Teacher Training in Madison
Harley, this had to be the most fun. Jim Brinkman offered to send me back to Madison to
go through the teacher training. It was a major step for the church to initiate a new
group of teachers for the Bethel Series. I would be trained, and then come back and
train other teachers to lead groups in the Bethel Series. Our church was growing and
the potential was there for many new people to become acquainted with the Bethel
Series. So, off I went to Madison to receive training.
I clearly remember the first morning when you came into the room full of folks all ready
to start out. The first thing you did was to quote Proverbs 27:14. "If a man loudly
blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse." We heard a
few words about how you were not a morning person. You had us in the right mood. Then
you explained how you would soon know all of us by name. It seems that you reviewed
our information sheets, and intended to study them further. Also, you pointed out that
it was the nature of folks to always sit in the same location for a class like yours
and that would enable you to soon be able put a name to each face. It is the same for
church. We all are inclined to sit in the same spot each week. One can walk into
church, and know who is missing by the empty pew. I realized that you were right. Do
you know that since that time, I have made it a practice to always sit in a different
location at church, and a different area of the room for studies? I guess that says
something about my personality. I will leave that for the professionals to figure out.
The training studies went well. I was ahead of the curve, having attended the Bethel
Series taught by Pastor Mueller. I had memorized my concepts, and I knew the materials.
But there was some fun to be had. One would probably figure out that the attendees were
most likely going to be Pastors, from churches all over the country. But I was a lay
person. In fact, I think I was the only lay person in the group. So, when we divided
into small groups for interaction and discussion, I was always with a number of pastors.
This was no problem for me. The small group would be chattering away and exchanging
ideas and experiences with me sitting right there. I joined in, but eventually, it
would come out that I was a lay person, not a pastor. It was so funny; All the pastors
would clam up! The interaction stopped and we became a professional group with serious
comments only. The same thing happened at meals. I tried to always sit with a different
group at each meal. As soon as they realized I was a lay person, the conversation died!
I sort of understand. The pastors felt they had an image to project and didn't want to
let their hair down in front of this non-pastor. Oh, well, no matter, we got through
the materials and were sent home.
To continue reading Barry's letter to Harley Swiggum, click
Training Other Teachers
here, or in the frame on the left.