After the death of King Solomon, two of his sons, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, fought for the throne. When Rehoboam harshly raised taxes on the people, the 10 northern tribes rebelled and installed Jeroboam as their king, creating the northern kingdom of Israel. The two southern tribes, Benjamin and Judah, remained with Rehoboam and became the kingdom of Judah.
The period of the divided kingdom ended with the people of Israel being taken into captivity. Here is an overview and timeline of the exile of Israel and her return from captivity.
The time between the end of the Old Testament (400BC from the prophet Malachi) to the preaching of John the Baptist (25 AD) is known as the “intertestamental” period. Here’s an overview of what happened.
In new groups, participants often seek connections through icebreaker questions. How we respond impacts the future community. I’ve learned to employ what I call the “Rule of In”.
Ultimately, how you handle your speaking notes will depend on personal preference. As you experiment, here are some ideas that may help you find your style and prepare like a pro.
Learn how to avoid plagiarism in Bible study with clear do’s, don’ts, and real examples—when to cite, how to credit sources, and what to change.
Learn how to become a Bible teacher with 6 clear steps from study habits to mentorship and prep time, so you can teach with confidence.
Grow as a Bible teacher with four key roles—cheerleader, coach, critic, craftsman. Learn to find them, set expectations, and trust the team.
You’ve probably heard a teacher, pastor or preacher say something to the effect “and then God told me.” What’s up with that? What role does personal experience and/or personal revelation play in Bible study? For me, the bottom line is: Scripture takes precedence over emotions and experience; and teachers ought to strive for accuracy and precision in their language. Here are the guidelines I use when teaching.
Teaching through stories is increasingly popular. But there is a downside. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls.
Master Bible observation by learning what to notice in each passage and why it matters. How to Observe Scripture: 10 Things to Watch For
The first step in Bible study is observation. The goal is to slow down your reading and generate a list of questions that must be answered to understand the passage. I tend to break observation into the following 4 steps which generally correspond to my first few readings through the passage.
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.