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BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Chapter Seven

Basic Bible Truths Training

(Explanation given at first meeting of Level One Training)

I. Begin with a full explanation of what Basic Bible Truths is:

A. It is a plan in which six one-hour Bible lessons are taught to an individual, couple, or family (usually no more) one lesson at a time for six weeks:

1. The lessons are taught at a predetermined time mutually set by you and the student at the time the lessons are set up to be taught.

2. The lessons are normally taught in the home of the student at his kitchen table.

B. The lessons are not random; but are systematic, beginning at a certain point and developing toward a predetermined point in a definitely ordered structure:

1. They are taught in a rather informal setting, which allows some room for questions and discussion; but by and large, the teaching is in an informal lecture form with the teacher leading in a definite direction.

2. As you teach, you develop a chart which illustrates and defines what is being taught.

C. The nature of the six Bible lessons is twofold:

1. The first four lessons deal systematically with the plan of salvation, enabling the student to understand much better the great work of God in Christ on his behalf. These lessons are also designed to bring the student to Christ, if he is not already a believer.

2. The last two lessons deal systematically with discipleship. They show what should happen, and why, in a believer's life. They are designed to set him on the road to growth and maturity.

II. Next explain that the training is designed to equip each trainee to set up and teach the Basic Bible Truths lessons:

A. Each trainee will be carefully taught the content of each of the six Basic Bible Truths lessons:

1. Fully written copies of each lesson will be provided for each trainee.

2. Verbal point by point explanations will be given during the training.

3. Summary lesson plans in easy to follow outline form will be provided to each trainee for his own use in teaching others once he completes the training:

B. Explain that the training course involves extensive actual teaching of the material under monitored conditions by the trainee until the trainee begins to gain confidence in teaching the material:

1. Explain that the trainee will not be just told how to do it in the classroom, then sent out to do it on his own.

2. To the contrary, each trainee will first be paired with another trainee with whom he will practice teaching the lessons. This will occur after the nine week classroom period of learning the material.

Then after the practice phase with another trainee, each trainee will be matched with an experienced trainer whom the trainee will observe in an actual "in the field" teaching of the six lessons. Then that trainer will observe the trainee teach an actual "in the field" six lesson course.

Only then will consideration be given to the trainee becoming a teacher on his own as a part of the Home Bible Studies Ministry.

III. Next explain what will be expected of trainees once the training is completed:

A. Upon completion of training, each trainee will be expected to become an active part of the "Home Bible Studies Ministry" of the church:

1. Explain that we are not interested in training people just to learn how to teach these lessons only to do nothing with them.

2. Upon completion of the training, each person will be expected to keep one Home Bible Study course in progress at all times. That means the person will either have a course in progress, or will be actively seeking to set up a course.

Our Home Bible Studies Ministry goal is for each teacher to teach at least six (6) courses per year, which would require thirty-six weeks. The remaining sixteen weeks of the year would allow for vacations, sickness, and the time necessary to seek out and set up new courses.

A teacher may desire to set up and teach more than six courses per year, which is acceptable; but no teacher in the ministry should teach less than six courses per year.

3. Normally the teacher will teach the Basic Bible Truths lessons on Tuesday nights between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Although, all classes cannot be arranged for that time. So, the teacher may well be teaching Bible lessons at a variety of other times which may be mutually acceptable between him and his student.

B. As a teacher having completed the training, you would be expected to work as a part of the church's "Home Bible Studies Ministry," and under the supervision of the Home Bible Studies Ministry Director:

1. That will mean staying in weekly contact with the ministry director so that he will know who you are teaching, where you are in the lessons, what kind of results you have, and when you are in need of new students.

2. In some cases, this may mean serving as a trainer for new trainees who come on the scene as new training courses are offered. The ministry director will contact you, if you are needed as a trainer.

3. Occasionally there will be joint meetings of all Home Bible Study Ministry personnel. You will be expected to attend these meetings if at all possible. They will not be more often than monthly, nor less often than three times a year. Normally they will be every two months.

IV. Next explain that Basic Bible Truths training will consist of four (4) levels of training and will take about six (6) months to complete:

A. Level One training:

1. Level One consists of nine one-hour classroom sessions.

2. This is where the actual content of the six one-hourlessons is taught thoroughly.

B. Level Two training:

1. This, too, is classroom activity, and may take as little as six weeks or as much as twelve weeks to complete, depending upon the initiative and time available to the given trainees.

2. At this point each trainee teaches the lessons to the trainee with whom he has been matched. If the trainees can give two hours per week during this level of training, it will be completed in six weeks. If the trainees can give only one hour each week, this level will require twelve weeks to complete.

If the trainees can give two hours during this level, they should meet at the classroom where trainee #1 teaches trainee #2 the first lesson. As soon as trainee #1 finishes, trainee #2 then teaches him (trainee #1) the first lesson. The next week trainee #2 teaches first, and they rotate back and forth through the six weeks.

If the trainees can give only one hour weekly during this level, then the first week, trainee #1 teaches trainee #2 Lesson One. The next week trainee #2 teaches trainee #1 Lesson One. The third week trainee #2 teaches trainee #1 Lesson Two; and they follow this sequence through the twelve weeks.

3. The ministry director will supervise this level of training.

C. Level Three training:

1. At this point, each trainee will be assigned to an experienced trainer.

2. The trainee will go with the trainer and observe him actually setting up the course in an "in the field" situation. Then the trainee, as a silent partner, will accompany the trainer as he teaches the course. It is imperative that the trainee remain a "silent" partner during this level. Comments from an inexperienced trainee can seriously endanger the success of a course in a real life situation.

3. On the way to and returning from the home, the trainer and trainee can discuss what is to be taught, teaching techniques, etc. This can be very helpful to the trainee.

D. Level Four training:

1. The trainee continues with the assigned trainer through this level.

2. At this point, the trainee and trainer go out together, and the trainee sets up the Bible lessons with someone "in the field." The trainer assumes the backup role. He goes with the trainee as the silent partner. On the way to and from the home, he can coach the trainee. He is also there just in case the trainee should run into any kind of trouble.

3. This step may have to be repeated once, especially the setup part. I suggest that in the event of a need to repeat, the trainer go with the trainee, help him get the classes set up, then let the trainee go and do the actual teaching on his own without the trainer. By this point, most trainees can do the teaching. It's the setup that gives them trouble.

4. Of course, upon completion of Level Four training, the trainee becomes a certified member of the church's Home Bible Studies Ministry, and begins to function as such.

V. Next explain exactly what happens and is expected in Level One training:

A. First explain that each trainee will be matched with another trainee, and that they will work together through Level Two training:

1. Explain that the trainees will probably be matched with someone they do not know very well. This begins to help them overcome their fear of meeting people they don't know.

2. Explain that each trainee will weekly hear the other's memory work, and check the other's progress report sheet.

B. Then explain that each week study material will be given to each trainee:

1. It will consist of the title, thought, and application of the coming lesson. It will also include five memory verses associated with the coming lesson, plus the lesson plan outline for that lesson.

2. Each trainee will be expected to memorize the title, thought, and application; three of the five memory verses; and the Roman numeral headings of the coming lessons; and to recite them to his trainee partner at the next week's meeting.

C. Explain the nine one-hour sessions of Level One training:

1. Each hour will be divided into two segments, with the exception of sessions eight and nine. The first segment will be fifteen minutes long. During that time, matched trainees should be together reciting their memory work to each other, and check the appropriate boxes on the progress report sheets.

The second segment will be forty-five minutes long. During this segment, your instructor will teach you point by point how to teach each of the six lessons. You will be given printed copies in full of each lesson for your own study and notations. These will be of great help later when you are actually teaching the classes to others.

2. The nine one-hour sessions of Level One training are arranged as follows:

a. Session One - The orientation contained in this chapter.

b. Session Two - Memory work and how to teach Lesson One.

c. Session Three - Memory work and how to teach Lesson Two.

d. Session Four - Test, memory work, and how to teach Lesson Three.

e. Session Five - Memory work and how to teach Lesson Four.

f. Session Six - Test, memory work, and how to teach Lesson Five.

g. Session Seven - Memory work and how to teach Lesson Six.

h. Session Eight - Teaching techniques.

i. Session Nine - The final test.

D. Explain now that there will be three tests in Level One training:

1. The first test will be at the beginning of Session Four. Each trainee will be asked to write down the title, thought, and application of both of the first two lessons. Each trainee will also be asked to write down any three of the ten possible memory verses from Lessons One and Two. Each trainee will also be asked to write down the major Roman numeral points, in proper order, of both Lessons One and Two.

2. The second test will be at the beginning of Session Six. Each trainee will be asked to write down the title, thought, and application of both Lesson Three and Lesson Four. Each trainee will also be asked to write down any three of the ten possible memory verses from Lessons Three and Four. Each trainee will also be asked to write down the major Roman numeral points, in proper order, of both Lessons Three and Four.

3. The third and final test will be given during Session Nine. Each trainee will be asked to write down the title, thought, and application of both Lessons Five and Six. He will also be asked to write down three of the possible ten memory verses associated with Lessons Five and Six. He will be asked to write down, in proper order, the major Roman numeral points of both Lessons Five and Six. He will also be asked to construct the chart, using his notes to aid him.

VI. Conclude this training session by:

A. Handing out the study sheets for next week

B. Matching trainees into pairs for the above mentioned study purposes.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"