Melchizedek Priesthood Classes Seek Flexibility in Teacher and Lesson Selection

“The primary responsibility for teaching the priesthood holders their duties and the doctrines of the kingdom rests upon the quorum presidents.” (Melchizedek Priesthood Handbook, 1974.)

The presidents and group leaders of the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums of the Church now have three challenges added to their responsibilities.

First, their quorums should be more than just classes. The quorum should also be a brotherhood and a service organization that provides mutual help for its quorum members and for the Church. Thus, the quorum meeting becomes a discussion and learning period so that better service may be rendered.

Second, the quorum president, not the quorum instructor, is responsible for teaching his members their duties and the doctrines of the kingdom. In the past, the teaching has been determined by the quorum instructor and his manual. Today the scriptures are the manual, and the Church provides a Personal Study Guide for each quorum member. The quorum president is responsible for the instruction.

Third, every priesthood holder should be encouraged to adopt a personal program for regular scripture study. He should also bring the scriptures to quorum or group meeting.

It should work like this:

This year, members of the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums of the Church have been given a Personal Study Guide with 36 lesson topics. The scriptural reading is the four Gospels of the New Testament.

The quorum leadership or group leadership may teach the quorum members themselves, or they may call one or more brethren as instructors. Each month the quorum presidency will meet to consider its teaching plans for the coming month. With that kind of flexibility, if the quorum members need a lesson on a particular subject, such as sacrifice or brotherhood or genealogy, the presidency may choose the appropriate lesson from the study guide and either teach it themselves or assign the proper instructor.

Each president will need to know his quorum members well and be able to utilize the resources provided to teach his members as he is inspired to do.