A Four Step Strategy for Teaching Students

Known to most bible educators as the HBLT method, the

Hook, Book, Look and Took strategy remain excellent methods
for structuring, developing, delivering, and evaluating a Bible
lesson!
Adapted from the book by Lawrence Richards,
entitled Creative Bible Teaching. (Lawrence O.
Richards, Creative Bible Teaching, Moody Press, 1976.)

1. The Hook: Grab the Learners’ Attention

Every message and lesson needs a Hook! Getting the learners
attention is critical to maximum impact. To a large extent, the
first few moments of a lesson determine the outcome and
impact level. Regardless of whether the learner is well known
or new to the group, you must prepare the attendees to receive
the content, the truth of the scripture passage. Most of us have
sat through a bible lesson or sermon and realized you were not
engaged; your mind was elsewhere! You failed to focus on the
text or the topic. Life-change at that point becomes increasingly
unlikely even when dealing with the divine word of God.
If we consider the parables of Jesus He presented the gospel in such a manner (stories and
Illustrations) as to bring the students into learning readiness. Jesus was in effect, grabbing the
learner’s attention using a Hook. Paul the apostle often says to his reader, “Listen up” or
beginning a topic with a very pointed question.
If the learner is prepared to genuinely “hear” the Word of God, teaching begins immediately! If
the first few moments of the lesson do not “grab” his or her mind, and perhaps even the heart,
then the youth sit through another session thinking about yesterday’s challenges or tomorrow’s
homework assignment and never relates those things to today’s text. A good Hook will heighten
the likelihood the learner is in a state of learning readiness and prepare him or her to contend
with a relevant and life-changing bible passage. Book, Look and Took must be approached with
enough emotion, or excitement, or anticipation that your class members will personalize the
passage and begin to “engage” with the group as they consider how the passage should change
lives.
More than a simple introduction the Hook it is often referred to as creating interest, motivating,
awakening or provoking interest. The Hook is usually a brief three to eight minutes that should
serve as a bridge that connects the learner with life issues while pointing them toward the central
truth.
Good Hooks can flow from your own personal life experiences or someone else’s.
Jesus used stories, questions, objects, and referred to current events. It is essential to secure the
learner’s attention, prepare him/her to hear the text and engage so that the each can apply the
truth to his own life!
 The Book: Wrestling with Truth
Bible study preparation begins with prayer and a
personal study of the text. If you are to guide your
group to carefully read, explore, and understand a
scripture passage you must first contend with the
meaning of the text and personalize it. After you have
grasp the meaning of the scripture you can then prepare
to guide your group to grasp it as well. Often you will
require the assistance of a bible commentary like
LOGOS bible software or other commentary sources. This is where the teacher must focus on a
teaching aim, learning goal or intended outcome. If a passage does not grip your heart with a
personal message then you may want to examine your life or trust God has something in mind
for the learners you are preparing to engage.
This Book phase requires good preparation by establishing appropriate time to guide each
element of the class lesson or message. A second element in a life-changing lesson process, will
require more time than the other three elements. After a brief Hook you should be ready to take
the class to the truth of the scripture passage but remember you still have application (the Look)
Many educators believe there are three basic elements to the Book step.
1. Read the text well. Regardless of whether you are teaching verse by verse or dealing
with the passage as a whole, put some thought into reading the text. Perhaps you could
enlist a reader in advance who becomes a critical part of the teaching process by using
appropriate voice inflection and emphasis as each verse is presented. Let the Word speak,
and let someone else engage in the learning process as a reader of the word.
2. Present the background. No passage or scripture really stands alone and therefore,
understanding the text requires some knowledge of the author, setting, context, theme of
the book and so on. Utilizing a good commentary is an invaluable tool in being an
exceptional teacher. After all, teaching requires discipline and some degree of time
management.
3. Develop an understanding of the text. Lecture moments are appropriate but never,
never just lecture. Present the content and the key points with creativity knowing that the
scripture has the power to change lives. Remember it is a sin to bore learners due to lack
of study or preparation. Teaching does require group participation so I teachers should
plan for and allow spontaneity and interaction throughout the session. Keep in mind that
the devil has robbed many a moment given over to rabbit chases and endless spontaneity.
A good leader will safeguard this element of the lesson carefully. You will want more
interaction when the time comes for application. If you have given adequate time to
personal preparation, you are a primary source of information at this point. Don’t give in
to chasing rabbits! Make sure you take the class to the truth of scripture.
Before youth can apply the central truth to their own life, it will be essential for them to
understand the truth. Make sure you take them to the Book so they will come away knowing
what the Word of God says rather than what you think.
 The Look: Contend with Truth
A teacher is to guide people to understand the
scriptures and to live it out! From my prospective,
you cannot get any deeper into scripture than
focusing the very words of scripture on Monday
morning! When an in-depth Bible lesson moves the
text toward Monday or the ‘work-a-day’ world of the learner, you move the group toward
genuine deeper- life Bible study. I do not want to be too redundant, but these elements all fit
together. – how should this truth impact our lives? Examine how the Bible lesson should impact
life on Monday morning and throughout the coming week. Seldom will the learner understand
and internalize the truth unless they can interact or relate to the truth. Most often application
requires learner involvement and participation. The application of a bible lesson requires giving
time within the lesson to discuss the previous elements.

RELEVANCE. Many Bible teachers have wrestled with the desire to dig deeper into the Word
of God. Caution is due to remind youth teachers to make sure each lesson has adequate time for
life-changing application before you strive to go any “deeper”. Consider your Bible study class
or group as an ongoing ministry of encouragement to live out God’s word. Relevance is essential
for life-change, spiritual growth and living God’s word.

LEARNER INVOLVEMENT. Many Bible teachers have wrestled with learner involvement
and relevance during lesson application time. Remember, application usually requires some
learner involvement and therefore, some creativity. Often teachers have a class member(s) who
are reluctant to participate in any way and at the same time have a class member(s) who
dominate the class time and lead to class-wide rabbit chasing. Remember two things: 1. chasing
rabbits is not a bible study method. 2. Do not resort to lecture as a means to control an excess
amount of class discussion.

TRIADS To bring balance to class time, consider discussion triads when asking questions,
seeking opinions or getting reactions. Clusters of three, with an assignment that can be
completed in a few moments, allows the leader to guide discussion, and still guard the remaining
time.

PREPARE FOR A DECISION Since the Look, (lesson application element) is aided by
learner involvement, implication, and self-evaluation be sure to give time for decision making
(so what now) thinking. Look allows the learner to prepare his/her heart for the final moments of
class when a decision must be made – a decision to practice the truth just learned or not.
 The Took: Weaving Truth into Life
The Took is the take away. The teacher is asking the
class to insert and weave the biblical central truth
presented into their life. The teacher wants to give time
for the group members to respond to a brief appeal to
live out the truth God has just convinced them should
be taken to heart and lived out..
If Bible study is to be life-changing, then planning for an invitation (the Took) should
occur more often than not. Teachers often run out of time during class. In the midst of discussion
the teacher realizes the time is gone and someone is called upon to pray and dismiss the
class/group in prayer.
A teacher’s invitation to live out the truth of the lesson usually comes in the last few moments of
the Bible study. It does not end the lesson; it launches the lesson into an ineffective life change.
The leader should bring the class back to a main point or central truth while inviting them to live
it out. That usually means a time of personal reflection and prayer. Don’t panic, even if you have
only covered one verse of scripture, urge them to live that truth today, or in the coming week.
The Took should present a challenge of how to live this out. Perhaps it might even include a
persona prayer of commitment or a declaration of intent to complete some action towards the
truth.
The weekly Bible study or youth gathering is all about encouragement. You must have the
courage to get deep into the lesson and preach the authentic Gospel but youth need to be
encouraged in their efforts to live it out. You’re your study/lesson deep enough that learners who
decide to live by it understand the cost to do so.
Finally, there should be an element of evaluation. How do you evaluate a life-changing lesson?
Well it is more than simply hearing youth say, thanks that was an awesome talk, sermon,
message, etc. Eventually teachers/leaders need to hear, Let me share with how I just lived out
that lesson during football practice today or in the cafeteria with my friends, or on yearbook
planning team. In other words - It Took!