For the last several years, we have noticed a growing desire among the Lord’s people for a series of solid Bible lessons for use in Sunday Schools, Bible camps, and other ministries where the “three C’s” are essential: the Word taught must be clear, concise, and consecutive.
The market is flooded today with beautifully-produced curricula, but generally something is lacking. It may be an inappropriate emphasis on character development instead of conviction of sin and conversion as the first step to a right relationship with God. It may be a lack of teaching on the New Testament Church, baptism, or the priesthood of all believers. Whatever it is, those who have looked for materials to satisfy their requirements have been disappointed in their search.
Regularly, when speaking to us about the pressing need for such literature, we have seen a wistful look come across Sunday School teachers’ faces as they told us they appreciated Gospel Folio material. In fact, many of them had their early Bible training as children from it; others had used it as teachers for years. “It’s solid and Bible-based,” they would say. “If only . . .”
Yes, we know. If only there was more handwork for the little ones. Better graphics on the papers. A more orderly layout in the teachers’ manuals. Another paper at the Junior High level. A more interesting activity book for the Intermediates. A handout suitable for the Family Bible Hour attendees. If only the material was undated and could be adapted to home Bible studies and summer camps.
We were listening! And we’ve been working! We know that some of you have been praying. So now we are happy to announce our new Modular Bible Lessons, beginning in September, Lord willing.
The title of the series, “Line upon Line,” is taken from Isaiah 28:9-10. “Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk . . . For precept must be upon precept . . . line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” The Bible is a book of thought (“precept”), order (“line”), progression (“upon”), and simplicity (“a little”). Bible teaching materials should be marked by the same characteristics. So here’s what we have planned:
* Twenty 13-week modules (a five-year cycle) except Pre-School, will give a comprehensive Bible overview. The first module offered, beginning in September, will be Acts, Part 1: Launching Out.
* Six departments:
1) PRE-SCHOOL, using a reintroduction of Mervyn Paul’s classic, Teaching Principles for Beginners. Completely updated and renamed Building Blocks for Beginners, the large-format edition includes four Teacher’s Manuals with 48 lessons (designed for a 2-3 year cycle), plus a Pre-Schooler’s Handwork Book. It teaches basic Bible concepts — God, man, sin, heaven, hell, salvation, and so on — at the simplest level.
2) PRIMARY (Grades 1-3) includes a completely revised Teacher’s Manual with: a Teacher Development Page written by various respected authors; a Module Overview written by Dr. Gerald Stover; a Teacher’s Personal Study Page including the Chapter at a Glance, Digging Deeper (a short exposition), and A Helping Hand (definitions, explanations, and illustrations); and a Lesson Preparation Page with a section for Lesson Objectives, Applying the Lesson, and the Memory Verse. The Intermediate, Junior High, and Advanced Studies/Adult Teacher’s Manuals will have different material but the same format. The Primary Department will also have a large-size Coloring Book and a weekly take-home paper called Childhood Days.
3) INTERMEDIATE (Grades 4-6), as well as the Teacher’s Manual already described, provides an Activity Book with puzzles, pictures, and Bible quizzes which are keyed to the lesson. There is also a weekly paper called Words of Life.
4) JUNIOR HIGH (Grades 7-9), in addition to the Teacher’s Manual, also includes the weekly paper, completely revised, called Truth for Youth. Most modules will also include a supplemental map, chart, or poster.
5) ADVANCED STUDIES (Senior High and College) will have a Teacher’s Manual, and a Study Guide for the students. This level will be suitable for most home Bible studies. There will also be a take-home paper called Onward! The supplemental material will also be useful for both the Advanced Studies and Adult curriculum.
6) ADULT will share the Teacher’s Manual, Study Guide and supplemental material with the Advanced Studies Department. In addition, however, there will be a weekly adult paper, Words of Faith, suitable for distribution to mixed audiences of believers and unbelievers. It will include a gospel story, a Bible exposition, a personal study page and an “issues” article (the first two modules on Acts have a series called “What is the Church?”)
Here are our three main objectives for these Modular Bible Lessons. If you share them, perhaps this material is just what you’ve been looking for:
1) To teach the whole counsel of God to the whole family, but at the appropriate level and with the appropriate emphasis for each stage of life.
2) To preach and teach Christ as the only answer to man’s sinful state, and as the grand object and principle of the believer’s life, with the goal that the Spirit of God will use it to the salvation and sanctification of both young people and adults.
3) To not only reach the students through the teacher, but to encourage and equip the teachers themselves to be better Christians and therefore better teachers.
For further information, visit the publisher: Gospel Folio Press