The Crucial Role Bible Training Plays in Church Ministry

The Crucial Role Bible Training Plays in Church Ministry

Consider this fact: In any given week at your church, more Bible teaching is conducted by volunteer Bible teachers than by the pastors of your church.

Hello, and welcome to the I Can Teach the Bible podcast. I’m your host – Lawrence Ford.

Today we’ll be discussing The Crucial Role Bible Training Plays in Church Ministry.

Christians in virtually any church or denomination are familiar with the reality that men and women without any formal Bible college or seminary training are responsible for much of the Bible teaching every week in the local church. This cannot be overstated nor can it be overlooked. 

Faithful pastors shepherd us in a holistic manner, providing spiritual food, counsel, correction, and leadership for an entire flock of Christ followers. Those of us who are or have served in pastoral ministry do so because of a calling to serve God full-time for the rest of our lives. We did not enter this vocation lightly. And we committed ourselves to endure the rigors of Bible college and/or seminary to have wise teachers of the Bible prepare us for a lifetime of service in the local church.

Pastors preach on Sunday mornings and often Sunday nights to the church as a whole, and some lead Bible studies or Sunday school classes for smaller segments of the congregation. It’s not just our job; it’s our calling, our commitment, and our passion to see lives transformed by the power of the Word through the ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

And yet, the role of the pastor to shepherd us does not include Bible teaching at every age level on a weekly basis. Other members of the Body are asked to share the responsibility to teach children, students, and smaller groups of adults in Sunday school classes, small groups in homes, and elective Bible studies during the mid-week. A lot of Bible teaching takes place in the local church without the pastor’s direct involvement, though he is responsible to ensure that teaching is handled well.

Bible Training at My Church

Think about your local church. Take a moment to consider all the different classes that are taught week-to-week. Who is teaching the Bible in these classes? Perhaps one of the pastors is teaching a class here and there. But the lion’s share of teaching falls on willing members of the congregation who make a commitment to study, prepare, and teach each week. 

So, think again about who is teaching the Bible at your church and answer the following questions:

• How are Bible teachers recruited at your church?
• What kind of qualifications are considered when selecting teachers?
• Is the pastoral staff involved in choosing class teachers?
• What is the screening process to become a teacher at your church?
• Does your church have an organized Bible training program for newly recruited teachers? What about an annual teacher training program for those leading Bible classes?
• If your church brings teachers together for Bible training, how effective do you think it is? Does this training help volunteer teachers study the Bible better and teach more effectively? Do you believe that some members are reluctant to teach the Bible but do it anyway because there’s no one else to do it? 

There are more questions like this you could answer, but the point is pretty clear: It’s time to examine how your church recruits and trains volunteers to teach the Bible.