You want your students to connect what they study and what the Bible teaches. You’re clear on what your students are studying. You’re not as clear on what Biblical teaching connects to what your students are studying.
 
Question: How can you determine what Biblical teaching connects to what your students are studying?
 
Answer: By reflecting on 5 questions. As a result of reflecting on 5 questions, you’ll determine Biblical teaching that connects to what your students are studying.
 
Here are the 5 questions:

1. What are your students studying?
2. Which 1 or more items from the list below naturally connect to what your students are studying?: God, people, morality, death, history, creation, fall, redemption, restoration, loving God/neighbor, caring for creation, making disciples, being part of the Church, respect/disrespect of authority, sanctity of life/murder, sexual purity/promiscuity, private property/theft, truth telling/bearing false witness, contentment/covetousness, servanthood/selfishness
3. What does the Bible say about the 1 or more items that connects to what your students are studying?
4. So, what 1 or more Biblical principles connect to what your students are studying?
5. What 3 or more Bible verses support a given Biblical principle?

Question: What does using these questions look like?
 
Answer: Here are Kim Essenburg’s responses. Kim teaches English 10 at Christian Academy in Japan.
 
(1) What are your students studying?
Kim: They’re studying self-realization, human potential, and social obligations as depicted in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
 
(2) Which items from the list below naturally connect to what your students are studying?
Kim: Well, self-realization, human potential, and social obligations fit in the category of “people.”
 
(3) What does the Bible say about “people” that connects to what your students are studying?
Kim: God made all people. All people have worth. He gave us gifts, and we should use these. We should work to understand what gifts God has given us, and we need to do this while maintaining our obligations to love and serve others.
 
(4) So, what 1 or more Biblical principles connect to what your students are studying?
Kim: Secure in her worth in God’s eyes, the Christian follows Jesus' example of service, humility, and submission.
 
(5) What 3 or more Bible verses support that Biblical principle?
Kim: I Corinthians 10:24 and 12:12-26, Mark 10:42-45, Philippians 2:1-11, and Ephesians 5:21.
 
Target Biblical perspective. Reflect on 5 questions. Help your students learn the Biblical principles that connect to what they study. Today.
 
*To learn more about identifying Biblical principles, click here.