Herald & Banner Press, Author at HERALD AND BANNER PRESS

A Special Focus

During this Sunday school quarter, “Tips for Teachers” will have a different focus. If asked, we would probably all agree that prayer is essential, not just for every Christian, church, and Sunday school class, but also in the preparation of Sunday school lessons, etc.

The problem often is implementation. We say we believe in prayer, and we know we should pray, but do we actually take time to do it? In an attempt to encourage his own prayer life, this writer has found it helpful to use a book of prayers as a prayer starter each day.

With that idea in mind, the “Tips for Teachers” in Lessons 2-12 of this quarter will be written as prayers that you could pray each day of the week for each particular lesson, or you could choose from these prayers one or more to pray for each day of the week.

Heavenly Father, we pray for each teacher reading this text right now. Encourage them in their faith. Bless them in their teaching ministry. Help them to reflect you in everything they do, say, and think, so their students may find in them Christian role models to imitate, and thus grow in their faith. Amen.

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-31T09:00:46+00:00August 31st, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: new focus, prayer, start each day|0 Comments

Necessary Instruction

Read Luke 11:1-4

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (v. 2).

In an environment where self-aggrandizing hypocrites sought the attention and adulation of others when they prayed, and where idol-worshiping heathen used meaningless repetition in prayer (Matt. 6:2), the disciples wanted to learn how to pray from Jesus, whose prayers clearly received a response from God the Father. What did Jesus teach?

In contrast to those hypocritical and meaningless prayers witnessed by the disciples, Jesus taught them to pray with directness, sincerity, and transparency.

Jesus invited them to begin by addressing God as “Our Father.” From this simple, direct form of address, Jesus’ disciples were reminded of their status in relation to each other (“Our”) and God (“Father”). They belonged in the family of God.

Jesus’ teaching on prayer was also a contrast to the affectation of the hypocrites: it was a call to sincerity. Unlike the pompous language of the self-righteous or the vain repetition of the heathen, Jesus wanted the disciples to pray with sincere simplicity. Their prayers were to be meaningful.

Finally, Jesus taught His disciples to pray with transparency, acknowledging their needs rather than touting their own righteousness. Jesus’ disciples were to confess their physical and spiritual needs while seeking the will of God. Their walk and talk with God were to be authentic. (Lyle A. Witt)

God help us to pray with directness, sincerity, and transparency!

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-29T09:00:35+00:00August 29th, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: prayer, sincerity, transparecy|0 Comments

How to Pray

Focus Text: Matthew 6:5-15
Central Truth: Prayer is the earnest expression of our intimate relationship with God.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways in which prayer can be made more effective in their lives.
Lesson Outline:
I. Guidelines for Prayer (Matt. 6:5-8)
II. The Focus of Prayer (Matt. 6:9, 10)
III. Petitions in Prayer (Matt. 6:11-15)

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-27T09:00:00+00:00August 27th, 2018|Categories: Weekly Lesson Summaries|0 Comments

Good Works

The last word picture is about Dorcas. Take some time to look back at the pictures you have done, and remember the lessons taught by each Bible character.

Dorcas was a quiet woman who was remembered for what she had done.

How do you think Dorcas related to the people around her? What spiritual gift did she have?

How did the work of Dorcas relate to her being a Christian? Do Christians need to do good works?

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-24T09:00:32+00:00August 24th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: Dorcas, hardworking, quiet|0 Comments

A Judgment of Works

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (v. 20).
When I was in eighth grade, we went on a class trip to tour an exhibit on the HMS Titanic. We saw pictures and footage of the building of that great ship, heard stories about the people who booked passage on its voyage, and even walked through life-sized replicas of the rooms. When I made it to the first-class cabin, I noticed the pale mannequin lounging in the corner and quickly went on to study the bed, chairs, clothing, and other curiosities. As I began to walk on down the hallway, a girl in the group behind me screamed. The mannequin had stood up to talk to them!
Of course, it wasn’t a mannequin at all. He was a slender actor who had covered his face and hands with white makeup. No one had looked closely enough to think he was anything other than a mannequin until he moved. The life in his limbs was our first clue that he wasn’t plastic.
These days, people stay awfully busy. We work and volunteer and play hard. As we run from one activity to the next, we rarely have time to notice people around us. Why should we expect anyone, including people not in the family of God, to tell we are Christians if the life in our limbs doesn’t show it? (Michelle D. Avery)

Is there life in your limbs?

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-22T09:00:07+00:00August 22nd, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: busyness, dedication, life, Work|0 Comments

Dorcas: A Woman of Good Works

Focus Text: Acts 9:36-42, Matthew 5:14-16
Central Truth: Good works are an evidence of a genuine saving faith.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify several good deeds they can do for someone this week.
Lesson Outline:
I. An Exemplary Life (Acts 9:36-39)
II. A Miracle Realized (Acts 9:40-42)
III. A Command Given (Matt. 5:14-16)

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-20T09:00:06+00:00August 20th, 2018|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Dorcas, good deeds|0 Comments

Before and After Pictures

Work together to create a word picture of Paul for your character notebook.

Paul was an active man who served many generations by serving his own generation.

Compare Paul’s temperament or disposition before and after his conversion.

In what ways can a hot, quick, active, practical, and strong-willed temperament like Paul’s be used by God? How does Paul’s life illustrate this?

How can a person be a boss or a leader and still relate properly with other Christians?

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-17T09:00:31+00:00August 17th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|Tags: before and after, Changes, Conversion|0 Comments

Following Christ

“And he left all, rose up, and followed him” (v. 28).
Jesus’ call is very simple. All He asked Levi to do was follow Him. There were no requirements and no application process. The only thing Jesus asked for was a response and commitment. On the surface, the response is also very simple. Levi simply had to stand up out of his seat and begin to walk with the Master. However, beneath the surface, we see a much deeper response and a greater commitment. Levi was leaving behind the only life he knew. He was leaving behind not only his occupation but also the source of his wealth as a tax collector. He was leaving his friends and the life style of feasts and parties.
Yet Levi saw something in Jesus that made all he was leaving behind seem worthless because what he was gaining had infinitely more value. No doubt the pull of Levi’s old life sometimes seemed very strong. Perhaps he had to deal with the implications of walking off the job and leaving everything behind. We don’t know that part of the story, but what we do know is that he stayed with Jesus and became one of the twelve apostles and a founder of God’s new Church. Jesus called a very diverse group of men to follow him. Perhaps the only thing they all had in common was their response and commitment to His call. (Kevin R. Askew)

Trust and obey For there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey. — John Sammis

Have you left all and followed like Levi?

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-15T09:00:17+00:00August 15th, 2018|Categories: Opening the Word|Tags: application, Follow, Paul, simple|0 Comments

Paul: Saved to Serve

Focus Text: Acts 9:1-16
Central Truth: Christ calls us from self-centered righteousness to selfless service.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify some areas of service in which they need to be involved.
Lesson Outline:
I. Confronted by Christ (Acts 9:1-5)
II. Submission to Christ (Acts 9:6-9)
III. Sent by Christ (Acts 9:10-16)

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-13T09:00:10+00:00August 13th, 2018|Categories: Lesson Highlights|Tags: Paul, rescued, Self-centered|0 Comments

Picture of a Disciple

Create a word picture of Peter for your character notebook.

Peter was a man who often acted on impulse, but still was mightily used of God.

Ask the class to list what Jesus may have seen in Peter to select him to be a disciple.

List the differences in Peter when he was first called and after he became an apostle. List the similarities.

What motivated Peter? Why was he a man of action? How was his action modified and directed after he met Christ?

Compare Peter’s faith to that of other people in the Bible. Compare our faith to Peter’s faith.

Herald & Banner Press2018-08-10T09:00:16+00:00August 10th, 2018|Categories: Teacher Helps|0 Comments

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