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"When you understand adults individually, the way God created them, you are truly able to let God use you in their lives."
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Introduction
Have you ever sat on a bench at the mall just to watch and listen to people as they walk by? During a quiet moment of a worship service, have you looked around and considered how God created such a diverse universe of people? If so, you are well aware of how they differ from one another as well as how they are similar. If you have not stopped to observe the adults around you, take a few moments to do so during your next session with the adults you teach at church. God has truly blessed you with the opportunity to teach adults during this time in history. You have a tremendous opportunity to let God work through you in their lives. If you are willing to let God minister through you, lives will be transformed and become more Christlike. You can make a difference in our world! Why should you take the time to watch and listen to the men and women in your group? They are sending you messages and signals that help you understand the way God made them. God created each one of them in His image and to glorify Him. In this sense, teaching adults is an act of worship that is pleasing to God. In addition, God is teaching you how to teach adults. He has given you this opportunity as a gift with the promise to guide you to be the best teacher. That is what this book is about. It is designed to be a tool for teachers in understanding the needs that God gives all adults. This book is a collection of articles that provide insights in accepting and helping adults deal with various life situations. Through prayer God will help you understand each unique adult and his unique situation. With this understanding you can guide adults to apply the truth in God's Word to meet their needs and answer their problems. When adults connect their lives with the truth in God's Word, they can find the living Lord in their lives. When you understand adults individually, the way God created them, you are truly able to let God use you in their lives. For example, when you accept that adults learn in a variety of ways, you will understand that you need to use a variety of approaches to learning. With this understanding carefully construct your teaching plan to include a variety of approaches instead of one approach. Consequently, effective teaching that leads people to our living Lord is a result of a positive understanding of the way God created men and women who live in today's world. The Author Dr. Jim Walter writes this resource from 31 years of experience in ministering with adults. Today he is the minister to median and senior adults at First Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida. At the end of the Spring semester, 2000, Dr. Walter retired from a faculty position with Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, after 14 years of teaching adult education. Before going to the seminary to teach, Dr. Walter served as an Adult Sunday School consultant for the Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention). During these 10 years, he traveled throughout the United States assisting teachers of adults to be effective in their ministries. He has also written numerous articles in periodicals including Christian Single and Missions Today. In preparation for these ministries, Dr. Walter has served as minister with adults in churches in Texas and Florida. He received his M.R.E. in 1965 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ed.D. in 1968 from Tennessee State University (adult education), Ph.D. in 1994 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (religious education), Ed.D. in 1996 from the University of North Texas (adult education), and M.S. from the University of North Texas in Applied Gerontology. On a personal note, Dr. Walter is married to Becky Lyn Vandenbark, and they have three sons, Steven, David, and John. Appreciation Many thanks to the group of Southern Baptist leaders of adults who designed and guided the development of this resource: Jere Adams (LifeWay Christian Resources—Music) Debra Berry (Woman's Missionary Union) David Briscoe (LifeWay Christian Resources—Sunday School) David Chamberlain (LifeWay Christian Resources—Marketing) Michael Felder (LifeWay Christian Resources—Sunday School) Brad Goad (LifeWay Christian Resources—Discipleship and Family) Rick Howerton (LifeWay Christian Resources—Discipleship and Family) Rich Murrell (LifeWay Christian Resources—Discipleship and Family) Ron Pratt (LifeWay Christian Resources—Pastor-Staff Leadership) Kathy Sharp (LifeWay Christian Resources—Magazines) Sean Taylor (North American Mission Board—Mission Education) Suggestions for Ways to Use This Resource As you read and study each article, consider the adults in your group. You will not find pictures in this resource because we want to provide you with an inexpensive tool for developing your teaching skills. We also want you to think of the adults in your group. To enhance your experience with this book, take pictures of the men and women in your group as a group, then individually. Lay the pictures on the table nearby as you read the articles. Or tape them to your computer. As you read an article, apply the discussion to each person. How does the information relate to him or her? Use the discussion to prompt a desire to know more about each person. As you reflect on each article, answer the "AdultApplication" questions by taking notes on how the information applies to each specific person in your group. The more you understand each person, the more effective you will be in guiding him or her to our living Lord. You have choices as to how you will engage this resource. Download: An Adobe Acrobat version of this resource may be downloaded at no cost. You are welcome to make copies for others in your church or school. Or print out specific articles as you need them. You will need a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view/print this version. Text: A text is available for $5.95 plus shipping (ISBN: 063301379X).
Call 1-800-458-2772 to place an order. Please allow three weeks for printing
and shipping. Leadership Development Resource Series This resource is part of a series of resources designed to equip teachers of adults as they let God use them in the lives of their students. The information you will explore in this resource answers the who and why questions. Whom do we teach? Why do we teach the way we do? The what question will always be answered with the Bible. The Bible guides us in becoming Christlike in all that we do and say. It is our source of information that leads us to our living Lord. If you minister with all adults, you are encouraged to use the companion resource related to young adults titled Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today: Understanding Young Adults 18–24 Years by Joe Sherrer and Randy Millwood. In addition, the following resources answer the "how to teach" question. You will also find administration resources that answer the when and where questions. All of these resources are available by calling 1-800-458-2772 or online at www.lifewaystores.com: Adults on MissionSM Baptist Men on Mission Discipleship Training Family Ministry Men's Ministry Music Ministry Senior Adult Ministry Single Adult Ministry Sunday School Women on Mission® Women's Enrichment Ministry |
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