BaptistWay Adult Bible Teaching Guide® 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples Elijah Brown Jimmy Hester Dennis Horton Randy Johnson Deborah McCollister Todd Still David Strawn Bill Tillman Charles Walton Dallas, Texas 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples—Adult Bible Teaching Guide Copyright © 2014 by BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations. For information, contact BAPTISTWAY PRESS, Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 North Washington, Dallas, TX 75246–1798. BAPTISTWAY PRESS® is registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in lessons 1–2 and 12–14 are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NRSV refers to the New Revised Standard Version Bible. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in lessons 3–11 are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. niv84 refers to this edition of the New International Version. All Scripture quotations marked nasb are taken from the 1995 update of the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 Used by permission. nasb refers to this edition of the New American Standard Bible®. BAPTISTWAY PRESS® Leadership Team Executive Director, Baptist General Convention of Texas: David Hardage Director, Church Ministry Resources: Chris Liebrum Director, Bible Study/Discipleship Team: Phil Miller Publisher, BaptistWay Press®: Scott Stevens Cover and Interior Design and Production: Desktop Miracles, Inc. Printing: Data Reproductions Corporation First edition: June 2014 ISBN–13: 978–1–938355–19–6 How to Make the Best Use of This Teaching Guide Leading a class in studying the Bible is a sacred trust. This Teaching Guide has been prepared to help you as you give your best to this impor- tant task. In each lesson, you will find first “Bible Comments” for teach- ers, to aid you in your study and preparation. The three sections of “Bible Comments” are “Understanding the Context,” “Interpreting the Scriptures,” and “Focusing on the Meaning.” “Understanding the Context” provides a summary overview of the entire background pas- sage that also sets the passage in the context of the Bible book being studied. “Interpreting the Scriptures” provides verse-by-verse comments on the focal passage. “Focusing on the Meaning” offers help with the meaning and application of the focal text. The second main part of each lesson is “Teaching Plans.” You’ll find two complete teaching plans in this section. The first is called “Teaching Plan—Varied Learning Activities,” and the second is called “Teaching Plan—Lecture and Questions.” Choose the plan that best fits your class and your style of teaching. You may also use and adapt ideas from both. Each plan is intended to be practical, helpful, and immediately useful as you prepare to teach. The major headings in each teaching plan are intended to help you sequence how you teach so as to follow the flow of how people tend to learn. The first major heading, “Connect with Life,” provides ideas that will help you begin the class session where your class is and draw your class into the study. The second major heading, “Guide Bible Study,” offers suggestions for helping your class engage the Scriptures actively and develop a greater understanding of this portion of the Bible’s mes- sage. The third major heading, “Encourage Application,” is meant to help participants focus on how to respond with their lives to this message. 3 4 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples As you begin the study with your class, be sure to find a way to help your class know the date on which each lesson will be studied. You might use one or more of the following methods: 1. In the first session of the study, briefly overview the study by iden- tifying for your class the date on which each lesson will be studied. Lead your class to write the date in the table of contents in their Study Guides and on the first page of each lesson. 2. Make and post a chart that indicates the date on which each lesson will be studied. • If all of your class has e-mail, send them an e-mail with the dates the lessons will be studied. • Provide a bookmark with the lesson dates. You may want to include information about your church and then use the bookmark as an outreach tool, too. A model for a bookmark can be downloaded from www.baptistwaypress.org on the Resources for Adults page. • Develop a sticker with the lesson dates, and place it on the table of contents or on the back cover. Here are some steps you can take to help you prepare well to teach each lesson and save time in doing so: 1. Start early in the week before your class meets. 2. If your church’s adult Bible study teachers meet for lesson overview and preparation, plan to participate. If your church’s adult Bible study teachers don’t have this planning time now, look for ways to begin. You, your fellow teachers, and your church will benefit from this mutual encouragement and preparation. 3. Overview the study in the Study Guide. Look at the table of con- tents, and see where this lesson fits in the overall study. Then read or review the study introduction to the book that is being studied. 4. Consider carefully the suggested Main Idea, Question to Explore, and Teaching Aim. These can help you discover the main thrust of this particular lesson. How to Make the Best Use of This Teaching Guide 5 5. Use your Bible to read and consider prayerfully the Scripture pas- sages for the lesson. Using your Bible in your study and in the class session can provide a positive model to class members to use their own Bibles and give more attention to Bible study themselves. (Each writer of the Bible comments in both the Teaching Guide and the Study Guide has chosen a favorite translation. You’re free to use the Bible translation you prefer and compare it with the translations chosen, of course.) 6. After reading all the Scripture passages in your Bible, then read the Bible comments in the Study Guide. The Bible comments are intended to be an aid to your study of the Bible. Read also the small articles—“sidebars”—in each lesson. They are intended to provide additional, enrichment information and inspiration and to encourage thought and application. Try to answer for yourself the questions included in each lesson. They’re intended to encour- age further thought and application, and you can also use them in the class session itself. Continue your Bible study with the aid of the Bible comments included in this Teaching Guide. 7. Review the “Teaching Plans” in this Teaching Guide. Consider how these suggestions would help you teach this Bible passage in your class to accomplish the teaching aim. 8. Consider prayerfully the needs of your class, and think about how to teach so you can help your class learn best. 9. Develop and follow a lesson plan based on the suggestions in this Teaching Guide, with alterations as needed for your class. 10. Enjoy leading your class in discovering the meaning of the Scripture passages and in applying these passages to their lives. Premium Adult Online Bible Commentary. Plan to get the additional adult Bible study comments available online. Call 1–866–249–1799 or e-mail [email protected] to order Premium Adult Online Bible Commentary. It is available only in electronic format (PDF) from our website. The price of these comments is $6 for individuals and $25 for a group of five. A church or class that participates in our advance order program for free shipping can receive Premium Adult Online Bible 6 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples Commentary free. Call 1–866–249–1799 or see www.baptistwaypress.org for information on participating in our free shipping program for the next study. Premium Adult Online Teaching Plans. An additional teaching plan is also available in electronic format (PDF) by calling 1–866–249–1799. The price of these plans for an entire study is $5 for an individual or $20 for a group of five. It is available only in electronic format (PDF) from our website. A church or class that participates in our advance order program for free shipping can receive Premium Adult Online Teaching Plans free. Call 1–866–249–1799 or see www.baptistwaypress.org for information on participating in our free shipping program for the next study. FREE! Downloadable teaching resource items for use in your class are available at www.baptistwaypress.org! Watch for them in “Teaching Plans” for each lesson. Then go online to www.baptistwaypress.org and click on “Teaching Resource Items” for this study. These items are selected from “Teaching Plans.” They are provided online to make lesson preparation easier for hand-outs and similar items. Permission is granted to download these teaching resource items, print them out, copy them as needed, and use them in your class. IN ADDITION: Enrichment teaching help is provided in the online Baptist Standard, which is available at www.baptiststandard.com. The Baptist Standard is available online for an annual subscription rate of $10. Subscribe online at www.baptiststandard.com or call 214–630– 4571. A free thirty-day trial subscription is currently available. Writers of This Teaching Guide Bill Tillman wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons one and two. Dr. Tillman is the Director of Theological Education for the BGCT. He spent twelve years on the faculty of Logsdon School of Theology, Hardin Simmons University and seventeen years on the faculty of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds the M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a B.S. in Education and M.Ed. from Southeastern State College, now Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Leta, have two married sons and two grandchildren. Charles Walton wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons three and four. Dr. Walton is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a gradu- ate of Louisiana State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. and D. Min.). He retired from the active pastor- ate after serving Texas congregations for forty years. He and his wife Brenda have two children and five grandchildren. They make their home in Conroe, Texas, where Dr. Walton serves as the chaplain of the Conroe Police Department. Dr. Walton is also actively involved in the Intentional Interim Ministry of Texas Baptists. Jimmy Hester, writer of “Teaching Plans” for lessons one through four, retired in 2011 after twenty-seven years of publishing for churches through magazines, Bible studies, and books. Dr. Hester is Bible study director and teacher of adults at First Baptist Church, Nashville, TN, where he and his wife Kim have been members since 1985. They have two grown sons and two grandchildren. Dr. Hester received the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dennis Horton wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons five through seven. Dr. Horton is the Associate Director and J. David Slover Professor of Ministry Guidance at Baylor University. He has a Ph.D. in New 7 8 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples Testament from Baylor, an M.Div. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a B.A. in Religion and Greek from Baylor. Prior to his current teaching position, Dennis pastored and/or taught in Indiana, Hong Kong, Thailand, Georgia, and Brownwood, Texas. He is married to Sara, and they have two sons, Joshua and Joel. David Strawn, writer of “Teaching Plans” on lessons five through seven, is the Associate Pastor of the First Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. He has a B.A. from Howard Payne University and an M.R.E. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. David has served churches in Texas and Arkansas as a Minister of Education and has also been an adjunct professor in the field of Christian education. He is married to Kathy and they have two grown children. Elijah Brown wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons eight through eleven. Dr. Brown is the Assistant Professor of Missions at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, New College in Edinburgh, Scotland and a B.A. in Religion and History from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. Elijah is on the board of consultants for the Christian Life Commission of the B.G.C.T. and serves in a variety of roles with the Baptist World Alliance. He provides pulpit supply for the Soda Lake Baptist Association and is a Bible study teacher at the First Baptist Church of Marshall, Texas. Randy Johnson, writer of “Teaching Plans” for lessons eight through eleven, is a graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a Masters of Divinity from the School of Theology. He recently retired after completing thirty- eight years of full-time Youth Ministry. He served at Monterey Church in Lubbock, the First Baptist Church of Bryan, and for twenty-eight years at First Baptist Church, Richardson. Randy and his wife Carol, who is employed by the Richardson Independent School District, have been married for thirty-five years. They have two adult daughters. Todd Still (B.A., Baylor; M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ph.D., University of Glasgow) wrote “Bible Comments” for lessons twelve through fourteen. Dr. Still is the William M. Hinson 14 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples 9 Professor of Christian Scriptures in the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University. Before going to Truett, Dr. Still taught at Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity in Boiling Springs, NC, where he occupied the Bob D. Shepherd Chair of New Testament Interpretation. Dr. Still’s first academic appointment was at Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, TX. Among his other writings, Still has written a commentary on Colossians (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, revised edition, volume 12) and a commentary on Philippians and Philemon for the Smyth & Helwys Commentary Series. In addition to his work at Baylor, he has served Baptist congregations in a variety of ministerial capacities. Deborah McCollister, wrote the “Teaching Plans” for lessons twelve through fourteen. Dr. McCollister is Professor of English at Dallas Baptist University, Dallas, Texas. She and her husband Mackie, are active members of First Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas. She has writ- ten many previous assignments for BaptistWay Bible study materials.