Resources for Lesson Plans
Messiah prep materialsReading and discussing the biblical text in its entirety may change how you choose to prepare for class. Many teachers find that they spend less time lecturing and more time facilitating discussion, and that they need to be prepared to address any number of things that could come up in the week’s reading.
Here are some resources which may be helpful to reference as you prepare to cover the material.
Messiah Specific Material:
Journey through the New Testament: Understanding the Purpose, Themes, and Practical Implications of Each New Testament Book of the Bible
William F. Cook III
Journey through the New Testament helps you gain a complete understanding of the teachings of Jesus and how the early Christians thought and lived out their beliefs. It is a solid foundation of biblical knowledge on which you can build a deeper understanding of Scripture and God’s ultimate purposes.
The New Testament in Seven Sentences
Gary Burge
The accessible primers in the Introductions in Seven Sentences collection act as brief introductions to an academic field, with simple organization: seven key sentences that give readers a birds-eye view of an entire discipline.
Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Gospels and Acts
David Wenham and Steve Walton
Exploring the New Testament, Volume One provides an accessible introduction to the Gospels and Acts. It’s filled with classroom-friendly features such as discussion questions, charts, theological summary sidebars, essay questions, and further reading lists.
Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters and Revelation
I. Howard Marshall , Stephen Travis, et al.
Professors and students will warm to this clearly written and well-informed introduction to the New Testament Letters and the Apocalypse.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 2nd edition
Craig Keener
This revised edition of the standard reference work in its field has been expanded throughout to now provide even more up-to-date information by Craig Keener, one of the leading New Testament scholars on Jewish, Greek and Roman culture.
New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ
Thomas Schreiner
In this substantial volume, Thomas Schreiner takes up the study of New Testament theology, looking for the themes that emerge from a detailed reading of the whole rather than considering the individual writings separately.
The New Testament Books (OverviewBible)
https://overviewbible.com/new-testament-books/
New Testament Bible Timeline (Casket Empty)
General Material
The Bible Reset: Simple Breakthroughs to Make Scripture Come Alive
Alex Goodwin
We’ve been set up to fail when we read the Bible, inheriting barriers and habits that make reading Scripture harder than it needs to be. Alex Goodwin, co-founder of the Institute for Bible Reading, will show you a better way forward. This book explains the story of what led to the Immerse Reading Bible and why its approach can help us “reset” to a better Bible reading experience.
Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well
Glenn R. Paauw
Over the course of the centuries, Bible scholars and publishers have increasingly added “helps”―chapter divisions, verses, subheads, notes―to the Bible in an effort to make it easier to study and understand. In the process, however, these have led to sampling Scripture rather than reading deeply.
The NIV Application Commentary: One Volume Edition
Distills the content from the multi-volume commentary series in a way that is compelling and easy to understand for anyone – no formal training or seminary degree required. This one-volume commentary is intended both for personal study and for teaching preparation.How to Read the Bible Book by Book
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
Gives concise overviews of each book of the Bible including themes, time period, advice for engaging the book, and orientation to the book’s place in the overall biblical narrative.
The Great Story and the Great Commission: Participating in the Biblical Drama of Mission
Christopher J. H. Wright
Wright encourages us to explore the Bible’s grand narrative and to bring the whole counsel of God in Scripture to our understanding of who we are and what we must do as God’s people.
The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story, 3rd ed.
Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen
Surveys the grand narrative of the Bible in six “acts”, providing a helpful framework for understanding not only the whole Story of the Bible from beginning to end but how each reader fits into the Story today.
Short Studies in Biblical Theology series
This series is designed to help readers see the whole Bible as a unified story—culminating in Jesus. In each volume, a trusted scholar traces an important topic throughout God’s word, from Genesis to Revelation, and explores its relevance to the Christian life. Insightful, accessible, and practical, these books are accessible bite-sized introductions to major themes in the Bible.
Knowing the Bible series
Designed as 12-week Bible studies, these books still offer many insights and ideas for the classroom. Each week provides brief insights into The Place of the Passage, The Big Picture, Reflection and Discussion questions, Gospel Glimpses, Whole-Bible Connections, Theological Soundings, and Personal Implications.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us. Revised and Expanded
Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
This book gives directions for our continuing journey toward intimacy with Christ. The entries provide not only information about the disciplines, but practical and accessible guidance. This resource helps spark ideas that incorporate these practices into the classroom.