Choosing and Serving a Congregation - Teacher (Standard) (print)

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Objective: Analyse the relevant text and explain the case that evaluating a congregation requires attention to scripture, gospel, leadership, worship, holiness, love, mission, and accountability rather than consumer preference alone.

Read: Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:19-25

Opening: Ask one observation question before explaining the lesson.

Say:

The selected passage supplies the main textual evidence central to Choosing and Serving a Congregation.
Evaluating a congregation requires attention to Scripture, gospel, leadership, worship, holiness, love, mission, and accountability rather than consumer preference alone.

Ask:

What does the text directly say?
What conclusion requires interpretation, synthesis, or historical evidence?
What should we avoid overstating?
What is one faithful response?

Do: Complete Choosing and Serving a Congregation Claim Audit.

Close: Restate the big idea, name one faithful response, and pray.

Materials: Bible; Choosing and Serving a Congregation Claim Audit

Standard outline · 35 minutes

4 minConnect. Locate the lesson within History, Hope, and Independent Faith and activate prior knowledge.
4 minContext. Identify genre, audience, setting, and immediate context before making claims.
9 minRead and observe. Read selected portions of Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:19-25 and identify direct observations. Ask: What does the passage directly say?
7 minDiscuss. Test the big idea against the evidence and identify interpretive limits. Ask: What conclusion can we support from those observations? Where could someone overstate or misapply this passage?
7 minActivity. Complete the primary evidence-based activity. Activity: Read and Notice: Choosing and Serving a Congregation. Printable: T5-L22-P01-choosing-and-serving-a-congregation-claim-audit.
4 minRespond. Name one faithful response and pray. Ask: What faithful response fits the text?

Activity details

Read and Notice: Choosing and Serving a Congregation · 10 min

Materials: Choosing and Serving a Congregation Claim Audit; Bible; Pens or pencils

Read or retell Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:19-25 in context.
Name two details the text directly states.
Restate this big idea in your own words: Evaluating a congregation requires attention to Scripture, gospel, leadership, worship, holiness, love, mission, and accountability rather than consumer preference alone.

Low-resource option: Draw the categories on blank paper or complete verbally.

Closing

Memory verse: Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:19-25

Prayer: Thank God for what the passage shows and ask for wisdom to respond faithfully.

Take-home line: Evaluating a congregation requires attention to Scripture, gospel, leadership, worship, holiness, love, mission, and accountability rather than consumer preference alone.