I teach Christian bible studies (ages 11-14).I'm new to it...I teach by experience only - any ideas?

Question

I became a Christian about a year ago, so I'm still learning. The Pastor asked me to work with these pre-teens. Im 32 yrs old and have made a lot of bad choices in my past, I feel I am now on the right path. These kids opened up to me....a lot of them are hurting inside about family problems, or simply have issues they need advise on. They have told me they cant talk to their parents about stuff.......so I have been 100% honest with them, and use some of my past as examples. Do you think it's ok?? (that I dont have much expierience in this?) Some quiestions they ask in a journal I provided for them are deep!

Answer 1

There is a reason why they open up to you. It is because you are 100% honest with them and use your own experience. What they are looking for is someone who is real, not some dull dry outlined bible study. Although there is a time and place for bible studies, God has you where you are for a reason.
Before answering this question, I read someone else's response saying you're still a kid yourself. To this I say GREAT! All the more reason for you to keep teaching these kids. Oh my goodness, if people only realized the character of Christ and how he loved to relate to the childlike and not to the religious Pharasees, you'd be getting more response like mine telling you not to change a doggone thing. They need you and it sounds like you're Pastor has enough wisdom to put you there.

Answer 2

Hey,
I think it's totally ok to be honest with the kids, as long as you make it clear to them that you aren't giving them permission to make the same mistakes, you are only telling them about your mistakes so that they can make better decisions. I will give you a link to a website that has awesome Bible study resources directed to teens. www.zjam.org Once you get there, go to Spiritual Food, and then Bible Study Archives. They are archived by topic. These are amazing Bible Studies for young people, and you can also set it so that you get them emailed to you each day...theres a new one everyday. Send me a message if you ever need any help with planning or advising for your Bible studies...I am a fairly new Christian myself, and was put in the same position you now are after I had only been a Christian for about 2 months. I'm now a college student studying Youth Ministry, with hopes of it becoming my full time career. I know some other resources that might help you if you want to send me an email I'll get them all together for you. :)
God bless, and enjoy your time with these kids! :)
Melissa

Answer 3

Praise God for you and for your faithfulness to His Word and to the teaching of the youth. As you have stated, you are a young Christian - a babe, but you are willing and that is what the Lord asks for. The Holy Spirit will teach you if you will open up yourself to Him and allow Him to direct you. You are teaching a very tender age group. Two things are happening here - one, you are teaching the what the Word of God says -and two, you are teaching the life skills. They both must be joined together. The life we live as Christians must be the example to the world and therefore, if you are teaching them life skills that honestly, their parents should be teaching, but since you have the reins - make sure you have the parents approval. Each week, I would provide a topic (from the Word) and find a connection in life for the students to relate to. I would make sure the parents were aware of the subject I am teaching. For example: The Bible teaches us about FAITH. Get all the faith scriptues you can and have the students learn some of them, and look some of them up. Related faith issues to how they must perform in school, how their faith must grow and how it is faith that truly pleases God. Other subjects might include LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS, INTIMACY..find the scriptures - what Jesus said - about these things and have the students relate the world issues and how they should NOT direct their lives in this way. Be careful of your personal examples. Young people tend to 'latch on' to what we say and believe it to be total truth - even when we are trying to teach an example. As their teacher, you should be guiding them on HOW they can approach their own parents and open these lines of communication. What can happen is this - parents may learn to resent you because of your openess and honesty, so you want to make sure you pull them into your studies and make them aware. Have some parent-child type quizzes the children can ask their parents and have them share and memorize scriptures together. As their teacher, you have to bridge this gap. I am an 8th grade teacher and also a born -again Christian. I understand the difficulty to may be facing with the lack of experience, but you have been given a charge and as an adult - you must research, talk to pastors, other teachers, parents, and most importantly - Pray for the Holy Ghost to lead you to say and do the right things. Not having experience is not a bad thing - in fact, it can be good - together you and your students can learn and appreciate the Word of God and put His love into practice each day. Make sure they have activities (hands on) they can get involved in. As a teacher you present the information, connect it to their lives, make sure they question and analyze what they are learning so it will stick with them. I wish you the best and pray for your complete success and spiritual growth.

Answer 4

Because you have learned from your past experiences, I think it's fine for you to teach from your past, to be honest in sharing with them the mistakes you have made. Just keep your language and info at a PG or PG-13 level. You can be honest without being too graphic.

The Bible tells of the mistakes of its greatest heroes: Moses, David, Abraham, Solomon, Peter, et al. Why should you try to appear perfect? The Bible even shows the vulnerable, less-than-pretty moments from Jesus. Yes, he was sinless, but he was still human as well as divine.

Answer 5

Your bad choices have given you an insight. Get creative, bring choice into a situation, but remember their ages. Set a firm "LINE" that they cannot cross, when confiding in you. Family issues are not always what they seem, so, hand off a female to another female for advice, guys to guys....when not too deep. If it is serious, Talk to the Head Pastor/Counselor first. They have parents for intimate subjects. Always, always remind them that God is standing right next to them, and will help, if they sit quietly and listen.Showing prayer and reading are your direction in teaching them.

Answer 6

You should not be leading children.

Nothing against you, you are a child yourself. You need to grow yourself before being put in charge of the spiritual upbringing of children.

Who is your pastor? The whole church must be desperate for workers. Ah, yes. The whole church in America is quite content to let the functioning of the church fall to those who are willing even if they have no calling to do it.

Answer 7

Keep it up. Stay in the Word and you will continue to grow in grace and knowledge. Your life experiences, with the wisdom that God freely gives to all that ask in faith (see James 1:3ff), provide a wealth of helps for these young people.

Answer 8

Dear brother,

you are doing great,GOD can always use our past negetive choices for good.
All kids want is for someone to tell them the truth,listen and care.
Always tell them the truth ...about there sin and where it will lead them.

Keep up the good work

Answer 9

not to offend you but after only being a christian a year you should be taking bible studies yourself rather than leading them

Answer 10

You need a co-teacher. You are just learning who God is. I don't doubt your faith or ability, but you need to sit at the feet of the elders for awhile.