Leading Others (like your kids) Through the Word

One of the joys the Lord gives me is the privilege of equip either lay men or pastors how to study the Bible more effectively.  One of the last things shared in the seminar is a suggestion to pass on what they have learned to others.  Either turn around and lead a group on your own or teach one person.  There are several benefits to doing this but the most important one is that the individual that chooses to lead another will significantly deepen their understanding and knowledge of the material and the methods covered in the Seminar...

Note: while I was writing this, I got a call that touched on the issues that I am writing about in this post, I share that to emphasize that what this post is covering is a pervasive, universal challenge.  Not only have I seen this over and over here, but also overseas in the 11 countries the Lord has allowed me to serve.

In the last year two men who have been through the seminar each started helping another man.  One, a coworker and the other one of his sons.  I got to observe one by watching recorded zoom calls and the other gave me reports on how the meetings went.  In the one I watched, the man leading the coworker (call him Dan), Dan would interrupt his coworker when he was sharing what he saw in the Word.  The other man (call him Sam) would allow his son to talk and process what he was seeing with his father.

When we do not allow those we are equipping to get their thoughts out we miss several opportunities to help them.

1. We do not get a good sense of what the other person has done in their time in the Word.
2. We are focused on getting them to see what we did, thus validating what we saw in the Word.
3. We are practically not believing Hebrews 4:12 and John 16:13, believing that we have the right answer and we have to give it to them.
4. We are disregarding or minimizing the reality of the diversity of gifts and their operation in the Body and that those with differing gifts will see things in Scripture that we do not.

One of the challenges all of us face is our excitement about what we have seen in the Word and our desire to share it.  If we are working on equipping another, it is not what we have seen that is important.  It is what they have seen.  We need to be focused and excited about what they have gotten out of the Word.  In a sense we are to be a cheerleader first and a coach second.  We get excited about what they have seen and then either ask questions to help them see more or show them tools to use to increase their observational skill.

One of the things that drives me is this:

It does not matter what I know.  What matters is how well I can equip others to learn.

It seems to me that if we are going to equip others as Ephesians 4:11 – 16 (Here at Bible Gateway) directs us to do we have to listen more and talk less.