Advice on Giving Advice

In the Book of Job we find the man Job surrounded by his “friends” during his time of calamity. Their presence is no doubt a comfort to Job until that fateful moment when they decide to offer him some advice on why he was facing the trials he was experiencing. As we teach the Word of God, it will not be unusual for people to want to hear our advice or counsel. Perhaps the following thoughts will be helpful as you consider how God might use you in this way.

Before offering counsel, be sure you are the right person to give it. Jesus had an encounter with a man in Luke 12:13 who wanted Him to settle a family inheritance issue. Jesus responded with a question, “Who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Jesus did not offer to counsel the man or give him advice because there were other people responsible to do so. As we work with people, we may find that a parent, church official or even a lawyer is the best one to give the counsel needed. It is human nature to attempt to get people on “our side” of a dispute. Be careful not to get pulled into a situation where someone wants to use you to referee their fight.

It is also good to not offer advice to someone who is not emotionally ready to receive it. If you are generally a caring, sensitive person, you may be especially tempted to start giving advice when it is not really called for. Probably the best way to be sure your advice is wanted is to wait for the person to ask you! Even then, be careful. If you are walking away from a cemetery where a person has just buried a loved one and they ask, “Why does God allow such pain in the world?” the person is probably not really ready for you to try to answer that question.

I read about a well-known pastor whose wife was in the hospital with cancer. The hospital chaplain, who was normally very sensitive, I’m sure, no doubt recognized the pastor. The chaplain prayed and as he left the room he said, “Well, keep a stiff upper lip.” The pastor wrote, “I wanted to give him a stiff upper lip!” The chaplain may have felt intimidated or wasn’t sure what to say to a fellow minister, but his “advice” seemed trite and insensitive. The prayer for comfort and healing was appreciated, but the advice was not. The timing of the comment was simply not right. The pastor was not emotionally ready to receive advice and didn’t ask for it!

Another mistake in giving advice is assuming we have all the answers. Especially when a person is suffering, it is a huge mistake to assume we know the reason why. I may be able to give a general theological answer as to why there is suffering in the world, but it would be foolish for me to assume I know why a particular person is suffering. Frankly, the more severe the crisis, the less we really need to say. Our presence, a listening ear and a sincere prayer is all that is really needed at such a time. Even if I think I know that a person’s personal sin is directly related to their crisis, it would be best to keep it to myself, even if I am convinced I’m right. I once witnessed a funeral for a 10 year-old that was killed as he and his cousin were playing with a gun. The preacher used part of his sermon to give grieving parents advice on gun safety! The advice may have been good in another setting, but that was not the time to be the “answer-man.”

As the people in your class seek out counsel, be sure your advice is biblical and consistent with the spirit of Christ. He understands suffering, conflict and trials like no other. Our goal in giving counsel is that people would encounter Him as they seek answers to the issues of life from the pages and principles of God’s Word. Jesus isn’t just the “Answer-Man”—He is the answer!

Developing Good Illustrations

Once a pastor stepped out during the Sunday School hour for a breath of fresh air to find a teacher and her class of three-year-olds running through the grass, holding paper streamers over their heads. The teacher continued to shout, “God made the wind! Boys and girls, God made the wind!” There is a teacher who understands the need to illustrate a point in her Bible teaching.

No matter the age range of your class, there is an obvious need to illustrate the Bible truths you are teaching. Illustrations are windows that allow your students to see into the truth you are trying to communicate. We want our people to remember what we teach them. They are much more likely to remember a story or object lesson, so teachers know they must illustrate! Here are a few thoughts to consider.

The more of the five senses you can use in an illustration, the better. Many people think of illustrations as stories a speaker uses to drive home a point. Of course a good story told by a good story teller can be very effective, but that method of illustrating only uses the sense of hearing. Imagine how much more effective an illustration becomes when you use other senses. You may use a visual to show the size of a mustard seed in relation to other seeds. You could even drop one seed into the hands of your audience and allow them to see and feel it. You might even find various pictures that could show the development of the mustard seed into a large plant. As more of the senses are used, the more likely your point will be remembered.

One teacher actually lit up a small propane torch in class to illustrate to adults how words can be used to scorch and burn the lives of others. You know he had their attention! A youth teacher regularly video tapes himself in humorous roles or uses the “man on the street” approach of interviewing people to illustrate major points of the lesson. Children’s teachers will frequently use various kinds of foods to illustrate a Bible truth such as heart-shaped cookies to illustrate love or fish-shaped crackers to remind the children of a particular Bible story. Preschool teachers will select specific toys for the children or decorate the room in a certain way to help them illustrate a Bible thought. The point is that an illustration can be so much more than a story or quote you found in a book.

The more fresh and creative the illustration is, the better. Using a Shakespeare quote may be very effective in some settings, but having the class use a lump of clay to form an object that is often related to temptation, maybe better. Reading an illustration out of one of Chuck Swindoll’s books may be fine, but it might be better to offer the class copies of the local news paper and then tell them to find stories that demonstrate moral failure. Sharing what you heard a radio preacher say one time may communicate your point, but having the class-members act out a scene from the gospels might leave a greater impact, simply because it is more memorable.

The more you vary your illustrative methods, the better. Use video one week and try drama the next. Use case studies one Sunday and then try a craft project the next. It doesn’t take long for a certain method to become dry and predictable. The more you vary your approach to illustrating the Bible, the more likely the class is to remember what you are teaching. It takes a lot of work to come up with good ways of illustrating God’s Word. But remember that boredom is one of the greatest enemies of the Sunday School lesson, and illustrations are one of the most effective weapons against it.

Developing Major Points for Your Lesson

The human body needs a skeleton to give it structure and strength. In the same way every Bible study lesson needs some kind of structure to help the teacher deliver the body of material he or she is presenting. Here are some thoughts on developing those main thoughts or teaching points.

First we must be sure our major thoughts are based upon the text we are teaching. Have you ever listened to someone talk, and you were certain that you knew what they were about to say before they finished their sentence? If you were hasty, you might even cut them off and finish the thought for them, only to find out, that they were not saying what you thought they were. Have you ever listened to someone share a thought and later find out that you took their comment entirely different than they intended? Communication can truly be a difficult task.

As we read and study the Bible it is easy to read our thoughts into a passage. We may even find ourselves teaching an idea that the text does not intend at all. One time I was developing a sermon that was focused on the phrase that is repeated in Isaiah stating, “His hand is stretched out still.” My first thoughts were that of a compassionate God who was still reaching out to receive His hurting children. After further study, I discovered that the phrase actually referred to God’s hand of judgment being stretched out over a stubborn nation of rebellious children. I was about to teach the text incorrectly due to reading my thoughts into the text. I cringe at the thought of misrepresenting God’s Word in such a way. This is why proper study of the text is essential before we completely develop our major thoughts or points that we wish to teach. It is very easy for us to read our thoughts into a Bible text.

Second, teaching points need to be clear and understandable. Be sure your points are on the correct age-level for your pupils. Even in adult classes you need to assume your students have not studied as much as you have. Someone has said that a scholar can make simple truths sound complicated, but a good communicator can make complicated truths sound simple. Go for simple—strive to be a good communicator who happens to be a little scholarly as well.

Have you ever walked away from the doctor’s office or a mechanic’s garage scratching your head because he uses terms you do not use every day? Every profession has its own lingo. Sunday School teachers can get accustomed to using “churchy” words as well. Be sure the main points are easy to understand as you prepare your lesson.

Third, consider making your main points statements of action or dynamic life principles. Some teachers are very accustomed to using a teaching outline like we learned in high school speech class. We might outline the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:1-34 using, 1) The Reason for the Council; 2) The Reports during the Council; 3) The Resolution from the Council. Many teachers and preachers, however, are enjoying using an outline that is more application driven, such as, 1) When disagreements arise among believers, we need to work hard to find God’s solutions; 2) Really listening to people who walk closely with Christ can bring resolution to a conflict; 3) Finding God’s solution to a conflict brings great reward and encouragement. A more principle driven outline can also be useful, such as, 1) A growing church is not free of difficulties; 2) Solutions to conflict are biblical and center on the needs of people; 3) When addressing conflict, stay focused on grace. However you choose to word your main points, make sure your statements are easy to remember and to apply to the lives of your people.