Faculty forum: This is how Jesus Christ taught

Teachers, lecturers and pastors can learn a lot from the methods Jesus Christ used when He preached and taught on earth. In a lecture by James Beeke, Christian educator from British Columbia Canada, explained eight methods Christ used to Mukhanyo lecturers at the Pretoria learning support centre on Monday, 8 August.

Here follows a very brief summary of the eight approaches. James promised that he will send the full course to Mukhanyo as soon as he is back in Canada, which will than be made available to all.

1. Asking questions. Christ asked over a hundred questions in the gospels. It is very effective to start a lesson with a key question, introducing the lecture’s topic. For example: what happened to you when you die? Do good deeds take you to heaven? It should make learners think and listen to your explanation.
2. Oral presentation is very important. Look learners/students in the eye. Hand gestures. Connect. And do peer evaluation by asking students how they evaluate you.
3. The story telling approach of instruction. Christ used fitting parables, stories which highlighted a truth and as a story is easily remembered. Tell a relevant story to introduce your lesson to generate interest and explain a difficult concept, for example trust in the Lord.
4. Discussion as a method of teaching.  Christ discussed matters in depth with his disciples. Not discussion for discussion’s sake, but to drive in a direction, to bring the lesson’s message across effectively.
5. Learning by doing. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to show them real modesty. Or by evangelising in the streets, getting experience. Not artificially, but  authentically.
6. The reporting method. Jesus send his apostles out with detailed instructions and guidance for personal engagements, discussion group and reporting back. For example: you ask students at the end of a lesson to write down three key points of the lesson.
7. Use the concrete approach with practical examples. Throwing a coin and ask whose it is (the emperor) and what it implies. Or pulling a child to the middle of a crowd to illustrate a point (believe like a child).
8. Personalise or individualise lessons by healing individuals, by talking to the prostitute, the tax collector, the blind man, etc. Informally, touching the untouchable and the poorest. Never write off anyone. Not even the student who to you, looks the dumbest.  All this has to be done with unconditionable love.

Think about this:
Do you really trust God?
A balancer was going to cross the Victoria waterfall on a tightrope. He asked the audience if they thought he could do it. They knew him and agreed that he could. He did. He asked if they thought he could do it backwards. They thought he could. He did. Next he asked if they thought he could do it pushing a wheelbarrow. Again they were sure he could, and again he did. If there would be a person in the wheelbarrow? Yes, everybody was pretty sure he could do this as well. So he pointed to a person who had agreed that he surely would be able to do it: “You, come along!” He declined. So did he really trust? Implication: do you really trust God?