How to Start and Run a Local Church	Print Page Chapter Links
Teaching

Most people are used to extensive teaching in services—usually called a sermon. If groups do not have someone to give a sermon, they may play an audio or video taped-sermon. A large number of ministries produce tapes for this very purpose. However, taped sermons or completely planned presentations do not allow for the questions and answers so frequently found in the Bible. A speaker can sound like he knows so much and cause many new believers to trust in his words—until someone asks good biblical questions about his teaching—questions that he may not be able to answer. Christ and the Apostles were able to answer the hardest of questions that were asked of them. That is the sign of a good teacher.

Obviously, there are few teachers who are as gifted as Christ and the Apostles. However, it is better to have a teacher who is truthful and willing to admit what he does not know, than it is to have a teacher who is powerful, eloquent or charismatic.

The goal of teaching is to ask God to use people to teach what He wants taught at each service. Even poorer live speakers are often better than tapes. People clearly pay more attention to live presentations. Also, there is no possibility of asking the speaker questions when a tape is played.

If your congregation progresses to the point where you are teaching many new people, experienced teachers who can expound a topic at length are sometimes needed. One way for brethren to learn to deliver quality live messages is to give "book reports" or "article reports" on truthful, inspiring literature. This approach maximizes speaking opportunity and reduces the amount of research work (only one source is used). Another approach is for teachers to take lessons from their own experience and explain them in the light of Scripture.

Services should be edifying and encouraging to all. They are probably not the best place for detailed discussions of complex doctrines (such as the exact nature of Jesus Christ before His human birth, the Hebrew calendar, etc.). Such teachings are important, however, and can be held after services or as a separate Bible study.