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? I need some clarification. I understand that there is a didactic and a dialectic type study. My church has small group study using some study book that has questions in it. The church also uses a facilitator type leader as such. Since I can’t find where in Bible God told the church to use facilitators vs teachers, I was wondering your thoughts. Another issue that arose from this is our S.S class teacher was going to be off one Sunday and asked a woman to take over for that one Sunday. He said that she would be facilitating the class. Sounds like a way to get around men teaching. My concern for this type study format is that we never determine what God says about the issues in the study, only how a person feels or thinks about the question being put forth. I feel like I am in group therapy. Thanks for any input you could share.
Answer:
You are on the right track. The Bible does not support dialectic study. The New Testament teaches an expository method of Bible study in which sound biblical hermeneutical principles are used to determine what God said and what he meant by what He said. Dialectics is the presentation of opposing views which in a debate type forum is used to try and understand the subject of study. It seeks a meaning by looking are different “opinions.” There is no exact way to determine if the opinion is correct or not.
Didactic study is done by a teacher who seeks give moral or spiritual instruction. If a Bible teacher is seeking to teach
God’s way is studying God word expositorily. That means a seeking the definition of words and their correct meanings. God used specific words to reveal His truth to us that had the meaning He wished to convey. One cannot reach a spiritual understanding or application of God’s word without know correctly what God said. That means we interpret the word of God using the grammatical, historical, cultural method of interpretation. That means determining how the words were used in the context of when they were written.
I have an article at
https://bible-truth.org/InterpretationPrinciples.pdftitled “Biblical Principles for Interpreting God’s Word.” The companion of this article is at
https://bible-truth.org/ExpositoryBibleStudy.htmlthat is a course on how to expositorily study God’s word.
I know there are lots of literature and teachers who use other methods, but in reality the only proper and correct way is the expository way. Spiritual truths must be based a sound understanding of God’s word or what is produced is not of God. That is a major problem today.
I would suggest you read the two articles which will give you the proper understanding of what true Bible study is.
As far a having a woman, no matter how qualified to teach mixed classes is addressed in 1 Timothy 2:11-15. Today that is not popular. Yet, it is a test of one’s devotion to God and His truth. Women should teach women not men. Some will say this was a cultural matter in Paul’s day. I point out that Paul justified it by showing the example of the woman being deceived. I have pastored now for forty years and it has never been a problem in the churches I taught, because godly women believe and accept God’s word and the ministry and service He has given them.
