The Jerusalem Meeting - Teacher (Standard) (print)

Teach now

Objective: Explain from the passage that the early church handled a major dispute through testimony, scripture, discernment, and a communicated decision and locate the lesson on the whole-Bible timeline.

Read: Acts 15:1-35

Opening: Ask one observation question before explaining the lesson.

Say:

The selected passage supplies the principal textual evidence for The Jerusalem Meeting.
The early church handled a major dispute through testimony, Scripture, discernment, and a communicated decision.

Ask:

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

Do: Complete The Jerusalem Meeting Evidence Grid.

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

Materials: Bible; The Jerusalem Meeting Evidence Grid

Standard outline · 35 minutes

4 minConnect. Locate the lesson within Cycle 2 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 15:1-35 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: The Jerusalem Meeting Evidence Grid. Printable: Y4-L12-P01-the-jerusalem-meeting-evidence-grid.
4 minRespond. Name one faithful response and pray. Ask: What faithful response fits the text?

Activity details

The Jerusalem Meeting Evidence Grid · 10 min

Materials: Prayer, Wealth, and Trust Evidence Grid; Bible; Pens or pencils

Read the selected text in Acts 15:1-35.
Record two direct observations from the passage.
Test the lesson big idea: The early church handled a major dispute through testimony, Scripture, discernment, and a communicated decision.
Name one conclusion that would go beyond the evidence and should therefore be avoided.

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

Closing

Memory verse: Acts 15:1-35

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

Take-home line: The early church handled a major dispute through testimony, Scripture, discernment, and a communicated decision.