Transitory Psychosis

It’s happened again today. Someone sent me a question about a Sunday School teacher who is apparently leading his class down the dead-end street of false doctrine. As is most often the case, the class has no curriculum or set direction of study. They simply study whatever strikes the teacher’s fancy. Although the particular teacher in question seems to have a plan of study that extends a few weeks at a time, there is no overall direction or curriculum to follow.

In my experience, this kind of class almost always drifts into falsehood or foolishness. The falsehood usually results from the teacher presenting whatever sounds good to him or her. In most cases, such teachers have no biblical training and they often lead their classes into old lies and misinterpretations that were laid to rest centuries ago. (Such as the so-called “lost” tribes of Israel.)
(more…)

I am the editor of two Sunday School/Bible Study teaching guides (CLEAR Direction and CLEAR Horizon Teaching Guides, used by several thousand people each week. I have been teaching teens and adults in various settings for over 25 years. I have led workshops at various places around the U.S. (and even in Canada once) to teach youth workers and teachers how to effectively teach students. BUT, yesterday, 15 seventh and eighth grade boys ate my lunch.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that the class was out of control or that no one learned anything. Judging from our brief review at the end, they did learn something. It’s just that I left feeling like it wasn’t a successful lesson. Students seemed disengaged. I was out of sorts. To top it off, circumstances required me to take some disciplinary action and I just kind of left with a bad taste in my mouth.
(more…)

As you may know, I am the editor of the CLEAR Direction and CLEAR Horizon Bible Study/Sunday School curriculum for Randall House Publications. That means I oversee seven products:

CLEAR Direction and CLEAR Horizon student devotional magazines
CLEAR Direction and CLEAR Horizon Teaching Guides
CLEAR Direction and CLEAR Horizon Teaching Essentials
CLEAR Connection for teens

[Note: For more info on these products, visit the RHP website. Click on the curriculum button and the Junior High (CLEAR Direction) or Senior High (CLEAR Horizon) product category.]

I am also a frequent workshop presenter at Team Church events-regional training conferences for Sunday School and local church workers.
(more…)