Covet Class

For Wed. Nights this quarter one of the classes has been covering the Ten Commandments. Each week we have had a different teacher share his insight on a particular commandment. I ended the class by looking at the tenth commandment, "Do not Covet."

So, first, here is my usual link to the materials I used in class.

• Teacher Notes (my actual thoughts, etc...)
• The PowerPoint
• The Handout

I think it was a good class. I hope that I really challenged people to reassess and to make lifestyles changes. I didn't want to get just caught up in the normal "covet" discussions like "Is it OK if my neighbor buys a new lawn mower that I like, so I go buy the same one?" I'm not here to be your heart's arbiter and judge. I wanted to be deeper and more intense than that. I think the class was intense...but....then I'm prejudiced.

After class I was asked, "How do you come up with this stuff?" First, all glory has to go to God because He has given me the skills and tools necessary. I am just a vessel. When I work on a class I often don't know "where" it comes from other than to say it truly is God speaking through me. It is His message. Now, that doesn't mean I don't have to do some work. I think it is through that work that God is given the opportunity. So, to answer this question, here is the process I generally use to prepare (or over-prepare my wife would say) for a class:

Depending on the topic, we start at least 6 weeks out from when I am going to be teaching. If it is a hard or broad topic, it may start way before that. In this particular instance, I begin studying for this class at the beginning of Sept.

6 Weeks out or greater

Step 1: Choose the Topic

Step 2: (this step takes the most time): Really study the topic. I use various methods to try and find out what the Bible says about the passage and the topic. For this class I did the following studies:

• A Word Study¹ of the Hebrew words for Covet (Download here and here)²
• A Devotional Study on Exodus 20:17 (Download here)
• A Thematic Study on Covetousness (Download here) ³

5 Weeks out

Create my outline including my introduction and conclusions. Of course, I don't really do outlines. I write my essay because I want to say things specific ways.

4 Weeks out

Prepare my handouts and other materials I may need for a class.

3 Weeks out

Prepare my PowerPoint and other visual materials that I may be using as teaching aides.

2 Weeks out

Marinade. I continue to review my notes from my studies. I refine my essay, handouts and visual aides. I may talk to some people about my ideas. I spend a lot of time just stewing on the material.

1 Week out

Practice. I run over the PowerPoint and usually "teach" the class two or three times to empty air. I make any last minute modifications.

Week 0 - Teach It

All in all, I really do spend about an hour in preparation for every minute I will be teaching. Anyway, I hope you find it useful.

Notes

1. I didn't do a class on "How to do a Word Study" because of the time constraints. If you are interested in that one, then I suggest you buy the book that all the material for that class came from.

2. Those are two separate documents. The first is the completed "Word Study" form. The second is a chart of all of the verses that is used in the first one. I did the form in MS Word and the chart in Excel. There is a place in the form where it says "See OT_Verses" chart...then go to the chart.

3. This is LONG. It's 31 pages, but contains the text of almost every verse in the Bible that deals with the words covet, coveted, coveting, covetous, envy, envied, envious, envying, greed, greedy, etc...

Unlocking God's Word: Week 12 - The Book Synthesis Method

A book synthesis involves tying a whole Book of the Bible together by summarizing and condensing what we learned using the previous methods.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Book Synthesis Form

Unlocking God's Word: Week 11 - The Chapter Analysis Method

Chapter analysis involves gaining a thorough understanding of the material of a chapter of a book by looking carefully at each paragraph, sentence and word in an intensely detailed and systematic manner

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Chapter Analysis Method Form
The Chapter Analysis Observation Guide

Unlocking God's Word: Week 10 - The Book Survey Method

A book survey involves gaining a sweeping overview of an entire book of the Bible. It is like standing on a bluff and looking over the terrain.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Book Survey Method Form

Unlocking God's Word: Week 9 - The Background Method

This method allows you to gain a better understanding of the biblical message by researching the background related to the passage, person, event or topic being studied. This involves understanding the geography, historical events, culture, and political environment at the time a particular part of the Bible was written.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Background Method Form

Unlocking God's Word: Week 8 - The Verse by Verse Analysis Method

In this method one chooses a very short passage of scripture and then scrutinizes that passage in detail from 5 different perspectives.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Verse-by-Verse Analysis Method Form

Unlocking God's Word: Week 7 - The Character Quality Method

This method involves find out what the Bible says about a particular characteristic of a person, with heavy emphasis on personal application.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Character Quality Method Form

Examples:

• Boldness (In-Class Example, form completed)
• Homework is not done yet. I'll update this post when I complete my homework. The assignment is to study the character trait of Humility.
  

Unlocking God's Word: Week 6 - The Biographical Method

This method is one that allows a student to study the recorded life a person looking for ways to make positive character changes as a result of that study.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

Handouts:

• The Biographical Method Form
• List of Study Questions (assists in Step 5 of form)
• List of Character Traits (assists in Step 6 of form)
  

Examples:

• Stephen, the Martyr (In-Class Example, form completed)
• Homework will be updated when I finish my study. The homework is the study of Daniel.

Unlocking God's Word: Week 5 - The Thematic Method

Our third method is a stripped down Topical Study. The student follows a theme through scripture.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Thematic Method Form


Examples:

• Jesus' Definition of a Disciple (In-Class Example, form completed)
• The Prayers of Jesus (Homework - this is my completed homework. Yours will different, and that is OK. I'm not posting this for you to see if you "got the right answers." This is here just in case your aren't feeling confident with the form yet, you can use this as another example. Obviously I want you to attempt to do it yourself first.)

Unlocking God's Word: Week 4 - The Chapter Summary Method

This method is one that allows a student of the Bible to easily digest a chapter of the Bible. He starts by reading the chapter at least 5 times, aloud but quietly. Then, he uses the 10 "C's" to help summarize the central thoughts of the writer.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

The Chapter Summary Method Form

Examples:

• Luke 15 (In-Class Example, form completed)
• I John 1 (Homework - this is my completed homework. Yours will different, and that is OK. I'm not posting this for you to see if you "got the right answers." This is here just in case your aren't feeling confident with the form yet, you can use this as another example. Obviously I want you to attempt to do it yourself first.)

Unlocking God's Word: Week 3 - The Devotional Method

This is a our first of 10 methods that we will be looking at over the quarter. The Devotional Method is the easiest method to use because you just use one of the meditation techniques to chew on a passage of scripture until the Holy Spirit shows you a way to apply that to your life.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint (Free Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Viewer)

Handouts:

• The Devotional Method Study Form
• Class Outline
• Meditation Techniques

Examples:

• Luke 12:22-26 (In-class example, form completed)
• I John 4 (Homework - this is my completed homework. Yours will different, and that is OK. I'm not posting this for you to see if you "got the right answers." This is here just in case your aren't feeling confident with the form yet, you can use this as another example. Obviously I want you to attempt to do it yourself first.)
  

Unlocking God's Word: Week 2 - Principles, Preparations, and Problems

Week 2 of my "How to Study the Bible" class we cover some more theory.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint

Handouts

• "How to have a Meaningful Time with God" by Rick Warren
• Outline for lesson
• List of Reference Tools
  

Unlocking God's Word: Week 1 - Using Your "Owner's Manual"

I am teaching a Sunday Morning Bible Class this quarter on "How to Study the Bible." I will be posting the materials here for others to use.

This first week is an introduction to the class and we discuss why we should study the Word of God and what Benefits we acquire from the study of God's Word.

Teacher Notes
PowerPoint
Handout