morning.

Do we base next term's programme on a live issue within the group? We've heard a fair bit of gossip in the group recently - do we do a session or two on the family of God and how they should behave? There's still a lot of chat about the tsunami - do we really need to grapple with the 'suffering and God of love' theme yet again? Or have we been working our way through the Bible and finally got to 2 Chronicles so we're going to teach that, come what may? Are there any guidelines which will help us plan what we're going to teach?

Keep records

Memory plays tricks and we may find it hard to remember the topics for last term, let alone a year ago. Most young people stay in our groups for four years (longer if we count 11 to 18). What kind of programme have they had? I knew a church once that hadn't reviewed its teaching programme and found they hadn't touched a gospel for over five years and had done some epistles three times.

Balanced programmes

It is important to look at the balance of what has been taught. Leaders may have a preference for the intricate detail of history but would prefer not to teach a pastoral epistle. We all have strengths (and the other things) and need to be sure that our groups are getting a balance of different biblical genres (types of book). Some books are best taught in one series (e.g. Ruth) where the narrative would be ruined by leaving gaps in the unfolding story of God's saving providence. I wouldn't attempt Isaiah or even Psalms at one go but that is no reason for not touching those books. It makes sense to make teaching from Bible books the staple diet of your programme with a variety both in terms of the style of the book and the length of time you spend working in it

Be flexible

It is sometimes vital that key issues are dealt with - we want to model good Bible study so there will be occasions when it is good to go 'Thematic'. This year the issue around is poverty - 'make poverty history'. The biblical response cannot be ignored as Jesus shows a very deep concern for the poor. That would suggest we should too. If a tragic event occurs in the group or to a close school friend, young people are going to need answers. Recently, in Southampton, an 18-year-old student, who was a close friend of some of the group, was murdered on her way home. That issue needed to be handled to help young people deal with it in a tense college environment.

The right balance of these last two criteria tells the young people that we are both interested in teaching the whole message of the Bible as well as the issues which exist in their world. So now is the time to be thinking about Easter onwards (if you haven't already) and beginning to think about the year that starts in September next. Why not produce a grid of all your teaching days and begin to pencil in your ideas. Better still, have a day with your leaders to pray through and plan your topics for the coming year and produce some notes on the issues you plan to cover. It's never too early.

Dave Fenton

© Evangelicals Now - March 2005
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