The Value Of Curriculum

A Sunday school teacher was recently overheard to say, "We don’t use a curriculum in our church, we use the Bible."

The humor in this statement is lost in the tragic fact that many teachers of youth and adults share this same misunderstanding and attitude.

How do teachers view materials and their relationship to the Bible? Do they study the Bible instead of curriculum, or do they study the Bible with the help of a curriculum? The word "curriculum" comes from a Latin word that means to "run a course or racetrack" and indicates a specific direction and distance. A well-planned curriculum is a guide to a comprehensive and thorough study of God’s Word and keeps teachers from choosing a haphazard course.

When we consider spiritual development during the critical teen years and the challenges facing young adults (as well as adults of other ages), the value of a planned approach to teaching gives an advantage in effective teaching that will change hearts and lives.

The Bible is your textbook! The Holy Spirit is your guide to understanding God’s Word and its application to your students’ lives. Your curriculum is your primary teaching aid to provide commentary, questions and learning activities that can bring the truth of the Word alive in the students you teach.

(This article appeared in the "Summer, 1998" issue of "The Herald.")