Using object lessons may seem a technique best left for teaching children, but this method is surprisingly effective in teaching adults. Just ask the chagrined pastor whose congregation is more abuzz after the service about his “children’s sermon” than the message he spent hours crafting!

1. Plan your object lesson well in advance of Sunday. Searching for the necessary materials last-minute creates unnecessary stress that can keep you from a proper focus on your lesson.
2. Avoid over-analogizing or over-spiritualizing your object lesson. Like Jesus’ parables were meant to make ONE point rather than for each aspect to hold some spiritual significance, the better object lesson will seek to make one point, rather than to provide a complete picture of life.
3. Consider your audience. While some object lessons may be very effective, others may promote the idea of childishness and therefore detract from the authority of God’s Word.

Discussion is an often-used teaching method that may not even seem to need mention in this setting. Yet experience has shown that there is a real art in creating good discussions. Consider the following suggestions to encourage better discussions in your lessons:

1. Avoid asking “Yes/No” questions. Such closed questions do not encourage thinking or discussion. Instead, ask how or why questions.
2. Address questions to certain individuals. Often, a few persons are more talkative (and possibly considered more knowledgeable). If you do not actively seek the participation of others, the few can dominate the lesson.
3. Ask a second person to add on to the answer of the first. Or, ask that person to provide a counter-argument for the sake of discussion.
4. Re-work your questions for clarity. An easy trap for the teacher while studying a scripture is to develop a question based on several presuppositions, but to fail to lead the class through the same train of thought before asking this question.