Before joining BI class, I used to read and understand the bible, by merely reading the English written in it. After a few months of attending BI class I have learned to understand that in order to understand the Word of God we need to go further than just reading and understanding the modern English written in the bible.
In this class, I have learned some interesting and valuable ideas, concepts and practices through the class interaction, presentation, lectures, reading of the text book required (Grasping God’s Word by Duvall Hays) and other reading materials and research that helps me understand the bible better and how to approach it and interpret it in a correct way with different methods. Below are a few examples.
Academic aspects:
1) How to read and understand the verses in the bible.
2) What do I need to find out before I get to know the literary context and to have a better understanding of the bible.
3) The different bible translations and which are the better or up-to-date translations. For example, I was told and thus always thought that the King James Version was so called the best and most comprehensive version. Now, I have discovered that it was translated around 1604 and thus the usage and meaning of words during that period of time has been changed down the road and may not be the same as the twentieth century.
4) Last but not least. There is the difference in the meaning of the English words we are reading in the bible and the actual original meaning of the original language. For example, the “double portion” anointing that Elisha asked from Elijah, which I had always thought was referring to 200% of the anointing that Elijah had. Now I understand that in Jewish culture, an elder son always had a double portion of inheritance from the father. Thus, it refers to being a “successor” of Elijah.
Individual assignment:
I have learned how to do research and to look for resources to do my individual assignment. That makes me less stressed and I have learned a lot by reading other text books while preparing for my personal assignment.
Group project or Christian Community aspects:
Thank God that I have a good team of eight persons. All are mature adults with different gifts and strengths. Though not everyone could attend all the group meetings for group projects due to work or family commitments, there were hardly any complaints or unhappiness about this. We are always willing to help each other to complete and cover each other for the project work. We all tried our best to do the best for the team. Thus, we have learned to exercise Christ’s love and grace towards each other. Our lecturer, Bro Casey had also reminded us of the importance and benefits of working as a group. That is to help one another especially the weaker ones and that is the way to practice the biblical teaching of “love your neighbour.”
From the lecturer:
I personally think Bro Casey has successfully created a conducive learning environment by making the lesson fun, interactive and helping us to think out of the box. Many of his discussions are also not just within the topic we were supposed to learn and thus enlarged our scope of learning and understanding. He extended grace and understanding towards us and thus it lessened our stress and made our learning enjoyable and fun. That helps us to learn better.
I have learned not only how to be a good but also a better teacher. What I have learned in class interaction, group projects and presentation, lectures, reading and research have helped changed my perspectives and challenged me in wanting to be a better teacher of the Word of God and also to study and to understand more of the Word of God. Thus, I do not simply take everything of what is being preached on the pulpit or shared in the cell group but I do careful study and understand the bible by myself.
