Vision and Teaching Strategy

What do we teach DSM students?  That's an important question.  To answer that we had to ask another one.  What do we need to teach that will make a student a well rounded follower of Jesus Christ?  Well, the bible has an answer for that.  When God wanted to set aside for Himself a people, He rescued them from Egypt, got them out in the desert and said, "Okay, so if you are going to be 'My People' here are the rules...but they aren’t just rules; they are rules to make life better."

 

These rules, also known as the 10 Commandments (Exodus 19:3-8), really break down into three essential relationships that we must understand as God sees them. 

1.       How God wants us to relate with Him

2.       How God relates to us

3.       How God wants us to relate with each other

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These three Essential Relationships are best understood when our teaching focuses upon six Foundational Principles (based off the book 7 Checkpoint by Andy Stanley).  Why six?  Great question.  Over the last twelve years of teaching students almost every week, I realized that all my teaching could be categorized into one of these six principles.

 

Principle #1:  

     Maximum freedom is found under God’s authority. (Ultimate Authority)

     (Essential Relationship: view Him)

 

Principle #2:   

     God can be trusted. He will do all He has promised to do. (Authentic Faith)

     (Essential Relationship: view Him)

 

Principle #3:        

      When you see as God sees, you will do as God says. (Spiritual Discipline)

     (Essential Relationship: view us)

 

Principle #4:   

     You matter to God (Inherent Value)

     (Essential Relationship: view us)

 

Principle #5:  

     Consider others before yourself. (Others First)

     (Essential Relationship: view each other)

 

Principle #6:  

     Godly wisdom brings success. (Wise Choices)

     (Essential Relationship: view each other)

 

During the course of the year we rotate through these principles so that students will have a good understanding of them and how they apply to real life.  Even the large events and retreats have an overarching principle attached to them that we are trying to teach.  All in all, this helps us to stay focused on teaching solid biblical truths that will build firm foundations for the student’s future.