The primary focus of this podcast episode is to clarify the role of Bible 805 within the context of the Great Conversation, a term that encompasses the collective teachings of Jesus’ followers as they strive to share His message with the world. The speaker, Yvon Prehn, emphasizes the necessity of recognizing each individual's unique contribution to this ongoing dialogue, likening it to a symphony where diverse voices and perspectives harmonize to convey profound truths. Throughout her discussion, she reflects on her personal journey of teaching the Bible, which began in her childhood and has continued to evolve over the years. She underscores the importance of clarity in communication, aiming to make complex biblical concepts accessible and understandable for all learners. Ultimately, her mission is to foster a deeper, conversational relationship with God through the teachings of the Bible, encouraging others to engage with scripture in a meaningful way.

Takeaways:

• Yvon Prehn emphasizes the importance of understanding the Great Conversation among Christians, representing diverse voices in sharing the teachings of Jesus.
• She discusses the necessity for each individual to discover their unique voice in conveying biblical messages, tailored to their audience's needs.
• The episode highlights that teaching the Bible should simplify complex concepts, making it easier for learners to grasp and apply fundamental truths.
• Pran reflects on her lifelong journey of teaching the Bible, inspired by her early experiences and a deep-rooted conviction to help others understand God's word.
• She asserts that the purpose of Bible 805 is to facilitate a conversational relationship with God, emphasizing daily engagement with scripture as essential for spiritual growth.
• The speaker encourages listeners to focus on their own teaching methods rather than critiquing others, reinforcing the idea that each contribution is vital to the collective effort of sharing faith.

Links referenced in this episode:

• www.bible805.com

Welcome to the Ministry Miscellany Podcast A collection of tools, strategy and challenges for Bible teachers from me, Yvon Prehn, someone who's been teaching the Bible ever since As a third grader, I started to teach the kindergartners at my church about Jesus. I've never quit doing that, and along the way I've picked up some practices, strategies, and resources that might be useful to you.

Our topic for today is

Episode number 18, Clarifying the purpose of Bible 805 and its part in the Great Conversation.

The Great Conversations is my term for the combined teachings of all the followers of Jesus as we attempt to share him with our world.

I believe it's important to clarify the place of Bible 805 and all the other options you have for learning the Bible.

For those of you using my resources so there's no unrealistic expectations to do that, I'll I'll first clarify what I mean by the Great Conversation and then what I believe is my part and the part of Bible 805 in it. Now here's the importance of understanding what I call the Great Conversation.

None of us has a final and complete the first and last Word on our Infinite God and His ways, and no audience we're sent to share with has the same needs or hears in a similar way because of their various backgrounds and cultures. And so a symphony of voices, of viewpoints is needed. Now, how do these come about?

First, we listen to the Lord to discover our particular voice, the part we are to play. We spend time in His Word to make certain that at its core, our message is always a reflection of his message.

After we learn our message, we craft its presentation to meet the needs of the particular audience or we've been called to serve. The Great Conversation is also like a symphony in that we each work to perfect our instrument for getting out the message we've been given.

The messages are very different, a sign by the Lord, appropriate to the audience we've been given and tailored to the gifts we possess.

God made some of his instruments loud.

And vigorous, like kettle drums beating truths home. Some are like a gentle violin melody singing slowly into the heart, and some a steady rhythm. But all are needed for the song to be complete.

We aren't called to tell others how to play the instrument assigned to them.

To master our own takes all our focus and energy.

If we're to play our part well, instead of critiquing other symphony members, we must above all keep our eyes on the conductor, not assuming the job of conductor for anyone else's work Our job is to trust the conductor, to guide us all, to work in harmony, to let us know when to practice more, when to play loudly, when to be softer, when to rest now here's how.

I look at the place of Bible.

805 In the great Conversation, the Great Symphony.

I hope what I tried to explain made sense, but I was trying to put into context what I believe and that is that we are just all so different.

And the part that the Lord wants Me and Bible 805 to play, I want to just clarify that for you.

So again, there's no misunderstanding.

So you don't expect me to provide.

Something that I'm just not going to be able to provide.

The Ministry of Bible 805 is only.

Part and a far from a perfect.

Or complete or commanding part.

The usefulness of the message of Bible 805 also doesn't come from the authority of an institution, a long list of ministry, or professional or personal credentials. It's simply a part played by me. As C.S. Lewis puts Someone who is just literally a mere Christian.

Now again, here is more the place of Bible 805 in the great Conversation. What do I do as a mere Christian to define the part I play?

I ask my students, because none of us really ever see ourselves correctly, what it is that made my teaching perhaps different and when they had choices, what.

Made it something they wanted to listen to or to attend a class on or maybe watch a video that I produced.

The answer that I got repeatedly stated in similar ways was that I make.

Hard stuff in the Bible easy to understand.

Though I hadn't really thought about it or summarized my teaching in that way, I realized that that's what I feel called to do. I love to just explain the Bible to help people truly understand it.

I get great joy and satisfaction from seeing that sudden look of understanding in someone's eyes and even greater joy seeing life changed from repeated study of and time in God's word.

As I thought about it, I realized this approach to teaching the Bible is founded on my firm conviction that our God want to be known to be understood. Immediately after creating humanity, God talked and walked with his people intimate. Sharing day to day familiarity was his initial design.

When that bond was broken by his dearly loved creation to a degree beyond our comprehension and its cosmic consequences. God didn't abandon us. He pursued his rebellious and wandering creation.

He spent millennia in preparation that culminated with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus to heal the breach and the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell God's people as a guarantee and foretaste of the future, wherein once again in the Kingdom, humanity will walk face to face in risen and redeemed bodies, in intimate conversational love forever with the God who created them for this purpose. Now here's how that applies to our purpose here and now, day to day.

It follows then that I believe God's intention for us isn't solely to ultimately save us from eternal death and separation from him, though that's of course really incredibly important. But his intention is to have a day by day conversational relationship with us now.

And he's told us how to have that sort of relationship with him in the Bible.

The Bible's God's Word to us, literally his words for all we need to know and how to live a life of fulfillment, joy and peace walking with our God now and forever. But not everyone knows these truths and that's what I want to share as simply and clearly as possible. In God's mercy He let me learn from the Bible.

From earliest childhood I had a very godly grandmother and then I had a mother who took us to church, my sister and I, every Sunday and every single night she read us Bible stories before we went to sleep. I loved everything about the Bible and Jesus and church for as long as I can remember.

I started to share what I learned when as a third grader I helped teaching the kindergarteners in Sunday school. I got my own little class when I was in sixth grade, little fourth graders I took over the high school group youth group.

Our leaders had left the church and nobody else wanted to do it when I was a sophomore in high school. And I haven't quit teaching the Bible in one way or another since then.

I love the Bible and teaching the Bible to people, helping them to know, trust, apply and in turn for them to teach the Bible. That's my place in the great conversation. My constant prayer as I create materials is that the Lord helped me to be clear.

Never confusing or simply clever, but just to be clear to truly make hard stuff in the Bible easy to understand.

The particular methods that I use to do this have come from a lot of study and experience and I'm going to do another podcast where I explain to you and a blog why I do what I do.

But for now I just want to be the simple explainer of difficult things in the Bible to help others know, trust, apply and teach it and in all of this to develop a conversational relationship with Jesus. That's the purpose of Bible 805. I hope you'll join me in it.

I trust you found the content in this episode of Ministry Miscellaney useful.

For links to any resources mentioned and lots of free material to help you know, trust, apply and teach the Bible, go to www.bible805.com Let me close now with a reminder from the book of Daniel 12:3 where it says, those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever. That's you, someone who leads many to righteousness.

And in doing that, may you be.

Ever growing in your reliance on the power of Spirit, the Holy, Holy Spirit, in the deepening of your friendship with Jesus, and in your trust in the goodness of God the Father, never forgetting in all the hard work you do,.

That you have a glorious heritage where.

You will shine like the stars forever and ever.

Amen.