Teaching Women
They come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. They all have different backgrounds and different levels of Bible knowledge. Some are mature while others are very immature. Some have a lot of confidence while others are very shy. Most are spiritually minded, but often there are those who focus on the world and want to be part of that world. A lot of them have been “brought up” in the church, while others have had very little religious training. Most are happy in life, but there is often one or more who are sad and depressed.
For many years I have taught girls and women in Bible classes. Some of those classes have been at the congregations where we have worshiped. Others have been in different locations throughout the country, either at Ladies’ Days, Lectureships, or huge gatherings like Polishing the Pulpit. I love to teach girls and women and fulfill my responsibility as a teacher.
My comfort zone has been classes for ladies who want to open the Bible and study the text of a particular book. I love all the wonderful books written by talented sisters on various topics, and I have taught them before, but I feel more comfortable teaching from God’s Word to a room full of women.
I haven’t told you all of this to pat myself on the back. Trust me, I have sat at the feet of some outstanding ladies who put me to shame with their ability to teach. I told you all of that because I wanted to share something with you that happened in my life – I just finished teaching the winter quarter in a classroom of teenage girls. The study was entitled, “Leadership in Esther and Ruth.” It involved not only studying those two books but identifying the leadership qualities in those two women. It also included helping the young ladies take notes in the margins of their Bible and color the text that applied to their notes.
Our Fall quarter was a study of how to mark your Bible to be used for years to come, taught by another older lady whose Bible is a work of art. I was the co-teacher in that class moving around the room and giving assistance where needed. Our elders supplied the girls with notebooks, Micron pens, a set of Crayola Twistables, and a small straightedge. During that class we began trying to develop some leadership among them by asking one of them to lead our theme song for the class (“Ancient Words”) and asking another one of the girls to lead our opening prayer. For several weeks they sat silently in their seats and didn’t volunteer, but slowly they began to lead both the song and the prayer.
There was great interest in what the teenage girls were learning about how to study the Bible and mark important things in their Bible. In fact, there was so much interest that the women of our congregation asked if they could have a class of their own to learn what the girls were learning! So, I lost my co-teacher and began teaching the girls on my own in Winter Quarter.
I had twelve girls, from 6th through 12th grade in class, and I noticed some things:
- They were growing in their faith and their ability to lead others. They signed up faithfully to lead our new theme song (“Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”) and to lead the opening prayer. If one who was to lead happened to be absent, another readily volunteered to lead.
- When I showed appreciation for their hard work in class, they showed me respect and appreciation for my preparation to teach.
- They were interested in what we were doing and appeared to want to understand God’s Word better.
- They showed leadership within the class. When one of the younger girls had trouble keeping up, a couple of the older girls would lend a helping hand.
- Most of all, I learned that the age gap between them and me seemed to shrink since we were working toward the same goal. I showed respect for and interest in them, and they showed respect for me. I listened to them, and they listened to me. I tried to show them my love for God’s Word, and they seemed to grow in their love for His Word.
My conclusion? I loved teaching my teenaged girls!! They inspired me and taught me that there are still young people who want to know God’s Word and live for Him all of their life.
“Older women…are to teach what is good, and so train the young women…” (Titus 2:3-4)
Receive All Our Posts for Free
AUTHOR: Donna Faughn