Using Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School

Preparing to Teach in Sunday School

The home should be the center of gospel learning. This is true for you and for those you teach. As you prepare to teach, start by having your own experiences in the scriptures. Your most important preparation will occur as you seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families is also an important part of your preparation. It will help you gain a deeper understanding of the doctrinal principles found in the scriptures. You will also be able to inspire and invite class members to use Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families to enhance their personal and family scripture study (for help in doing this, see “Ideas for Encouraging Personal and Family Study” in this resource). As you do, remember to be sensitive to class members whose family circumstances may not support regular family scripture study.

During your preparation, thoughts and impressions will come to you about the people you teach, how the principles in the scriptures will bless their lives, and how you can inspire them to discover those principles as they study the scriptures for themselves.

Teaching Ideas

As you are making your teaching plan, you might gain additional inspiration by exploring the outlines in this resource. Don’t think of these ideas as step-by-step instructions but rather as suggestions to spark your own inspiration. You know your class members, and the Lord knows them too. He will inspire you with the best ways to help class members build on the gospel learning they are doing in their homes.

You have many other resources available as you prepare, including ideas in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and Church magazines. For more information about these and other resources, see “Additional Resources.”

Some Things to Keep in Mind

• The home is the best place for gospel learning. As a teacher, you have an important responsibility to support, encourage, and build upon gospel learning in the home.

• Class members’ conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ will deepen as they understand and apply true doctrine. Encourage them to record and act on the impressions they receive from the Holy Ghost.

• Teaching is more than lecturing, but it is also more than simply leading a discussion. Part of your role is to encourage participation that edifies and is based on the scriptures.

• Heavenly Father wants you to succeed as a teacher. He has provided many resources to help you succeed, including teacher council meetings. In these meetings you can counsel with other teachers about any challenges you might face. You can also discuss and practice principles of Christlike teaching.

• People learn best when they have opportunities to teach. On occasion, consider allowing class members, including youth, to teach a part of the lesson. Base this decision on the needs and abilities of class members. If you do invite a class member to teach, take the time to help him or her prepare in advance by using the ideas found in this resource and in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Remember that as the called teacher, you are responsible for what is taught in the class.

• This resource includes outlines for every week of the year except for the two Sundays when general conference is held. On Sundays when Sunday School is not held because of stake conference or any other reason, families may continue reading the New Testament at home according to the schedule outlined. In order to keep your Sunday School class on schedule, you may choose to skip a lesson or combine two lessons. To avoid confusion, Sunday School presidents may wish to advise Sunday School teachers about these adjustments ahead of time.