Teaching Bible in English classes can be fun, engaging and rewarding. Lacking ideas on how to make a good lesson plan? Here, we provide lesson plans that are tried and tested at churches and colleges. These lesson plans are pitched at middle secondary to college level, depending on your students’ level of English in your country.
Starting March 2010, we launched a 10-week English enhancement course – ACE Course, using the Bible to introduce Western arts and culture and everyday expressions.
Each lesson centres around a Bible passage rich with idiomatic expressions or literary devices. At the same time It carries a specific theme (e.g. temptation, love) to stimulate meaningful discussion among students. Each lesson lasts from 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the depth of discussion. Students generally become more interested in the English language, the Bible and Christianity after attending the course, according to our survey. Their creativity in using the language is also greatly increased.
We have published the course materials entitled ACE Course: Learn Arts, Culture and English Expressions through the Bible. A set of coursebook consists of the teacher’s edition and student’s edition. They are now available in Christian bookstores in Hong Kong.
To order, please call our sole agent Religious Education Resource Centre (+852 2776 6333), or email info@rerc.org.hk.Credit card payment is accepted for overseas mail orders.
| Lesson Name | Theme |
| Lesson 1: In the Beginning | Temptation  |
| Lesson 2: Mark of Cain | Sin |
| Lesson 3: Tower of Babel | Sin |
| Lesson 4: Exodus | Faith |
| Lesson 5: Wisdom of Solomon | Wisdom |
| Lesson 6: Patience of Job | Trial |
| Lesson 7: Right living | Right Living |
| Lesson 8: Prodigal Son | Love |
| Lesson 9: Last Supper | Trial |
| Lesson 10: Damascus Road Experience | Conversion |
A promotional flyer of the course can be downloaded here.
Want to launch ACE Course at your school or church? You can kick off the course with a taster session using this powerpoint presentation.
Recommendations of the ACE Course:
“These lessons for the teaching and learning of English through the Bible are exemplary. They are serious, attractive and beautifully constructed. They deserve widespread dissemination and use.”
Prof. David Jasper, Professor in Literature and Theology, University of Glasgow
“The course and website (www.selbl.org) are an invaluable resource for students and scholars. Feedback on pilot testing of the course in Sandyford Henderson Memorial Church of Scotland has been very positive.”
Prof. Noel Peacock, Marshall Professor of French, University of Glasgow
“SELBL reminds us that the Bible is not only a storehouse of God’s words, it is also literature. The Bible is the source for a lot of idioms that we are using today, many beautiful songs that we are singing today. Through this course, students learn more about our Lord’s messages to us through the Bible, the interpretation of these messages by creative artists over the centuries, and the relation between the messages and ourselves.”
Julia Wan, Consultant, Creative English Teaching, Part-time Lecturer, Dept of English Language & Literature, Hong Kong Baptist University
Below are the testimonies of students taking the course:
Let’s see how David Blenkinson, an English teacher of our course, thinks about learning English through the Bible:
You can also view the video clip below to see how we taught Bible through games and activities.
Want more lesson plans ? Join us as SELBL member for free, and you can browse and share tips on learning and teaching English from other members.
A lot of phrases, such as "two-edged sword" and " an eye for an eye", are taken from the English Bible. Learning the stories behind these idioms is fun, and can help boost your vocabulary. Click here to find out now!