Western Seminary

Portland, Oregon

PCW 561F Develop Life-Changing Bible Study Curriculum

 

1 credit hour

Summer semester 2004

Phyllis Bennett, Instructor

phyllis@integrity.com

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Learn how to write, select and adapt Bible study curriculum for women that is biblically sound, relevant, and applicable to all arenas of a woman’s life.  Grow in confidence in training discussion leaders to shepherd biblically stimulating and relationally healthy small groups and curriculum-writing teams that can create materials appropriate for neighborhood and/or church-based women’s Bible studies. 

 

COURSE GOALS

This course provides the opportunity for students to:

Ø      Learn how to develop Bible study curriculum for women that is biblically sound, relevant, and applicable to all arenas of a woman’s life.

Ø      Acquire skills for selecting, evaluating, and adapting published Bible study workbooks for biblical depth, group dynamics, and personal application potentials.

Ø      Grow in confidence in training discussion leaders to develop shepherding insight into group dynamics balanced with proficiency in communicating biblical content.

Ø      Learn to train curriculum-writing teams to create materials that are appropriate for neighborhood and/or church-based women’s Bible studies.

 

COURSE COMPETANCIES

Goal One: Curriculum Writing

Competency:  to learn to develop and write Bible Study curriculum for women according to needs of target group that is biblically sound, relevant, and applicable. 

Assignment:  Student will write six sets of flow questions, 3 on teaching passages and 3 on narrative passages.  

 

Goal Two: Bible Study Workbook Evaluation

Competency:  to become proficient in selecting, evaluating, and adapting published Bible Study workbooks for target group(s).   

Assignment:  Student will select and evaluate workbooks and add questions as needed to adapt workbooks to specific target group(s). 

 

Goal Three: Bible Study Leadership Training

Competency: to acquire skills in training Bible study leaders to be both effective discussion leaders and shepherds, balancing biblical content with personal group sharing.  

Assignment:  Student will develop personal strategy for the on-going training of her Bible Study leadership. 

Goal Four: Training a Curriculum Writing Team

Competency: to discover and appreciate the benefits of a curriculum writing team and to learn how to establish a contract as training vehicle for the team’s writing project

Assignment:  to work together in teams to establish parameters and contract of a Bible study writing project to be presented in class.

 

COURSE CONTENT AND SCHEDULE

Tuesday

Ø      Introductions

Ø      Review of Course Goals

Ø      Why the course goals are relevant to Women’s Ministries:

ü      The Necessity of Small Groups for ministry to women (Section A)

ü      The Necessity of Scripture as the vehicle for life transformation (B1to top of B7)

Ø     Goal One: Curriculum Writing 

Ø      Exegesis as Preparation for Writing Flow Questions (Rest of Section B)

ü      Observation

ü      Interpretation

ü      Application (contextualization handout for different aspects of a woman’s life)

Ø      Demonstration of Bible Study (teaching passage)

Ø      The Science and Art of Asking Questions (C1-C14) including Practice

ü      Warm-up Questions

ü      Observation Questions

ü      Interpretation Questions

ü      Application Questions

q       Assignment:  2 sets of Flow Questions (Teaching Passages)

Ø      Phil. 1:1-18

Ø     Col. 3:1-17

Wednesday

ü      Goal One Continued:  Curriculum Writing 

ü      Share Set of Flow Questions from teaching passage

ü       Follow-up Skills when Answers to Questions are Given (C15-C16) 

ü      Skills of Exegesis (Cont. – observation worksheets)

ü      Demonstration of Bible Study (narrative passage)

ü      Practice writing questions for narrative passage

ü      Goal Two:  Bible Study Workbook Evaluation 

ü      Understanding the Target Group, Group Life, and Building Fellowship

ü      (Section D, Section F)

ü     How to evaluate Published Bible Study Workbooks (extra hand-out)

q       Assignment:  2 sets of Flow Questions  (Narrative Passages)

Ø      Luke 1:23-45

Ø      Mk. 5:21-43

 

 

 

 

Thursday

Ø      Share Set of Flow Questions from narrative passage

Ø      Goal Two:  Bible Study Workbook Evaluation

ü      Evaluate Published Bible Study Workbooks

Ø      Goal Three:  Bible Study Leadership Training 

ü      Leadership Development of Small Group Leaders (Last page of C, Section E)

ü      Small Group Leaders Job Descriptions, One Year Ministry Commitment, Commitment to Matt. 18 (extra handouts)

ü      Develop Strategy for On-going training of leaders (extra handout) 

·        Learn Skills for Creating a Topical Study

q       Assignment: Evaluate three Bible Study Workbooks (choose target group)

q       Assignment: Write one set of Flow Questions (choose target group and teaching or narrative passage or a topical study)

 

Friday

Ø       Share Insights from Bible Study Workbook Evaluations

ü      Goal Four: Training a Curriculum Writing Team

ü      Benefits of training a Curriculum Writing Team  (extra handout)

ü      Establishing Contract of Curriculum Writing Team (extra handout)

ü      Workshop:  Form Curriculum Writing Teams and determine contract

ü      Curriculum Writing Teams Presentations 

 

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

The total hours required for credit in a one-hour semester course is 30 hours.

 

Required Reading  

How to Train Small Group Leaders, Tom Erickson, Portland, Oregon, Self-published, June 1992. revised by Dave and Phyllis Bennett and Stevan Vigneaux, Hudson, MA 2004 (obtain Xeroxed copy from bookstore)

 

Suffering, Receiving God’s Comfort, Jack Kuhatschek, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press, 1992.

 

Discover the New You, Colossians, Bill Hybels with Kevin and Sherry Harney, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.

 

Genesis, Walking with God, Margaret Fromer and Sharrel Keyes, Colorado Springs, CO., Harold Shaw Publishers, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1999. 

 

 The following book is SUGGESTED READING but not required:

How to Lead Small Groups, McBride, Neal, F., Colorado Springs, CO., NavPress, 1990.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignments and Due Dates

HINT:  For Friday’s assignment, you will need to have completed answering the questions in chapter two in each of three Bible Study workbooks.  Due to the workload the week of class, it is recommended that you complete each of these chapters prior to the first day of class. 

 

DUE TUESDAY AT 8 A.M.

q       Answer questions on page A4-A5 from How to Train Small Group Leaders in preparation for class discussion.  Read and be familiar with sections A, B, and C (1-14).  

 

DUE WEDNESDAY AT 8 A.M.

q       Read and be familiar with section C (15-16), D (Group Life), and Section F (Building Fellowship)

q       Write one set of flow questions for each of the following teaching passages:

Ø      Phil. 1:1-18

Ø      Col. 3:1-17

 

DUE THURSDAY AT 8 A.M.

q       Read and be familiar with section E (Leadership)

q       One set of flow questions for each of the following narrative passages:

Ø      Luke 1:23-45

Ø      Mk. 5:21-43

 

DUE FRIDAY AT 8 A.M.

q       Write one set of Flow Questions, narrative or teaching, on passage of your choice.  Determine target group as a consideration for your questions. 

q       OR write one set of Flow Questions on a topical study of your choice.  (One verse from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 could be a possibility for a topic.)

 

q       Write a one-page review for each of the following three Bible Study workbooks after completing lesson two in each workbook:

Suffering, Receiving God’s Comfort, Jack Kuhatschek,  Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Discover the New You, Colossians, Bill Hybels with Kevin and Sherry Harney, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.

Genesis, Walking with God, Margaret Fromer & Sharrel Keyes, Colorado Springs, CO., Harold Shaw Publishers, 1999.

 

Include in your evaluation the following:

Suggested target group and why

Ø      Assessment of warm-up questions in workbook in general

Ø      Assessment of observation questions in workbook in general

Ø      Assessment of interpretation questions in workbook in general 

Ø      Assessment of application questions in workbook in general 

Ø      For chapter two, include any added questions you would suggest to aid developing greater significant interpersonal relationships and deeper biblical understanding and interaction.  Next to each of your added questions, state your goal in adding it.  If you would choose to delete any questions, state your purpose in its deletion.