APCE Workshop 2017

The Pastor as EducatorRe-claiming the Role of Teaching Elder

APCE Annual EventDenver, ColoradoJanuary 26, 2017John W. Johnson - Presenter

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Group ActivityThere is a card at each seat with a verse of scripture on itThis scripture is one-half of a ProverbSomeone else in the room has the other halfYour task is to find the other half of your ProverbWhen you find your other half . . .Find out as much as you can about that personBe prepared to introduce your partner to the group!

Proverbs ActivityLaziness brings poverty;hard work makes one rich.- Proverbs 10:4

Proverbs ActivityA wise son harvests in the summer;a disgraceful son sleeps right through the harvest.- Proverbs 10:5

Proverbs ActivityThose who walk in innocence walk with confidence,but those on crooked paths will be found out.- Proverbs 10:9

Proverbs ActivityHate stirs up conflict,but love covers all offenses.- Proverbs 10:12

Proverbs ActivityThe wages of the righteous lead to life;the earnings of the wicked lead to sin.- Proverbs 10:16

Proverbs ActivityFools enjoy vile deeds,but those with understanding take pleasure in wisdom.- Proverbs 10:23

Proverbs ActivityThe fear of the Lord increases ones life,but the years of the wicked will be cut short.- Proverbs 10:27

Proverbs ActivityThe lips of the wise know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked knows only what is perverse.- Proverbs 10:32

Proverbs ActivityIntegrity guides the virtuous,but dishonesty ruins the treacherous.- Proverbs 11:3

Proverbs ActivityThose who do right are saved by their righteousness,but the untrustworthy are caught by their own desires.- Proverbs 11:6

Proverbs ActivityWhen the righteous succeed, a city rejoices;when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.- Proverbs 11:10

Proverbs ActivityA slanderer walks around revealing secrets,but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.- Proverbs 11:13

Proverbs ActivityKind persons benefit themselves,but cruel people harm themselves.- Proverbs 11:17

Proverbs ActivityThose who give generously receive more,but those who are stingy with what is appropriate will grow needy.- Proverbs 11:24

Proverbs ActivityThose who look for good find favor,but those who seek evil - it will come to them.- Proverbs 11:27

Proverbs ActivityThose who love discipline love knowledge,and those who hate correction are stupid.- Proverbs 12:1

Proverbs ActivityA strong woman is a crown to her husband,but a disgraceful woman is like rot in his bones.- Proverbs 12:4

Proverbs ActivityBetter to be held in low regard and have a servantthan to be conceited and lack food.- Proverbs 12:9

Proverbs ActivityThe wicked are trapped by the transgressions of their lips,but the righteous escape from distress.- Proverbs 12:13

Proverbs ActivityTruthful lips endure forever,but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment.- Proverbs 12:19

Activity De-briefingCould the pastor you work with (or you, if you are a pastor), comfortably and successfully complete the Proverbs activity we just finished? Why or why not?What are seminaries doing or not doing to train pastors to be educators?

Our Best ExampleJesus preached, yes, but he also taught . . . a lot!He told storiesHe asked questionsHe responded to questionsHe quoted scriptureHe acted decisively in the midst of crisesHe demonstrated by his actionsHe spoke with authority

The Church Teaches

The Church Teaches

Jesus shows us by example that teaching need not be limited to formal structured settings and occasions. Teaching is more a matter of an opportunity and intention to be in relationship with others and to offer love, insight, and good news.

The Church Teaches

Certainly there are explicit, obvious acts of teaching that happen in classrooms and programs guided by leaders using a published curriculum. However, teaching is so much more than that. Teaching is what the church does by the way it lives and acts.

The Church Teaches

Every person who attends worship, participates in a study group, enjoys a fellowship dinner, or engages in a service project is learning something abut the church and the churchs teaching.

Table Activity

Each table will be given a paragraph that is an excerpt from Teaching Todays Teachers to Teach.Read your paragraphDiscuss the questions providedBe prepared to share your insights with the whole group

Teaching Skills

If you had a group of pastors in a room who have no training in Christian Education, or education in general, for that matter, what are some basic teaching skills that pastors need to know?

The Art of Asking Questions


What was wrong with how the teacher was asking questions?What was happening to the students?


Ask questions that are more open that closed.Questions with only one right answer or that imply a yes or no response are more closed. These questions are more a test of memory than an inquiry into the subject matter. When tempted to ask a closed question, make a statement instead; then, ask open, analytical questions.


Ask only one question at a time.Often when we do not prepare our questions in advance, we find ourselves asking a series of questions, trying to come up with the best one. More than one question at a time is confusing to the participants.


Present questions to the whole group.Instead of putting one person on the spot by directing the question to that person, offer the question to the whole group. By being aware of the readiness of individuals to respond, you invite responses by eye contact, a nod of the head, or a gesture of the hand. When one student is called by name, she or he is the only one invited to think, the others are off the hook. By asking a question of the whole group, everyone is expected to think, everyone is on the spot.


Provide feedback after a participant respondsThe discussion leader can reinforce participants and facilitate further discussion by providing verbal and nonverbal feedback so that the participant will know the leader has heard and received his or her contribution. A nod of the head, a smile, a thank you, or a brief comment are ways to provide feedback to someone who has responded to a question.


Follow up with probing questions.Probing questions are those that follow up after an initial question and response. They lead to further inquiry and exploration in depth of a subject. Probing questions also provide a degree of reinforcement and feedback. Probing questions can begin with, Say a little more about that . . . What are some other examples of . . . ? How does that compare with . . .? or Who has something else to add to . . .?


After asking a question, be silent.The best next step after asking a good question is to be silent. If the question is clearly stated and if the participants have sufficient background with which to answer, then they need some time to think. Ten seconds is not too much time, but it seems like an eternity to an anxious teacher. The burden of the silence should be upon the participants, not upon the leader. Practicing the art of asking questions means practicing being silent after asking a question.


Use an inquiry style rather than an interrogation style.Inquiry says to the participants, Im interested in what you think and say. Interrogation puts persons on the defensive and inhibits their ability to think and express themselves creatively. Why did you say that? is a way to put the participants on the defensive because they feel like that are being interrogated. Often it is more a matter of tone of voice and nonverbal expression than the words we use.


Encourage participants to ask their own questions.Questions are not just the property of the leader and teacher; questions can be asked and used effectively by the participants as well. Often the participants can be better guided in their exploration of a subject by the questions that they ask rather than those of the teacher.


Avoid repeating the responses of participants.There are two reasons for repeating the responses of participants; one is to reinforce the answer and the other is to state it loud enough so that others can hear what might have been missed. Many teachers have a habit of repeating what students have said, and it becomes annoying.


Accept responses as if they were gifts.When a participant ventures to answer a question, there is some risk involved. This is especially true with responses to analytical and personalized questions. Leaders need to accept what persons offer even though it may not be exactly what they might have expected. Leaders need not agree with everything that is said in order to be accepting of the responses.

Table Activity

Discuss these questions at your table:What are the characteristics of a good pastor/educator?What should a good pastor/educator avoid?How can a congregation help mold a good pastor/educator?Be prepared to share your insights with the whole group

Wrapping Up

Any questions?My contact info:[email protected]@bethanypreschurch.orgwww.facebook.com/john.w.johnson.125@jwj4unc (Twitter)www.bethanypresbyterian.org