Picture a home visit in which you use the “Authority” Study Sheet (which you find in the Topic “Authority (Blank)” in the Lesson “Study Sheets for Faith”). You and your friend are sitting at a table to make notes on the sheet. Each of you has a Bible open. When you first sit down, and after praying together, you explain this kind of study.
- Example: “Tonight, let’s look at the subject of authority. What are some religious authorities that people follow? [Build on his ideas.] Yes, people today are following their favorite preachers and religious leaders, their traditions, their own feelings, their parents, and so on. Many different authorities call out, ‘Listen to me; I speak for God!’ The problem is, they often pull people in opposing directions, dividing even those who claim to be Christians. As one person, I find it impossible to serve competing masters. So, let’s see what the Bible says about how God speaks to us, and which authority He wants us to follow. Here, on the sheet, are Scriptures on the subject. This sheet will be left with you so that you can go back over the Scriptures, checking their contexts to see if we are understanding them correctly.”
If your friend is comfortable doing so, have him write down each answer he finds in the Scripture. You may conclude with a simple drawing, a line with arrows from God to Jesus to the Holy Spirit to the apostles to their writings where we can read God’s message to us. (See an example in the Topic “Authority (Filled Out)” in the Lesson “Study Sheets for Faith”.) At the end of the study, ask the student, “As we continue studies, will you accept the Bible’s authority as it shows you the will of Christ? Will you put Christ’s authority above traditions and personal preferences?” Make a note of the student’s commitment to Christ’s authority. Be prepared, in a thoughtful and respectful way, to return to that note when the student struggles to accept something Scripture clearly teaches.