Theology of the Church, Mentor's Guide, MG03

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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E C H U R C H

conflict in the body over right allocation of goods within the body, the apostles urged the Church to select representatives spiritually worthy and mature to settle those matters, but they would concentrate on the ministry of the word and prayer (Acts 6.4 - “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word"). Actually, prayer is emphasized first in this text, suggesting that a close association exists between fervent faith-filled prayer and an effective application of the Word of God. Always leave ample time to pray with the students about the truths they have discovered in the Word. The Holy Spirit can use the prayer to cement the truth in the spirit, and ignite new and different desires and concerns in the students as a result of their listening to God in prayer. Be available, if possible, to pray with students about specific areas which might be especially relevant to them through the teaching of this lesson. Make certain that the students understand the assignment for next week, especially the written piece. This is not difficult; the goal is that they would read the material as best as they can and write a few sentences on what they take them to mean. This is a critical intellectual skill for your students to learn, so make sure that you encourage them in this process. Of course, for those students who might find this difficult, assure them of the intent behind this assignment, and emphasize their understanding of the material being the key, not their writing skills. We want to improve their skills, but not at the expense of their encouragement and edification. Nor, however, do we want to sell them short. Strike to find the midpoint between challenge and encouragement here.

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