Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Top 10 ideas for teaching Sunday School

  • May 26, 2022
  • Michael J. Brooks
  • Church Life, Featured, Latest News, Leadership, Lifeway
(Unsplash.com)

Top 10 ideas for teaching Sunday School

Ken Braddy said there are a number of things he’d tell his “younger self” after some 30 years in Christian education ministry.

He calls them “Ken’s 10” — his top 10 tips for those who lead group Bible study — and shared them in a May 19 webinar.

Braddy, director of Sunday School and network partnerships for Lifeway Christian Resources, has broadcast five webinars this year as part of “Training Thru ’22,” with five more planned in the fall. 

He said he’s been a Bible study teacher in all the churches he’s served in addition to being a vocational minister, and he values the work of those who volunteer to teach the Bible in Southern Baptist churches.

Top 10 tips

The first of Ken’s 10 is to “sit down to increase conversation.”

“When someone stands to lecture, it means they’re the authority figure and you’re there to hear them,” Braddy elaborated. “The judge is elevated in the courtroom, and that’s by design, but Bible study should be a conversation, or what [one leader] called a ‘groupalogue.’”

The second tip is to use “pair share” or triads.

“Sometimes individuals are reluctant to answer questions or to dialogue, but we can pair them or form triads and ask them to come up with a response,” Braddy explained. “This involves the shy members, allows everyone to talk and builds and strengthens relationships within the group.”

Third, Braddy encouraged leaders to focus on what he called the “first stage” of Bible study — a concept he used in the April webinar.

“You may remember the three ‘rocket stages’ of Bible study: motivation, examination and application,” Braddy recalled. “I suggested the first is the most important. That is, we have to interest people in the material before we can explain and apply it. We must find a way to convince them that the day’s study is relevant to their lives.”

He harkened back to his first tip with the fourth tip, suggesting meeting space be arranged in a circle.

“When we have rows, people are looking at the backs of other people’s heads,” Braddy explained. “And sometimes they have to turn awkwardly to hear what is said by someone behind them. With a circle, we see the faces of others, just like we do in our living rooms at home. We don’t use rows at home!”

Fifth, Braddy advised to “not answer your own questions.”

“If someone doesn’t answer within a few seconds we tend to get anxious,” he noted. “When we answer our own questions we teach group members to ‘out-wait’ us, knowing we’ll respond! [Research] found that sometimes quality thinking comes when we wait up to 20 seconds for a response.”

He sometimes takes a sip of water or coffee while waiting on responses, Braddy said, rather than staring at the group.

Sixth, he suggested teachers “talk less and encourage discussion.”

“It’s been called the ‘yakety-yak principle,’ Braddy said. “This means that when people talk through issues, they learn more.”

One teacher “insisted the first step of transformation is to raise questions.”

Quoting from a book he co-wrote with his predecessor, David Francis, Braddy said, “Talking doesn’t equal teaching any more than listening equals learning.”

The seventh of Ken’s 10 is to “start on time and end on time.”

“It’s disrespectful to those who are on time when we waste time waiting on the late-comers,” he said. “And it also teaches people to be late as well as reducing the amount of time we have for Bible study.”

Braddy noted people today are “non-linear,” not weekly attenders, more like twice a month.

“If we only get them once or twice each month, it compounds the importance of using our time wisely,” he said.

“Begin preparation earlier than later” is the eighth tip.

Braddy said Lifeway’s metrics show the two busiest times lesson helps are accessed on the Internet are Saturday night between 6 and 10 p.m. and Sunday morning.

“I’m happy we can help with resources, but not happy that many wait until the last minute,” he lamented. “It’s so much better to spend half an hour each night so that we can be ready to guide life-changing study on Sunday morning.”

Braddy’s ninth tip is to “throw ‘changeups’ by teaching with variety.”

“A baseball pitcher who throws the same pitch loses the game,” he explained. “We need to keep our groups slightly off-balance by being less predictable and using a variety of learning activities. We’ve documented some 24-26 different ways Jesus taught, so He’s our model in this quest.”

The final tip is to use ongoing curriculum.

“We offer three basic approaches to Bible study at Lifeway,” he noted. “Each lesson series is unique, and all are reliable. Putting learner guides in the hands of our attendees is good. 

“Remember, they’re non-linear, so it’s advantageous for them to have study guides at home to use when they’re not with the group on Sunday or whenever the group meets.”

The sixth webinar in the series, “Creating a New Scorecard for Group Ministry Success,” will be offered June 23, based on Braddy’s book by the same title to be released in August. Participants may register at Lifeway.com/training22.

Braddy also publishes articles about Sunday School and other group Bible study at Kenbraddy.com.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Persecution, violence and religious freedom addressed at BWA Congress
    Persecution, violence and religious freedom addressed at BWA Congress
    July 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: Why no one’s listening to your church and how to fix it
    First person: Why no one’s listening to your church and how to fix it
    July 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Lifeway names interim CEO, begins search for new president
    Lifeway names interim CEO, begins search for new president
    July 15, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Persecution, violence and religious freedom addressed at BWA Congress

Bruce Webb, pastor of The Woodlands First Baptist Church of Woodlands, Texas, recounted the history of Baptist advocacy for freedom of religion during a breakout

First person: Why no one’s listening to your church and how to fix it

You’re leading. You’re preaching. You’re promoting. But still… it feels like no one’s really listening. That’s not just frustrating; it’s exhausting.

Lifeway names interim CEO, begins search for new president

Trustees have asked Lifeway’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Walker to serve as interim president and CEO until a new president is named, in accordance with Lifeway’s bylaws.

John MacArthur, megachurch pastor and voice of ‘Grace to You’ radio ministry, dies at 86

John MacArthur, megachurch pastor, culture warrior, author and longtime voice of the “Grace to You” radio program, has died. 

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel