Focus on Jesus Christ: Teach about Jesus Christ No Matter What You Are Teaching

Teach about the titles, roles, and attributes of Jesus Christ.

Skill

Create search questions to help students identify roles, titles, symbols, attributes, and characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Define

As we seek to help students search for Jesus Christ in the scriptures, they can come to know and love Him. One way to create a search question that helps students identify a role, title, symbol, attribute, or characteristic of Jesus Christ is to include the following in your question: (1) the scripture passage, (2) what you want the student to seek (roles, titles, symbols, attributes, or characteristics of Jesus Christ), and (3) how students will discover these things for themselves. These questions should be brought up before you have students read the scripture passage so that students are prepared to discover what they can learn about Jesus Christ.

The models and practices below are general examples. Training will be more effective if models and practice opportunities are connected to the next lessons that will be covered in the curriculum.

Model

Review the following questions, and notice how they include the scripture passage, what the students will seek, and how students will discover it for themselves:

• As you read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37, what divine attributes of Jesus Christ can you see?

• As you study Doctrine and Covenants 29:1–8, find three different titles and roles of Jesus Christ that feel relevant to what you need right now in your life.

• As you read Acts 3:1–7, what do you notice about Peter that reminds you of Jesus Christ?

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

Read the following verses, and for each set of verses write a search question that helps students discover roles, titles, symbols, attributes, and characteristics of Jesus Christ.

• Genesis 45:3–5

• Doctrine and Covenants 45:7–9

• 1 Nephi 3:1–7

Discuss or Ponder

• What did you learn about becoming a Christlike teacher from this experience?

• How can this help our students and classroom discussions focus more on Jesus Christ?

Incorporate

• Using what you learned in practice, think about the circumstances and needs of your students as you study to prepare your lessons this week. With one scripture passage in your lesson, write a search question that will help students discover the roles, titles, symbols, attributes, and characteristics of Jesus Christ to help them focus on Him. Write down the questions that come to you and, if you have time, practice asking those questions to someone before you ask any in class. This will help you refine your question before you use it with your students.

Want More?

• Chad H Webb, “We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ” (Seminaries and Institutes of Religion annual training broadcast, June 12, 2018), broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Skill

Ask questions that allow students to identify roles Jesus Christ can have in their lives.

Define

Teachers can focus on Jesus Christ by asking questions that allow students to identify what roles He can have in their lives. These questions can be used to invite students to explore the roles of Jesus Christ before or after reading a scripture passage or the words of the prophets. The questions should point students to a source, invite them to search for a role the Savior can have in their lives, and help them ponder how it might apply to them. When teachers enable students to identify what role the Savior can have in their lives, the Holy Ghost will help them see how relevant Jesus Christ can be in their current situation, and they will want to deepen their partnership with Him as they navigate personal challenges.

The models and practices below are general examples. Training will be more effective if models and practice opportunities are connected to the next lessons that will be covered in the curriculum.

Model

Here are a few examples of questions you can ask to invite students to identify the roles Jesus Christ can have in their lives:

• Based on these promises from Elder Kearon, what role can Jesus Christ have in your life that you could access right now?

• How can the role that Jesus Christ had in Nephi’s life (1 Nephi 7:16–18) be applied to you in your current situation?

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

Write a question that will help students identify roles Jesus Christ can have in their lives for the following situations:

• A student shares the following scripture: “Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?” (3 Nephi 9:13).

• You share the following quote from President Russell M. Nelson: “As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest” (“Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 97).

• An example from an upcoming lesson.

Discuss or Ponder

• What did you learn as you practiced these questions?

Incorporate

• Apply this skill in your upcoming lessons over the next few weeks by asking questions that allow students to see the roles Jesus Christ can have in their lives. Take some time to share with your supervisor the outcomes of applying this skill. Discuss ways to improve.

Want More?

• “Teach about the Titles, Roles, and Attributes of Jesus Christ,” in “Teach about Jesus Christ No Matter What You Are Teaching,” Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2022), Gospel Library

• Chad H Webb, “We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ” (Seminaries and Institutes of Religion annual training broadcast, June 12, 2018), Gospel Library