Teaching a Narration-Based Bible Lesson

“Child,” said Aslan, in a gentler voice than he had yet used, “perhaps you do not see quite as well as you think. But the first step is to remember. Repeat to me, in order, the four signs.”

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

Teaching a Bible lesson can be a teacher’s most intimidating class of the day. On the one hand, the biblical text is probably quite familiar, leading to great confidence. But on the other hand, the weight of the responsibility–teaching truths from the Word of God to children–can be overwhelming. 

One cannot help but think of Jesus’ caution in the Gospel of Matthew: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Or, consider the warning from James’ letter: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

The Bible is clear that teaching is a high office, and that teaching children is especially weighty. When it comes to teaching the Bible itself, teachers ought to take special care that their lessons are reverent, edifying, and biblically supportive. One way they can do so is through the teaching tool of narration.

In this article, I will offer four types of emphasis a teacher can make when designing a Bible lesson and then walk through how a teacher can use narration to cultivate reverence for holy scripture in students and unlock opportunities for students to encounter biblical truth for themselves.

Four Emphases of a Bible Lesson

In my experience, there are four general types of emphasis a teacher can take when designing a Bible lesson. These four are: Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, Spiritual Formation, and Discipleship. It is worth pointing out that these emphases are not mutually exclusive, and there is overlap between the categories. But as a teacher plans a Bible lesson, my encouragement is to choose one or two of the emphases rather than try to cover all four every time.

Here are brief descriptions of each:

Biblical Studies

The purpose of a lesson focused on biblical studies is to help a student grow in his or her understanding of how to uncover the original meaning of a text, what biblical scholars call exegesis. The tools at hands are word studies, historical-cultural backgrounds, literary elements, and more. These lessons will elevate a student’s biblical literacy and enable them to approach the biblical text with care for what the author was originally trying to communicate.

Theological Studies

A theology-focused Bible lesson moves at a quicker pace through the exegetical work of biblical studies in order to lead students to reflect theologically on the passage. What does the text teach or imply about our understanding of God, creation, and humanity? These lessons may underscore classical doctrines like God’s triune nature and the hypostatic union of Christ. Or they may broaden a student’s canonical understanding of scripture: how all the books of the Bible fit within a single narrative of God’s providential action throughout history. 

Spiritual Formation

A lesson with spiritual formation aims is interested in helping shape a student’s spiritual life and relationship with God. As God granted young King Solomon with a discerning mind (literally a “hearing heart”), this approach to scripture develops in students a a sensitivity to the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Through discussions on the character of God and prayerful readings of scripture (e.g. lectio divina), teachers can help foster an intimacy with their Heavenly Father. We want students to know God personally, not simply know about Him propositionally.

Discipleship

Finally, a Bible lesson with a discipleship emphasis focuses on the practical application of being a follower of Jesus. To be a disciple is to be a student, sitting under the instruction of a teacher. For Christians, our teacher is Jesus himself and we are called to submit our lives to His instruction and authority. Christian discipleship is, therefore, the goal of putting all of life’s challenges, doubts, decisions, and relationships under the lordship of Christ. 

How do you know which emphasis or emphases to use when teaching a Bible lesson? It primarily depends on the biblical passage the class is studying. Some passages require more biblical studies setup in order for students to understand the original meaning of the text. Others lend themselves more toward the practical application aims of discipleship. 

Secondarily, it depends on the sort of balance you aim to strike as a teacher. As you create your pacing chart for the year and map out units of lesson plans, analyze the frequency of the four emphases. If you notice that you tend to focus on the practical, balance out your plans with a word study or theological discussion. If you can feel that your lessons have been overly academic, create a lesson in which students reflect in a prayerful reflection exercise. 

Elements of a Narration-Based Bible Lesson

With these four emphases of a Bible lesson in mind, let us now examine how we might teach a Bible lesson using narration. As Jason here at Educational Renaissance puts it in A Classical Guide to Narration (Circe Institute, 2020), narration, simply put, is “a teaching practice in which students are asked to communicate back the substance of content they have learned” (11). It has two core components: the exposure of students to content and the students’ narration of that content.

When a teacher commits to teaching the Bible using narration, she ought to include some core elements. These elements can be found in Charlotte Mason’s writings, especially in Part 5 of Home Education, as well as in other places. In what follows, I will distill the core elements of using narration when teaching Bible based on Charlotte Mason’s writings and my experience using the tool myself in the classroom.

Text in the Center

The first element of a narration-based Bible lesson is to keep the text in the center. So often in education today, lessons are child-centered (what does the child want to learn?) or teacher-centered (what do I want to teach?). But a narration-based lesson is ultimately about the text. What does the text say and how can I help my students walk away with a greater understanding of what it means? Additionally, how can my students walk away with an affinity toward the text in a way they previously did not? In order for narration to be used, both teacher and student most approach the text with an attitude of reverence and willingness to hear.

A Strategic Setup

As one plans a text-centered, narration-based Bible lesson, the next key element to consider is how to prepare students to narrate the text as fluently as possibly. This will vary greatly depending on the biblical passage being studied. As I prepare to teach a Bible lesson, I often ask myself, “What road blocks do I anticipate might get in the way of a student narrating smoothly?” Here the emphasis on biblical studies described above can be helpful. As biblical scholars will tell you, there is distance between the Bible, as a collection of ancient documents, and our 21st century vantage point. In order to bridge the gap, consider these questions as you plan your pre-narration setup:

• What words or phrases can I define that are essential to the passage’s meaning?
• What assumptions does the biblical author make about what the reader may know or believe?
• Would a map be useful to put a concrete picture before students of geographical locations referenced in the passage?
• What characters need introducing? What other literary techniques are being deployed that could help a student latch on to the text better?

It is also important to note that one need not limit their setup to an emphasis on biblical studies. There are other setup questions one can ask that prepare students for an enthusiastic encounter with the text so that students are “animated by expectation,” as Charlotte Mason puts it. For example:

• What theological ideas do you plan to draw out later on in the class discussion?
• What current events or topics that students are dealing with will be directly addressed by the passage?
• How can I set a tone for the reading that will prepare students for a spiritual encounter with God through the reading of the text?

A Dramatic Reading

A third key element for a narration-based Bible lesson is a dramatic, or intentional, reading of the text. By ‘intentional’ I mean a deliberate attempt to read the text in a way that will capture the attention of students while faithfully convening the meaning of the passage. I use the word ‘intentional’ rather than ‘enthusiastic’ because not all biblical passages ought to be read with high energy or cadence. But they should all be read with intentionality in order to match their voice to the drama of the text. When a passage is read well, students tend to be much more engaged and then go on to narrate with heightened lucidity. It is worth noting here the rich history of public readings of scripture, especially in pre-literate cultures. When students read the Bible aloud with reverence and drama, they are participating in a perennial traditional of the church.

A High Expectation of Telling

A fourth key element for the lesson is a high expectation for the narration itself. What I have found fascinating over the years is the relationship between quality narrations and classroom culture. When teachers have no or low expectations for what their students can actually narrate, the lesson can fall flat on its face. To set up a passage strategically and then read it with flair, only to see students tell back very little, is deflating. In order to avoid this problem, communicate clearly your expectations for the narration: details, author’s vocabulary, accurate order of events, etc. Then, when engaged in the narration exercise, do not settle for less than your students’ best. “What else?”, I can often be overheard asking when teaching using narration. Why? Because I know my students are capable and believe there is more that they know and remember if simply given the opportunity to stretch.

A Discussion and Response

Finally, in a narration-based Bible lesson, the narration is the climax of the lesson, but it is not the ending. Students narrate the text in order to assimilate the knowledge, to make it a part of themselves, if you will. But once the knowledge is assimilated, the question becomes “How should we respond?”. One idea is to draw out a moral or spiritual principle from the text for class discussion. This allows students to really chew on the knowledge and make connections. Another is to take the opportunity for students to transcribe a particularly beautiful passage in their journals. I have also seen teachers lead students to create intricate illustrations from a biblical scene of say, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, or produce a hand-drawn map of Abram’s journey from Ur to Canaan. The opportunities for students to interact with the text are practically endless and allow them to connect the knowledge they narrated with other facets of their education.

Conclusion

I began this article with a quotation from the Narnian Chronicles. In The Silver Chair, Aslan, the Great Lion, calls Jill Pole out of our world in order to complete an important task to save Narnia. Aslan gives Jill four signs that she is to follow in order to successfully complete her assigned task. Jill’s initial response to the information is one of hubris: “Thank you very much. I see.” Aslan, in his wisdom, however, perceives the actual limits of Jill’s understanding and proceeds to use a form of narration to teach her.

The point is this: So often in Bible classes, teachers put together great lessons and share wise insights with their students, but in doing so, they fail to give students the opportunity to see for themselves. Through the teaching tool of narration, teachers can empower students to encounter biblical truth for themselves through assimilating the knowledge of God’s Word and then engaging with it through deep interaction, all under the wise tutelage of the teacher.

As the church continues to navigate passing on the faith to the next generation in a growingly post-Christian world, narration can be a valuable tool for engendering reverence, intimacy, and the prospect of “true sight” in our students.

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If you were inspired by this article, you can go deeper by registering for Kolby Atchison’s upcoming live webinar, Teaching a Narration-Based Bible Lesson, on Monday, April 24 at 4:00 PM (Central) live on Zoom.

Gain practical skills to help your students flourish in their study of God’s Word. You will have the opportunity to ask questions as you aim to implement narration in your own Bible lessons.