Resources That Helped Me Grow in How I Teach Adults

First, I carry a laminated SETPI diagram in my work bag to glance at when I’m outlining Bible studies months away. Then I grab it again as I finish writing to check whether the lesson aligns with SETPI.

Second, I also love the sheet of 24 Expectations of Adult Learners. For several years, I’ve had it pinned at my desk, and I reread a few expectations each week.

Third, I keep action verb charts in a bunch of places. I refer to them all the time to force myself to vary my APSBATs (editor’s note: APSBAT stands for “all participants shall be able to”) and learning activity wording. Not that every question requires deep thought about Bloom’s taxonomy, but the type of question changes if I’m trying to prime a 30-second interaction or five minutes of group work.

My reason for keeping these first three resources so close (and on physical paper) is what David Allen says in Getting Things Done: “Your brain is great at thinking but terrible at remembering things.” By parking these three tools within arm’s reach, I remind my brain of a few basics of andragogy each time I sit down to write.

Fourth, I recommend joining me in dabbling with artificial intelligence (I mostly use Gemini) in your Bible study prep. Don’t use a fully AI-generated lesson, of course. Use it as inspiration, or revise it and make it your own. Dabble! It’s great at researching quotes from commentators. I had it generate a game for an evangelism training in which participants drew slips from hats and acted out scenes. Play around!

[Editorial note: As with all things related to artificial intelligence, please keep in mind the disclaimer that AI can (and does) make mistakes, so double-check it. The responsibility for ensuring the theological accuracy of content, source reliability, and practicing pastoral discernment when using AI tools remains with you.]

My book recommendation is Rule the Room by Jason Teteak (I have the e-book). Each read nudges me about principles I’ve forgotten, corrects my bad habits, and gets me thinking about both learning and teaching styles. Jason’s insights are clear and helpful. Working through Rule the Room as a weekly session with an associate or peer would be even more valuable than self-guided read-throughs.

Lessons I’ve Learned Along the Way

First, I’ve grown to appreciate that adults in a class with me could be doing anything else, but they’re here, wanting to learn.

Second, I underestimated people’s reluctance to commit to several classes, especially Bible information classes (BIC). It’s hard for me to get people to agree to ten weeks of anything, but I usually can get one or two sessions. So as we wrap up that unit, I schedule a couple more classes a month later. It’s slower, but it doesn’t scare people off like insisting on a longer commitment.

Third, I’ve come to love the freedom that adults give me to design each study uniquely. Call it gimmicky, but when changing the topic of studies from, say, “Romans 8” to “Christmas Hymns,” I like to change up not just the design but also a detail like the paper size, color, or orientation (or no paper!). It subtly says, “This is something new. Let’s look at it in a new way,” and the adults roll with it!

Finally, I’m noticing how much table conversation springs from a short, clear, well-written question/activity. I consider my best Bible studies to be those with the fewest printed words. The seasoned learners in our congregation bring so much life experience into the room: They’ve lived for twice as many years as I have!

This article in Devote Yourself was contributed by the team that previously created and distributed the e-newsletter, Teach the Word. For nearly ten years’ worth of archived teaching-related articles, tips, and advice, visit nph.net/teach-the-word.